As promised...
Dialysis Weights:
06 Mar 14
Starting Weight: 104.6 Kg
Ending Weight: 101.1 Kg
Water Removed: 3.50 Kg
08 Mar 14
Starting Weight: 104.9 Kg
Ending Weight: 100.8 Kg
Water Removed: 4.10 Kg
11 Mar 14
Starting Weight: 105.6 Kg
Ending Weight: 101.9 Kg
Water Removed: 3.70 Kg
13 Mar 14
Starting Weight: 105.8 Kg
Ending Weight: 102.0 Kg
Water Removed: 3.80 Kg
15 Mar 14
Starting Weight: 105.5 Kg
Ending Weight: 101.8 Kg
Water Removed: 3.70 Kg
17 Mar 14
Starting Weight: 105.2 Kg
Ending Weight: 100.2 Kg
Water Removed: 5.00 Kg
20 Mar 14
Starting Weight: 106.0 Kg
Ending Weight: 101.2 Kg
Water Removed: 4.80 Kg
Aside from my last two weigh-in's, my weights are remaining consistent. 105 Kg seems to be the point at which I have fluid infiltrating my lungs. I was really surprised at yesterday's weigh-in. I was expecting about a four kilogram increase. When the 5.8 Kg showed, I was gob smacked.
I still don't understand how I gained that much weight. My accounting of my fluid intake was 3.4 Liters--about 3.50 Kg. Add in weight for food consumed, and it should have been between 4-4.5 Kg. Ah well... I'll keep trying!
Labs are in and most are good.
*Albumin (17 Mar): 4.40 g/dL (+0.30 g/dL from 21 Jan)
(A measure of Protein in the blood) NR (Normal Range) 4.0 g/dL or Higher
*Hemoglobin (17 Mar): 10.9 g/dL (-0.30 g/dL from 04 Feb)
(A Measure of Anemia)
*Ca Corrected (03 Mar): 9.60 mg/dL (+0.70 mg/dL from 04 Feb)
(A measure of Heart and Bone health) NR 8.40 to 10.20 mg/dL
*Phosphorous (08 Mar): 6.80 mg/dL (+1.70 mg/dL from 08 Feb)
(High Phosphorous affects the health of your Heart and Bones) NR 3.0 to 5.5 mg/dL
*PTH Intact (17 Mar): 245 pg/mL (+26 pg/mL from 21 Jan)
(A measure of Vitamin D absorption and bone and tissue health) NR 150 to 600 pg/mL
*K+ (17 Mar): 5.7 mEq/L (+0.60 mEq/L from 21 Jan)
(Proper potassium levels keep your nerves and muscles working well) NR 3.5 to 5.5 mEq/L
*spKdt/V Dialysis (03 Mar): 1.34 (-0.19 from 04 Feb)
(A measure of the effectiveness of dialysis and blood filtering.) NR 1.20 or Higher
(I've been having numerous blood draws this month, so the dates shown will be all over the place, instead of consistent with each test.)
As far as the Phosphorous and Potassium, I have no idea why these are out of whack. I've been really good about not eating phosphorous rich foods, have been taking my binders as instructed, and rarely eat potassium heavy foods. I spoke with the clinic nutritionist yesterday, and she stated that I'm doing things right with my diet; these numbers will just bounce around for no good reason. She said to just keep doing what I have been.
Two weeks ago, after yet another bout of intense nausea and vomiting, I requested a better anti-emetic, and was prescribed oral Zofran. (This is the same injectable anti-emetic I get during dialysis, if needed.) My usual anti-emetic, Promethazine, has been ineffective in curbing the intense nausea when it strikes; so I had to get something even better. Zofran is regularly prescribed to Chemotherapy patients to control their nausea and vomiting. My own experience with the med [at dialysis] told me it was fantastic. Yesterday, I had the opportunity to try it out, and it did not disappoint me at all! Once it started working, the emerging nausea was gone, and it never developed into anything worse. Granted, it took about thirty minutes to kick in; but once it did, the symptoms completely disappeared!
Thank goodness!!!
A fellow dialysis patient had a donor transplant this past Tuesday, and I went to see him in the same hospital I'll be getting my transplant at. Just one day after surgery he was already looking great! His skin color was better, his face was happier and his countenance was brighter. He (Shawn) stated that he felt great, and that his new kidney kicked in almost immediately.
Shawn stated that, as I've been told, he gained 20 pounds due to the massive infusion of steroids needed to suppress the body's immune system so the kidney won't reject. By the time he goes home, Shawn will be taking far less steroids, and his weight gain will all be gone through urination.
It was good for me to see and talk to Shawn. Getting as much info in advance has helped me tremendously thus far; so getting first hand knowledge about a transplant is essential to my preparing for my own transplant!
If you are awaiting any transplant, I strongly urge you to talk with someone who has been through the process. Their insights and experience will give you peace of mind as you enter what can be an incredibly scary time.
