[CluckyParticipant]

Hi both, haven't heard of pickle juice helping with cramps – heard of other 'things', but you have to be so careful on dialysis, so don't go there. Have a word with your renal doc or renal nurse about the cramps – (you didn't say if they were while your wife was on the machine or at night).

Think it's mostly to do with fluid balance. Bruce gets the cramp sometimes if he is 'dry'. You'll already know part of dialysis is about fluid balance – carrying too much fluid pushes blood pressure up. You have to weigh in & weigh out and they take off any excess fluid through dialysis.

Since Bruce had his stem cell transplant he wee's more, so we don't have to be quite so careful with fluid (some dialysis patients don't wee at all, so fluid build up is a big problem).

He still occasionally gets cramp at night, but it's been quiet a while since he had it on the machine.

Like we said before, have a word with your renal doc or nurse – if your wife needs something prescribing, they will know what's safe.
xx

[robertorr51Participant]

Hello again Mal/Bruce

This is Carole's first day of dialysis at an out patient location in Leicester. We don't know what to expect as we still have dialysis "L" plates. If you don't mind, I would like to keep firing questions as information from the renal team, so far, has been poor.

I am still trying to understand what dry weight means and, how is it calculated. Carole is still peeing and I wonder if this does allow more fluid intake. Her fistula arm is settling with no bruising. I think cramping in the feet and calves may be due to low fluid levels.

I hope we can learn more from the team at Leicester.

Hope you are doing well, kind regards

Robbie Orr

[CluckyParticipant]

Hi both, Bruce was packed off to the satellite unit after being on dialysis for about 6 weeks at the hospital. He was classed as 'walking wounded' – his dialysis was pretty straight forward from their point of view.

Sorry your team are being so unhelpful.

You'll get the hang of the dry weight thing. They'll try to work out what your wife's weight is when she's not carrying any excess fluid. If she's carrying fluid, her blood pressure will be high and she'll have fat ankles. They told us to press your finger into your ankle for a few seconds – and if it leaves a dimple that takes a while to disappear – that's fluid that shouldn't be there. Also if you are carrying far too much fluid, it can get on your lungs. Bruce had it that bad once – he was coughing up pink froth. He had a chest xray, you could see the fluid and it was taken off through dialysis.

It's good if she still wee's, because that means they won't have to take loads of fluid off. Some dialysis patients have litres of fluid removed.

Hope all goes well with the out patient dialysis.

xx

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