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Sheila Shaw, CEO of Patient's Pride, who lives with several chronic illnesses and has done peritoneal dialysis, hemodialysis, chemotherapy and is now a kidney recipient, gives her 4 tips, to help live with a chronic illness successfully. She's spoken with with thousands of patients throughout the country and has dedicated her life to inspiring others to live their lives to their fullest despite living with a chronic illness.

 

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You are most at risk when doing a cap exchange. Here is a technique that I used when I was doing PD. I believe this technique helped me avoid getting peritonitis in the 5 years that I did PD.
 
Step one:  With a new cap or drain tube in your left or right hand, whichever you are most comfortable with, twist the cap off and in the reverse motion twist a new cap on. Remember, the quicker you can do your cap exchange, the less exposure your catheter is to the open elements in the air, thus avoiding infections
 
Please consult with your medical team before implementing any of the tips and techniques presented here on our website and videos and discuss the best way to sanitize your environment while doing your exchange.

 

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Consider with care where you place your catheter! Discuss your lifestyle and activities with your surgeon before you have your catheter placed. Supporting your catheter is one of the most important aspects of doing PD successfully. Many surgeons will place your catheter where they feel is best, however, this should not be left for them to decide solely. Many of our customers have had their catheters placed in a very inconvenient area on their body, leaving them vulnerable to receiving a negative experience with peritoneal dialysis.

Click here for more information on catheter placement

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Some people who do PD experience an uncomfortable sensation while draining. Allow me to offer you an explanation for this problem. First, I want you to imagine you are holding an empty cup in your hand.  The cup represents your Peritoneal Cavity (where fluid is stored). Then, imagine the cup is full of water, which represents your PD solution.  Lastly, imagine a straw in the cup, which represents your PD tube. If, using the straw, you suck out all the liquid, and there is no more liquid to drink, you usually hear a slurping noise. While you will not hear any noise while this is happening, you do feel suction, or a pulling sensation, inside your Peritoneal Cavity. This is extremely uncomfortable, and young children and infants generally  are unable to articulate what is happening to them - however, it can be terribly painful.  The way to stop the discomfort is to first stop the drainage, which, in turn, will stop the pulling or pinching immediately.  I often experienced this discomfort when I was doing PD and, depending on where I was in my drain stage, I would either bypass the drain altogether, or I would move around, hoping to tip or move the catheter from the lining of my Peritoneal Cavity. At any rate, for immediate relief, I would always stop the drain  Sheila Shaw

(Discuss this with your medical team.)

 

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Pets do not cause peritonitis. However, their hair, if allowed to accumulate, can cause un-cleanliness, so vacuum, clean up more often and purchase a HEPA air filter. When doing your exchanges, it is a good idea not to have your pets in the same room. Ask your medical professionals to seek out and share success stories with you! It is a scientifically proven fact that when ill people have something to love, they feel better and healthier. There are lots of people currently doing PD that have pets and have not experienced any infections. DISCLAIMER

 

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Approximately twenty million Americans (1 in 9 adults) suffer from Chronic Kidney Disease, and another 20 million are at risk. Approximately 20 million Americans have Chronic Kidney Disease and do not know it! Kidney Disease is often known as a  "Silent Killer" - about 32% of all patients treated for kidney failure in the USA are African American.

 

For more facts, please visit The National Kidney Foundation

 

Disclaimer:   In no way should Patient's Pride's Resource Center, Tips and the material being referred in it be considered as offering medical advice! The information provided on this Resource Page is for informational purposes only. Never disregard your medical team's advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this resource page or in any of the material referred by it.

Circulating air is discouraged when doing an exchange. Please discuss with your medical team the procedures they would like you to follow when using a Hepa Air Filter.

This information is provided for educational, motivational, and informational purposes only, and is not intended to be a substitute for a healthcare provider's consultation.