Still no incidences of diarrhea. It's been nearly two months now since the last incident. Again, not that I'm complaining; but I'd rather tolerate diarrhea than have fluid buildup in my lungs. Not sleeping and having trouble breathing simply isn't any fun whatsoever. Luckily, the DiB thing is almost completely within my ability to control.
As I alluded to in yesterday's brief note, my wife and I moved condo's. We're in the same building, just up one floor to a vastly quieter place, and it has a superior view, as well. The move wasn't overly difficult, and we had a week to get it all done. Nevertheless, it exhausted me, and I've been pretty much worthless since Sunday--when we finished cleaning the other place. In another day or two I should be better.
That's all I can remember for now.
I eagerly await the call out of the blue that signals my transplant surgery.
Good Health to All!
ScottW
Friday, March 21, 2014
Tuesday, March 4, 2014
04 March 2014
It's been too long since my last blog, so let's get at it...
Dialysis Weights:
20 Mar 14
Starting Weight: 106.7 Kg
Ending Weight: 102.1 Kg
Water Removed: 4.60 Kg
22 Mar 14
Starting Weight: 105.6 Kg
Ending Weight: 101.7 Kg
Water Removed: 4.10 Kg
24 Mar 14
Starting Weight: 105.9 Kg
Ending Weight: 102.2 Kg
Water Removed: 3.70 Kg
27 Mar 14
Starting Weight: 106.6 Kg
Ending Weight: 102.2 Kg
Water Removed: 4.40 Kg
01 Mar 14
Starting Weight: 105.4 Kg
Ending Weight: 101.5 Kg
Water Removed: 3.90 Kg
03 Mar 14
Starting Weight: 105.6 Kg
Ending Weight: 101.3 Kg
Water Removed: 4.30 Kg
As you see, my bottom weight is getting lower. Officially, my dry weight is now 101.5 Kg. (If you'll remember, before my nephrectomy, my dry weight was 104.3 Kg.) Why the change?
Two reasons--
1) It helps my Blood Pressure be better.
2) It is reducing fluid in my lungs.
As of yesterday's Tx, the fluid in my lungs was gone, and my BP is lower than it has been since early December. I will continue using O2 during dialysis, as this helps reestablish the proper air pressure within the lungs.
I'm still getting restricted breathing about two days after my last Tx. With the fluid gone [for now], I'm hoping I won't be dealing with this again anytime soon. We'll see.
As for my dry weight, I am looking to be at around 100 Kg as my goal. That should help keep the fluid out of my lungs, and keep my BP in a proper range. I'll keep you updated.
Also following last night's Tx, I got a full night of sleep for the first time in several weeks. The restricted breathing was keeping me from getting that sleep as I would awaken frequently gasping for air. And sleeping in a bed was near impossible as laying down only exacerbated the breathing issues. So, I slept in my recliner a lot...well, I use the term "sleep" quite loosely because the three or so total hours I'd get each night hardly qualified as sleep. Let's call it, multiple twenty or so minute naps that totaled about three hours over the course of a full day.
My post-dialysis headaches continue to be an issue. I know that these are a direct result of the fluid shift that occurs during Tx, and once I've got a kidney, they will never bother me again. Yes, I'll still be dealing with the TMD headaches--for the rest of my life!--but at least I won't have these nasty dialysis headaches on top of them.
In case you're wondering, before the onset of the kidney disease, my TMD was under control. I hadn't had a nasty blowout headache in ten years. Anytime I got a headache--or felt as if one was coming on--I'd pop in my mouth guards at night and awaken the next day with no pain at all. To manage what small headaches I did get, I'd use a regimen of regular Tylenol or Tension Headache Excedrin. Add in my relaxation techniques and awareness of body positioning, and you have TMD control. Hopefully I'll get back to that once again after all of this is said and done. It took me literally years to get the TMD under control. Let's hope that it only take a few weeks to achieve.
The past few weeks I haven't had even a single incidence of diarrhea. While a very good thing, according to my doctor, the lack of fluid expulsion from my body likely aided the onset of fluid into my lungs. So, a good and a bad thing.
Since the onset of that pulmonary fluid, I also haven't had any vomiting. This is definitely a great thing! My whole body gets into the action and it just wears me out. All that vomiting I did a few weeks ago really took its toll.
My abdomen continues to heal from the surgery. I still get twinges of pain; and if I over do things, the incision site really hurts. Every once in a while I'll look at those scars (5 in total--Incision, 2 Lap, 2 drains)--and I am amazed that I am walking around, living and breathing, without two of my seven Vital Organs. It's incredible what modern medicine can achieve!
Oh...I forgot to tell you!
On advice from the Head Nurse at my dialysis clinic I went to see a Vascular Surgeon about my fistula--where we connect dialysis through. I've been having problems with leakage during Tx, and then with proper clotting after the needles are removed. Last week I held pressure for forty minutes and I STILL popped the clots. I ended up taking an arm clamp home with me that stayed on my arm for another hour!
