Re joining the CAPD world

clem556 · Post by **clem556** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 1:23 pm

Hello out there,
I have a transplant which is failing. I've had it 17 years and it served me very well. Tomorrow I'm going in to hospital to have a PD catheter fitted. I did CAPD before so I should take to it after a refresher training.
Can anyone suggest a place to get a heater/s. I am considering making my own any one else tried this. I am technically minded but but I'd rather not re-invent the wheel, if you know what I mean?
Also I used to use a bird cage stand at home anyone got any other suggestions?
I probably won't be able to answer replies for a while due the surgery, so please don't think I'm being rude if you dont see a response.

A bit nervous.

tommc · Post by **tommc** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 2:13 pm

The hospital gave me a bag heater

Tom

Marion · Post by **Marion** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 5:27 pm

I used to put my bags in the airing cupboard for a few hours before I needed them! But the hospital did offer me a heater if I wanted one. Then I switchesd to APD so it didn't matter anyway.

I used an S hook to hang the bags on. There was another post about this recently and apparently you can get them easily from Ikea. They hang over a door but mine hung over the arm of a wall light.

Hope this helps. Good luck with the surgery. I go in tomorrow to have my PD catheter removed!

Marion.

lor-lor · Post by **lor-lor** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 7:27 pm

I may sound slightly thick here, but why do you need heaters ?

tommc · Post by **tommc** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 8:21 pm

Lor-Lor

you need a heater to heat the dialysis fluid to make it ore comfortable to put in. You can us it cold but it makes you cool down and can make you ill if its too cold

Tom

MandyV · Post by **MandyV** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 8:57 am

The hospital should give you a heater - far less hassle than rigging up your own - then all you need to worry about is when you are travelling. I use a drip stand for my bags at home, but have a coat hook at work on the wall. Now I am on APD and Baxter supply a board with hooks on the side for the machine to sit on.

bigbuzzard · Post by **bigbuzzard** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 10:31 am

I find I only need to warm up the bags when the weather's really cold. For the last two months or so, it's been warm enough that I can just use the CAPD bags straight away. I did buy a 'warming pad' from Argos - it was very light, so easy to carry around, but it was pretty ineffective, needing about 3 hours being plugged in to raise the temperature of the bag just a tiny bit. If I was out and about, I'd usually try and find something hot in a kitchen, or a radiator to put it on for 20 minutes.

clem556 · Post by **clem556** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 4:25 pm

Hello all,

This is the first chance I've had to check the "post". Thanks for your replies, I've since seen one of the PD nurses who will be helping me and they will provide a heater. So I don't need to make my own.
The "S" hook sounds like a good idea as it would be very portable too.

Thanks
Clem