Starting Peritoneal Dialysis: What do I need to know?

@miker8888 It's good to hear you have a good team of medical people around you!

I am not sure what part of the country you are in, but I am willing to wager you will be going through one-on-one training to learn how to do your peritoneal dialysis. Do you have someone else in your house who will be able to be there along with you, to learn alongside you? It's helpful if you do, if nothing else as a support person for you!

Starting dialysis at an eGFR of 13-14 seems to have a better chance of retaining some residual kidney function. As the doctors told me, it is better to start before you actually are in dire straits, as it helps your kidneys along.

As to your question about problems, diet, successes:
-It's a lot of supplies! They will come out to your house to make sure you have enough room to strore everything, and you will get a shipment each month. Make sure you have looked into backup power in case it goes out. Contacting your power company for emergency situations may be wise, so they know you have to have a priority. Here in my house, we have a backup generator, or I can go into our motorhome.
-Be prepared to dedicate time to all this. It's like having a part time job, as a friend tells me!
-You'll have an easier time on PD as far as diet goes. Less fluid restrictions, but you will need to keep up eating healthy quality foods, and lots of protein.
-Be careful about core exercises and lifting things. The PD catheter area is vulnerable. You do not want to get a hernia!

Please feel free to post any questions you have, and I'll do my best to answer them.
Ginger

.Your advice and information is right on the mark, particularly the reference to "part-time job". I am entering my 4th week on PD using the cycler. While mastering the various techniques (I did manage a Pharm Lab Microbiology department) the variables of the human body, age and diet are still being worked on. For those of faint of heart, it is a simple but oh so vital importance to religiously follow the sanitary and aseptic procedures. Not complicated at all but critical. All the rest is routine that is different from what you have been used to and that is the main adjustment. So far, my attitude is up. I have been able to handle glitches and machine stoppages with the really good training and clinic support. Above all, the PD nurses are at the top of my admired list.

@miker8888 Good to hear from you. Yay! to you for getting along fine in this new chore we've added to our lives. Following the sanitary and aseptic procedures are of vital importance, no doubt. As you have done, there is a routine to it all, and that's when you need to be mindfully present to not accidentally forget a step in the day-to-day process.

I do manual exchanges, because I only do one a day. My kidneys have recovered to 18% now. That might not seem like a lot, but it is proving out to have a positive effect on toxins removed from my system, allowing the chemotherapy for my blood cancer to work better. Attitude is everything! Yes, my PD nurse, who I call Marvelous Marsha, is my hero!
Ginger