Anyhow, the arm was scanned with Ultra Sound. It turns out that my fistula has closed in on itself about three inches below the elbow with a huge clot. So, now the blood flow has diverted to other veins in my lower arm, creating a spider web of enlarged smaller vessels in order to accommodate the increased blood flow back to the heart.
In the short term, this I no big deal. The clot poses no danger to my heart whatsoever, and the vessels carrying the increased blood flow are compensating [for the fistula] just fine. In the long term, I have three options:
1) Leave everything in place. The fistula should hold up.
2) Place a new fistula on my R arm.
3) Move a deep vein from my L bicep to a shallower position, and hook it into the existing fistula by cutting out the clotted section.
For now, we're just going with option one. It can always fail, in which case a central line would be placed to accommodate dialysis; then, a second fistula would be established through either option two or option three. If either scenario happens, I will certainly let you know. All of this is moot however, if I get a kidney before the fistula fails. In that case, the fistula, no longer in use, would simply continue to flow as it is now. In the event it has to be used again, then the vessel will be reevaluated for viability.
I think that's all....
Have a great week, everyone!
Good Health to All!
ScottW
Dialysis Weights:
20 Mar 14
Starting Weight: 106.7 Kg
Ending Weight: 102.1 Kg
Water Removed: 4.60 Kg
22 Mar 14
Starting Weight: 105.6 Kg
Ending Weight: 101.7 Kg
Water Removed: 4.10 Kg
24 Mar 14
Starting Weight: 105.9 Kg
Ending Weight: 102.2 Kg
Water Removed: 3.70 Kg
27 Mar 14
Starting Weight: 106.6 Kg
Ending Weight: 102.2 Kg
Water Removed: 4.40 Kg
01 Mar 14
Starting Weight: 105.4 Kg
Ending Weight: 101.5 Kg
Water Removed: 3.90 Kg
03 Mar 14
Starting Weight: 105.6 Kg
Ending Weight: 101.3 Kg
Water Removed: 4.30 Kg
As you see, my bottom weight is getting lower. Officially, my dry weight is now 101.5 Kg. (If you'll remember, before my nephrectomy, my dry weight was 104.3 Kg.) Why the change?
Two reasons--
1) It helps my Blood Pressure be better.
2) It is reducing fluid in my lungs.
As of yesterday's Tx, the fluid in my lungs was gone, and my BP is lower than it has been since early December. I will continue using O2 during dialysis, as this helps reestablish the proper air pressure within the lungs.
I'm still getting restricted breathing about two days after my last Tx. With the fluid gone [for now], I'm hoping I won't be dealing with this again anytime soon. We'll see.
As for my dry weight, I am looking to be at around 100 Kg as my goal. That should help keep the fluid out of my lungs, and keep my BP in a proper range. I'll keep you updated.
Also following last night's Tx, I got a full night of sleep for the first time in several weeks. The restricted breathing was keeping me from getting that sleep as I would awaken frequently gasping for air. And sleeping in a bed was near impossible as laying down only exacerbated the breathing issues. So, I slept in my recliner a lot...well, I use the term "sleep" quite loosely because the three or so total hours I'd get each night hardly qualified as sleep. Let's call it, multiple twenty or so minute naps that totaled about three hours over the course of a full day.
My post-dialysis headaches continue to be an issue. I know that these are a direct result of the fluid shift that occurs during Tx, and once I've got a kidney, they will never bother me again. Yes, I'll still be dealing with the TMD headaches--for the rest of my life!--but at least I won't have these nasty dialysis headaches on top of them.
In case you're wondering, before the onset of the kidney disease, my TMD was under control. I hadn't had a nasty blowout headache in ten years. Anytime I got a headache--or felt as if one was coming on--I'd pop in my mouth guards at night and awaken the next day with no pain at all. To manage what small headaches I did get, I'd use a regimen of regular Tylenol or Tension Headache Excedrin. Add in my relaxation techniques and awareness of body positioning, and you have TMD control. Hopefully I'll get back to that once again after all of this is said and done. It took me literally years to get the TMD under control. Let's hope that it only take a few weeks to achieve.
The past few weeks I haven't had even a single incidence of diarrhea. While a very good thing, according to my doctor, the lack of fluid expulsion from my body likely aided the onset of fluid into my lungs. So, a good and a bad thing.
Since the onset of that pulmonary fluid, I also haven't had any vomiting. This is definitely a great thing! My whole body gets into the action and it just wears me out. All that vomiting I did a few weeks ago really took its toll.
My abdomen continues to heal from the surgery. I still get twinges of pain; and if I over do things, the incision site really hurts. Every once in a while I'll look at those scars (5 in total--Incision, 2 Lap, 2 drains)--and I am amazed that I am walking around, living and breathing, without two of my seven Vital Organs. It's incredible what modern medicine can achieve!
Oh...I forgot to tell you!
On advice from the Head Nurse at my dialysis clinic I went to see a Vascular Surgeon about my fistula--where we connect dialysis through. I've been having problems with leakage during Tx, and then with proper clotting after the needles are removed. Last week I held pressure for forty minutes and I STILL popped the clots. I ended up taking an arm clamp home with me that stayed on my arm for another hour!
Anyhow, the arm was scanned with Ultra Sound. It turns out that my fistula has closed in on itself about three inches below the elbow with a huge clot. So, now the blood flow has diverted to other veins in my lower arm, creating a spider web of enlarged smaller vessels in order to accommodate the increased blood flow back to the heart.
In the short term, this I no big deal. The clot poses no danger to my heart whatsoever, and the vessels carrying the increased blood flow are compensating [for the fistula] just fine. In the long term, I have three options:
1) Leave everything in place. The fistula should hold up.
2) Place a new fistula on my R arm.
3) Move a deep vein from my L bicep to a shallower position, and hook it into the existing fistula by cutting out the clotted section.
For now, we're just going with option one. It can always fail, in which case a central line would be placed to accommodate dialysis; then, a second fistula would be established through either option two or option three. If either scenario happens, I will certainly let you know. All of this is moot however, if I get a kidney before the fistula fails. In that case, the fistula, no longer in use, would simply continue to flow as it is now. In the event it has to be used again, then the vessel will be reevaluated for viability.
I think that's all....
Have a great week, everyone!
Good Health to All!
ScottW
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
18 February 2014
A really rough week!
That's putting it mildly.
Last Wednesday I began to have some discomfort breathing, and trouble sleeping because of the discomfort. I would awaken suddenly, gasping for air. This carried over to Friday night when I couldn't sleep at all because of DiB (Difficulty in Breathing). I decided to go to the hospital at 230a on Saturday. What was happening definitely wasn't normal for me, so it is always better to see a doctor than to wait it out.
So, I had my wife and daughter drive me to the ER. Because of the DiB, I was seen immediately. Blood was drawn, pulmonary xrays were taken, I was put on O2 (NC only at about 2L/min.
The doctor determined that I was in Respiratory distress due to fluid in my lungs. Since I have no kidneys, the only treatment (Tx) is dialysis--which I was scheduled to do in a few hours. So, I went to my regular Tx as scheduled, took off four Kg's (about a gallon), and went home and slept all day.
Unfortunately, that wasn't the end of it. On Sunday evening I began feeling the same way again. It was tolerable, and I slept a bit, but the symptoms increased Sunday night and into Monday. In the afternoon, the DiB was so bad I couldn't take a deep breath. Then, I began to have nausea on top of that. Between the two, I decided to do dialysis early; so, I called my Dialysis center, got permission, and went in for Tx. I found out that I had inexplicably gained 4.3 Kg in just two days!
I had O2 during the treatment (this helps vacate water from the lungs), again a NC at just 2L/min. Plus, I was given a full shot of Zofran for my nausea. I slept through most of the Tx, but began feeling better within just a few minutes. By the time it was done, I could breath deeply again, and felt better in general.
As of this morning, I have slept about twelve hours, my lungs feel clear, and I am feeling even better. I am hoping that I won't have DiB again before Thursdays' dialysis; but if I do, I know that it will be alright. The Tx will take care of it.
I also learned something on my Saturday dialysis. One of the nurses suggested I have my fluid reduction done at a rate of 1L/hour (one liter per hour), rather than a liter every forty five minutes. This might help reduce any cramping that would otherwise develop from a faster fluid draw. And...he was right! I had no cramping on Saturday, and, using the same formula yesterday, I have had no cramping once again after a 4+ liter draw.
I'll definitely continue utilizing this formula!
So, you can easily understand why I've had a bad week. No fun whatsoever.
Dialysis Weights:
13 Feb 14
Starting Weight: 106.5 Kg
Ending Weight: 103.4 Kg
Water Removed: 3.10 Kg
15 Feb 14
Starting Weight: 106.5 Kg
Ending Weight: 102.6 Kg
Water Removed: 3.90 Kg
17 Feb 14
Starting Weight: 106.9 Kg
Ending Weight: 102.5 Kg
Water Removed: 4.40 Kg
That's really all I have for now. Though not sleepy, I'm still tired from all of this. So, only a truncated entry today. Hopefully, I'll stay feeling better and give more of a complete entry next time.
Good Health to All!
ScottW
That's putting it mildly.
Last Wednesday I began to have some discomfort breathing, and trouble sleeping because of the discomfort. I would awaken suddenly, gasping for air. This carried over to Friday night when I couldn't sleep at all because of DiB (Difficulty in Breathing). I decided to go to the hospital at 230a on Saturday. What was happening definitely wasn't normal for me, so it is always better to see a doctor than to wait it out.
So, I had my wife and daughter drive me to the ER. Because of the DiB, I was seen immediately. Blood was drawn, pulmonary xrays were taken, I was put on O2 (NC only at about 2L/min.
The doctor determined that I was in Respiratory distress due to fluid in my lungs. Since I have no kidneys, the only treatment (Tx) is dialysis--which I was scheduled to do in a few hours. So, I went to my regular Tx as scheduled, took off four Kg's (about a gallon), and went home and slept all day.
Unfortunately, that wasn't the end of it. On Sunday evening I began feeling the same way again. It was tolerable, and I slept a bit, but the symptoms increased Sunday night and into Monday. In the afternoon, the DiB was so bad I couldn't take a deep breath. Then, I began to have nausea on top of that. Between the two, I decided to do dialysis early; so, I called my Dialysis center, got permission, and went in for Tx. I found out that I had inexplicably gained 4.3 Kg in just two days!
I had O2 during the treatment (this helps vacate water from the lungs), again a NC at just 2L/min. Plus, I was given a full shot of Zofran for my nausea. I slept through most of the Tx, but began feeling better within just a few minutes. By the time it was done, I could breath deeply again, and felt better in general.
As of this morning, I have slept about twelve hours, my lungs feel clear, and I am feeling even better. I am hoping that I won't have DiB again before Thursdays' dialysis; but if I do, I know that it will be alright. The Tx will take care of it.
I also learned something on my Saturday dialysis. One of the nurses suggested I have my fluid reduction done at a rate of 1L/hour (one liter per hour), rather than a liter every forty five minutes. This might help reduce any cramping that would otherwise develop from a faster fluid draw. And...he was right! I had no cramping on Saturday, and, using the same formula yesterday, I have had no cramping once again after a 4+ liter draw.
I'll definitely continue utilizing this formula!
So, you can easily understand why I've had a bad week. No fun whatsoever.
Dialysis Weights:
13 Feb 14
Starting Weight: 106.5 Kg
Ending Weight: 103.4 Kg
Water Removed: 3.10 Kg
15 Feb 14
Starting Weight: 106.5 Kg
Ending Weight: 102.6 Kg
Water Removed: 3.90 Kg
17 Feb 14
Starting Weight: 106.9 Kg
Ending Weight: 102.5 Kg
Water Removed: 4.40 Kg
That's really all I have for now. Though not sleepy, I'm still tired from all of this. So, only a truncated entry today. Hopefully, I'll stay feeling better and give more of a complete entry next time.
Good Health to All!
ScottW
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
Davita Dialysis Newsletter: Your Questions Answered
I received the following exerpt from Davita Dialysis yesterday and knew it was great info for anyone who is caring for or enduring Advanced kidney disease:
Kidney Disease and Dialysis Digest
Chronic Kidney Disease and Your Heart
If you have chronic kidney disease (CKD), you’re probably concerned about the health and function of your kidneys. But your kidneys aren’t the only things at risk. Your heart and blood vessels can become damaged due to CKD or the underlying conditions that caused your renal disease. Show your heart some love and learn more about your cardiovascular health.
 |
 | |||
Your Questions Answered
What causes back pain, primarily where the kidneys are located?
Typically three things that can cause back pain related to the kidneys:
Kidney stones are a formation of hardened minerals in the kidneys or urinary system. There are times when a kidney stone causes great pain and cannot pass through the urinary tract without medical help. If you have any of these symptoms, please call your doctor. Taking care of kidney stones early can prevent serious complications, such as chronic kidney disease (CKD)or, in extreme cases, renal failure. Polycystic kidney disease is hereditary. It causes cysts to form in the kidneys. These cysts are filled with fluid and, depending on their size and how many there are, will change the size of the kidneys. In addition, the cysts can interfere with healthy kidney function and eventually lead to kidney failure. This article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical advice or diagnosis from a physician. Please check with a physician if you need a diagnosis and/or treatments as well as information regarding your specific condition. If you are experiencing urgent medical conditions, please call 9-1-1 |
12 February 2014
A bit longer [since my last post] than I would like; but, let's get to it...
Dialysis weights:
01 Feb 14
Starting Weight: 106.6 Kg
Ending Weight: 102.9 Kg
Water Removed: 3.70 Kg
04 Feb 14
Starting Weight: 107.1 Kg
Ending Weight: 103.4 Kg
Water Removed: 3.70 Kg
06 Feb 14
Starting Weight: 106.6 Kg
Ending Weight: 103.5 Kg
Water Removed: 3.10 Kg
08 Feb 14
Starting Weight: 106.6 Kg
Ending Weight: 102.7 Kg
Water Removed: 3.90 Kg
11 Feb 14
Starting Weight: 107.5 Kg
Ending Weight: 103.5 Kg
Water Removed: 4.00 Kg
I've obviously been struggling with my weight a bit. I'll explain later.
Next, my latest lab results:
*Albumin (21 Jan): 4.10 g/dL (-0.10 g/dL from 30 Dec)
(A measure of Protein in the blood) NR (Normal Range) 4.0 g/dL or Higher
*Hemoglobin (04 Feb): 11.2 g/dL (+0.80 g/dL from 21 Jan)
(A Measure of Anemia)
*Ca Corrected (04 Feb): 8.90 mg/dL (-0.80 mg/dL from 07 Jan)
(A measure of Heart and Bone health) NR 8.40 to 10.20 mg/dL
*Phosphorous (08 Feb): 4.90 mg/dL (+0.90 mg/dL from 11 Jan)
(High Phosphorous affects the health of your Heart and Bones) NR 3.0 to 5.5 mg/dL
*PTH Intact (21 Jan): 219 pg/mL (+8 pg/mL from 17 Dec)
(A measure of Vitamin D absorption and bone and tissue health) NR 150 to 600 pg/mL
*K+ (21 Jan): 5.1 mEq/L (+0.10 mEq/L from 07 Jan)
(Proper potassium levels keep your nerves and muscles working well) NR 3.5 to 5.5 mEq/L
*spKdt/V Dialysis (04 Feb): 1.53 (+0.03 from 14 Jan)
(A measure of the effectiveness of dialysis and blood filtering.) NR 1.20 or Higher
Once again, terrific numbers. The only red was the calcium sneaking towards the low end of the scale. More than likely, it will rise on my next labs; so I'm not concerned at all.
My phosphorous is actually a revised number. On the 04 Feb lab draw, it spiked again to 7.90 mg/dL. The clinic nutritionist decided to order another draw two days later and it dropped three more points to 4.90 mg/dL. So, that turned out to be one of those odd spikes I was told would happen.
The past two weeks have been difficult. First, I was dealing with ongoing nausea and diarrhea. Nothing would stop either. So, my Nephrologist prescribed Prilosec 40 mg 1x/day. After just three days both symtomolgies began to ease up. Within a week both symptoms were gone. Last weekend I began to get severely nauseated, I was having DiB (Difficulty in Breathing) and my head was pounding. I spent Monday throwing up (five times in all) and my head was pounding. It wasn't my best day.
I saw the P.A. at my Tuesday dialysis. She had me stop the Prilosec as it can cause Magnesium deficiency; which causes headache, pulmonary distress, constipation, vomiting, etc. I was to [temporarily] go back to the twice per day Zantac, and 50 mg of the BP med Atenolol to help with the elevated BP's at every Tx since around Christmas.
She also ordered a Magnesium lab draw--which turned out to be normal. Plus, at dialysis I stopped using each of the two BP machines; opting instead to go with a wrist device that I have to start every thirty minutes. Since then, my BP's have dropped some thirty points. For now, we'll keep going with all of that to try and solve the elevated BP
mystery.
I am a little concerned about the breathing thing. I don't normally miss a breath at all; but this is happening with regularity whenever I lay down. It is not only disconcerting, but very dangerous, as well. I spent most of Sunday night sitting in my recliner. This helped to ease the DiB. I have since discovered that laying in bed with three pillows behind me also helps to relieve the issue. The doc is hoping that a consistently lower BP will alleviate this issue, too.
In my attempts to reduce both the nausea and the headache, I know that I drank too much water, juices, coke--a nice natural anti-emetic in the Cola nut--on Monday. Add in the volume of the five incidents of emesis, add in my starting weight on Tuesday, and it's not hard to understand why I gained 4.80 kg over my weekend. Like I stated earlier, not my best day. Ah well, do what you gotta do...right?
Lastly, I want to take a moment to Thank Everyone for continuing to follow my blog. As of yesterday, I have 6,648 page views since I began this 'adventure' nearly four and a half years ago. That breaks down to 128 views per month (at 52 months), 32 page views per week, and 4.6 per day. For not having expectations about possible readership, I'll certainly take those numbers! Thanks to each and every person for your time, your encouragements, your prayers and support!
Unless anything happens in the next few days, I'll be back in a week or so.
Until then,...
Good Health to All!
ScottW
Dialysis weights:
01 Feb 14
Starting Weight: 106.6 Kg
Ending Weight: 102.9 Kg
Water Removed: 3.70 Kg
04 Feb 14
Starting Weight: 107.1 Kg
Ending Weight: 103.4 Kg
Water Removed: 3.70 Kg
06 Feb 14
Starting Weight: 106.6 Kg
Ending Weight: 103.5 Kg
Water Removed: 3.10 Kg
08 Feb 14
Starting Weight: 106.6 Kg
Ending Weight: 102.7 Kg
Water Removed: 3.90 Kg
11 Feb 14
Starting Weight: 107.5 Kg
Ending Weight: 103.5 Kg
Water Removed: 4.00 Kg
I've obviously been struggling with my weight a bit. I'll explain later.
Next, my latest lab results:
*Albumin (21 Jan): 4.10 g/dL (-0.10 g/dL from 30 Dec)
(A measure of Protein in the blood) NR (Normal Range) 4.0 g/dL or Higher
*Hemoglobin (04 Feb): 11.2 g/dL (+0.80 g/dL from 21 Jan)
(A Measure of Anemia)
*Ca Corrected (04 Feb): 8.90 mg/dL (-0.80 mg/dL from 07 Jan)
(A measure of Heart and Bone health) NR 8.40 to 10.20 mg/dL
*Phosphorous (08 Feb): 4.90 mg/dL (+0.90 mg/dL from 11 Jan)
(High Phosphorous affects the health of your Heart and Bones) NR 3.0 to 5.5 mg/dL
*PTH Intact (21 Jan): 219 pg/mL (+8 pg/mL from 17 Dec)
(A measure of Vitamin D absorption and bone and tissue health) NR 150 to 600 pg/mL
*K+ (21 Jan): 5.1 mEq/L (+0.10 mEq/L from 07 Jan)
(Proper potassium levels keep your nerves and muscles working well) NR 3.5 to 5.5 mEq/L
*spKdt/V Dialysis (04 Feb): 1.53 (+0.03 from 14 Jan)
(A measure of the effectiveness of dialysis and blood filtering.) NR 1.20 or Higher
Once again, terrific numbers. The only red was the calcium sneaking towards the low end of the scale. More than likely, it will rise on my next labs; so I'm not concerned at all.
My phosphorous is actually a revised number. On the 04 Feb lab draw, it spiked again to 7.90 mg/dL. The clinic nutritionist decided to order another draw two days later and it dropped three more points to 4.90 mg/dL. So, that turned out to be one of those odd spikes I was told would happen.
The past two weeks have been difficult. First, I was dealing with ongoing nausea and diarrhea. Nothing would stop either. So, my Nephrologist prescribed Prilosec 40 mg 1x/day. After just three days both symtomolgies began to ease up. Within a week both symptoms were gone. Last weekend I began to get severely nauseated, I was having DiB (Difficulty in Breathing) and my head was pounding. I spent Monday throwing up (five times in all) and my head was pounding. It wasn't my best day.
I saw the P.A. at my Tuesday dialysis. She had me stop the Prilosec as it can cause Magnesium deficiency; which causes headache, pulmonary distress, constipation, vomiting, etc. I was to [temporarily] go back to the twice per day Zantac, and 50 mg of the BP med Atenolol to help with the elevated BP's at every Tx since around Christmas.
She also ordered a Magnesium lab draw--which turned out to be normal. Plus, at dialysis I stopped using each of the two BP machines; opting instead to go with a wrist device that I have to start every thirty minutes. Since then, my BP's have dropped some thirty points. For now, we'll keep going with all of that to try and solve the elevated BP
mystery.
I am a little concerned about the breathing thing. I don't normally miss a breath at all; but this is happening with regularity whenever I lay down. It is not only disconcerting, but very dangerous, as well. I spent most of Sunday night sitting in my recliner. This helped to ease the DiB. I have since discovered that laying in bed with three pillows behind me also helps to relieve the issue. The doc is hoping that a consistently lower BP will alleviate this issue, too.
In my attempts to reduce both the nausea and the headache, I know that I drank too much water, juices, coke--a nice natural anti-emetic in the Cola nut--on Monday. Add in the volume of the five incidents of emesis, add in my starting weight on Tuesday, and it's not hard to understand why I gained 4.80 kg over my weekend. Like I stated earlier, not my best day. Ah well, do what you gotta do...right?
Lastly, I want to take a moment to Thank Everyone for continuing to follow my blog. As of yesterday, I have 6,648 page views since I began this 'adventure' nearly four and a half years ago. That breaks down to 128 views per month (at 52 months), 32 page views per week, and 4.6 per day. For not having expectations about possible readership, I'll certainly take those numbers! Thanks to each and every person for your time, your encouragements, your prayers and support!
Unless anything happens in the next few days, I'll be back in a week or so.
Until then,...
Good Health to All!
ScottW
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
Newsletter: Transplant Living (from UNOS)
I received the following email newsletter from UNOS (United Network of Organ Sharing), and thought I would pass it along. It contains some great links and information. Feel free to check things out!
| January 2014 | ||||
 | ||||
 | ||||
National committee formed to develop network policies for hand, face transplantation >
Eighteen people who have clinical, professional and personal experience with vascular composite allografts (VCA) have been named to a new committee of the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) to develop nationwide standards and policies for these procedures.
Questions to ask your transplant team >
Get a list of issues and concerns that you may want to discuss with your transplant team.
Recovery resources >
Learn what to expect throughout recovery, so you can take charge of your health and healing/
Recommended reading >:
Browse a sampling of the many books for children and adults dealing with the various questions and issues surrounding transplantation.
Read the Latest Edition of UNOS Update magazine >
The latest edition of the UNOS Update is now available in interactive PDF format. | ||||
 | ||||
Friday, January 31, 2014
31 January 2014
The end of January is already here! At least this was a memorable month with my getting placed on the Active List!
Dialysis Weights:
23 Jan 14
Starting Weight: 106.4 Kg
Ending Weight: 102.8 Kg
Water Removed: 3.60 Kg
25 Jan 14
Starting Weight: 107.0 Kg
Ending Weight: 103.0 Kg
Water Removed: 4.00 Kg
28 Jan 14
Starting Weight: 107.5 Kg
Ending Weight: 103.4 Kg
Water Removed: 4.10 Kg
30 Jan 14
Starting Weight: 107.0 Kg
Ending Weight: 103.4 Kg
Water Removed: 3.60 Kg
I am struggling to go progressively lower on my dry weights; but for good reason. I continued to battle ongoing nausea until earlier this week. I saw my doc as he came by the dialysis center, told him about the nausea, and he took me off the Zantac and prescribed Rx Prilosec 40 mg, 1x/day. I decided to start taking it that night (at 11p). Ever since, my nausea is completely gone!
As my daughter pointed out, my battling the nausea added to my water weight because of needing to drink added fluids to accompany meds, try to calm the nausea, etc. Over the next few weeks it will be interesting to see if my control over fluid intake is increased, and I am able to lower my dry weight again. Time will tell.
As instructed, I have informed my Transplant Coordinator about the Rx change so the Committee is current on all my meds. This is vital for anyone on a Transplant list! If they do not have all of your current meds on file, it could cost you a transplant opportunity, making you wait until later. So, be sure you communicate any changes in your condition, care or meds!
My BP (Blood Pressure) has been high since Christmas. I'm hoping the now ceased nausea will help that to come down. My Nephrologist isn't too concerned, at this point. He stated that it is most likely from my body adjusting to no kidneys. If it continues, we may look at BP meds; but for now, we're concentrating on reducing my water weight.
My sleep continues to be a lot better! My naps are fewer, and the quality of my sleep is vastly improved. My total dialysis day sleep hours are about the same, but the rest of my sleep is better, longer and far more restful.
Along those lines, my dreams are in my complete control. I haven't had a bad dream in weeks. This directly ties in to my successful nephrectomy, the healing [from the surgery] and my getting on the Active List.
My strength still has a long way to go. With all the nausea I've had, I haven't felt up to doing much walking, so I am way behind on where I wanted to be, strength-wise, by this point. However, since there is no average for how long healing and strengthening should take (because ever patient is different), I am concentrating on keeping my mind in a good place, avoiding frustration that can set in because of the delay in my getting better on both the healing and the strengthening. I just have to roll with whatever comes up, and always try to press forward as I can.
That's all for now.
Have a great week!
Good Health to All!
ScottW
Dialysis Weights:
23 Jan 14
Starting Weight: 106.4 Kg
Ending Weight: 102.8 Kg
Water Removed: 3.60 Kg
25 Jan 14
Starting Weight: 107.0 Kg
Ending Weight: 103.0 Kg
Water Removed: 4.00 Kg
28 Jan 14
Starting Weight: 107.5 Kg
Ending Weight: 103.4 Kg
Water Removed: 4.10 Kg
30 Jan 14
Starting Weight: 107.0 Kg
Ending Weight: 103.4 Kg
Water Removed: 3.60 Kg
I am struggling to go progressively lower on my dry weights; but for good reason. I continued to battle ongoing nausea until earlier this week. I saw my doc as he came by the dialysis center, told him about the nausea, and he took me off the Zantac and prescribed Rx Prilosec 40 mg, 1x/day. I decided to start taking it that night (at 11p). Ever since, my nausea is completely gone!
As my daughter pointed out, my battling the nausea added to my water weight because of needing to drink added fluids to accompany meds, try to calm the nausea, etc. Over the next few weeks it will be interesting to see if my control over fluid intake is increased, and I am able to lower my dry weight again. Time will tell.
As instructed, I have informed my Transplant Coordinator about the Rx change so the Committee is current on all my meds. This is vital for anyone on a Transplant list! If they do not have all of your current meds on file, it could cost you a transplant opportunity, making you wait until later. So, be sure you communicate any changes in your condition, care or meds!
My BP (Blood Pressure) has been high since Christmas. I'm hoping the now ceased nausea will help that to come down. My Nephrologist isn't too concerned, at this point. He stated that it is most likely from my body adjusting to no kidneys. If it continues, we may look at BP meds; but for now, we're concentrating on reducing my water weight.
My sleep continues to be a lot better! My naps are fewer, and the quality of my sleep is vastly improved. My total dialysis day sleep hours are about the same, but the rest of my sleep is better, longer and far more restful.
Along those lines, my dreams are in my complete control. I haven't had a bad dream in weeks. This directly ties in to my successful nephrectomy, the healing [from the surgery] and my getting on the Active List.
My strength still has a long way to go. With all the nausea I've had, I haven't felt up to doing much walking, so I am way behind on where I wanted to be, strength-wise, by this point. However, since there is no average for how long healing and strengthening should take (because ever patient is different), I am concentrating on keeping my mind in a good place, avoiding frustration that can set in because of the delay in my getting better on both the healing and the strengthening. I just have to roll with whatever comes up, and always try to press forward as I can.
That's all for now.
Have a great week!
Good Health to All!
ScottW
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