| Author | Subject: Another Question |
| Highness | Posted At 18:28:28 11/13/2001 I'm very happy to have found this site. I have so many questions, this is easier for me to ask them all and the information is very useful. My question is: What are the side effects of dialysis? And what can I do to prevent the side effects? |
| Beth Witten | Re: Another Question (Currently 9 replies) Posted At 12:33:25 11/19/2001 The best dialysis only replaces only 15% of normal kidney function. Some waste products cannot be removed very well by dialysis. It is essential that you get every minute of your prescribed treatment and that you learn all you can about dialysis, your diet and fluid restriction, your medications, and exercises you can do safely that will help you feel well enough to do the things you need and like to do. Dialysis side effects depend on whether you're on hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis and how well you stick to your limitations of salt, fluid, potassium, and phosphorus, and how you well you take your prescribed medications. The side effects of hemodialysis can include: low blood pressure, cramping, headache, nausea, oozing of blood from the dialysis access site during or after dialysis, swelling and bruising around the access site if there are problems with a stick, access clotting, access infection, and feeling "washed out" after dialysis. To reduce your chances of having these side effects: * Learn what exercises to do to help your dialysis access mature so it is easier to stick. * Watch the amount of salt you eat and fluid you drink between treatments to avoid rapid shifts in fluids and body chemicals that can lead to low blood pressure, cramping, nausea, and a washed out feeling. * Let the staff know if your appetite and bowel habits change so they can change your target (dry) weight accordingly. * Get every minute of treatment prescribed (do not ask off early or skip treatments). This will keep you from having poor appetite, ammonia taste in your mouth, and feeling nauseated. * Learn how check, clean, and protect your dialysis access. Know what it feels like when your fistula or graft is working correctly. Learn how to wash your fistula or graft and keep it clean. Learn how to keep clothing, jewelry, or sleeping on your access from causing it to clot. If you have a neck catheter, ask how to care for it to keep it clean and dry to avoid infection. * If at all possible, learn how to do your own needle sticks so you are the only person sticking your fistula or graft. People I've known who stick themselves have fewer problems with blown sticks or clotted accesses and some have their original dialysis access after 20 years or more. Although most patients do hemodialysis at a center, you and a helper can learn to do the entire hemodialysis procedure. This allows them to schedule their treatments at their convenience, not when a space is available at a clinic. On the horizon...Some facilities in the U.S. are studying whether it might be cost effective for Medicare to pay for home hemodialysis at night while patients sleep or shorter dialysis treatments daily at home or in a center. Because daily treatments provide more dialysis (more similar to normal kidney function), patients participating in these studies report they feel better and have a more normal quality of life. Side effects of peritoneal dialysis can include infection (catheter site, in the tunnel between where the catheter goes into the skin and where it enters the peritoneal cavity, or of the peritoneal cavity), catheter drainage problems caused by where it is placed or clogging, too little dialysis because the peritoneum doesn't filter enough, hernia, weight gain, and a stomach that is not as flat. To reduce the chances of these side effects: * Learn how to clean and dress your catheter site and follow the sterile technique for dialysis exchanges to the letter to avoid infection. * Do as many daily (CAPD) treatments as you're supposed to do or do as many hours of the overnight (CCPD) treatments as prescribed using the correct solution. * Limit your dietary intake of sugar and stick to your fluid restriction so you don't have to use higher sugar solutions to avoid unnecessary weight gain. * Ask your doctor and nurse about activities to watch or protective devices if you lift heavy things to wear to avoid hernia. * Ask your doctor or nurse what exercises you can safely do to keep your stomach muscles strong. Patients who do peritoneal dialysis usually have a less restrictive diet, they don't have to deal with needles or blood loss during or after treatments, have less noticeable changes in the way they feel before and after treatments, and they can schedule treatments to fit their lifestyle rather than a clinic's schedule. You have several choices of treatment for kidney failure. Each has positives and negatives. Unless there are medical reasons why someone cannot do a particular treatment, it is important to examine your lifestyle to see what treatment fits best for you. |
| Connie McDonald | Re;Re: Another Question (Currently 0 replies) Posted At 16:25:28 01/23/2002 THANK YOU, BETH: Thank you so much for your detailed imformation. I think you saved my life. Love, Connie NC |
| KIN | question about dialysis (Currently 3 replies) Posted At 22:04:24 04/03/2002 Generally, how long could the peritoneal dialysis and hemodailysis access sites be kept? and how can i make choice between peritoneal and hemodailysis? thank you very much |
| Beth Witten | Re: Another Question (Currently 0 replies) Posted At 18:59:16 04/05/2002 One of the first things that people need to understand is that there are pros and cons for every treatment option for kidney disease. Therefore, it is important that you learn all you can so you choose the treatment that fits your lifestyle best. People may not know that if they get tired of one option or one option no longer works for them, they generally can change to a different option. People who have lived with kidney disease long-term have often done most, if not all, treatments. You can read about options for treatment in Module 2 on Kidney School (www.kidneyschool.org). Other options you might look into include: * Your nephrologist and/or dialysis clinic staff * National Kidney Foundation affiliates offer People Like Us, Live! classes that cover topics like treatment options, diet, coping, and financing treatment; * People Like Us videos (available through NKF affliates and dialysis clinics) also cover these topics. You asked how long dialysis accesses -- hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis accesses -- can last. This depends on a number of factors, some of which you can control and some of which depend on others (surgeons, people that do the needle sticks, etc.). Clotting and infection are the biggest risks to maintaining a vascular access. There are a number of things you can do to reduce your risks of problems with vascular access. Look for Kidney School Module 8 that will be posted soon on vascular access. Infection and problems with the catheter draining and filling are things that can be risks to maintaining a peritoneal dialysis catheter. If you choose peritoneal dialysis, training staff at the dialysis facility will teach you what you can do to to avoid infection, what symptoms to report, and how to treat infection quickly. |
| Edward Lipman | Re: Another Question (Currently 0 replies) Posted At 13:10:39 04/07/2002 I am on Periteneal dialysis using a machine which is very satisfactory. But I have an itch on my tummy. Is there anything I can do to relieve it. I use a cream, but can I do anything else? Thank you |
| Beth Witten | Re: Another Question (Currently 0 replies) Posted At 10:57:31 05/16/2002 Have you told your peritoneal dialysis nurse about the itch? What did she suggest? If the itch is in an area where you use tape, it's possible that you're allergic to the tape you're using. Ask if there are other kinds of tapes that you can try. A dermatologist (skin specialist) could evaluate your itch and offer other suggestions. |
| andrew | Re: Another Question (Currently 0 replies) Posted At 11:43:20 07/08/2002 i need some exercises to get that so called six pack thanku |
| Beth Witten | Re: Another Question (Currently 0 replies) Posted At 22:02:14 07/10/2002 Six-pack abdominals are difficult to get whether you are healthy or on dialysis. Talk with your nephrologist, nurse, or dietitian about exercises you can do to strengthen your abdominals. There may be special considerations if you have recently been transplanted or if you're on peritoneal dialysis. You don't want to damage your incision (transplant) or get a hernia (peritoneal dialysis). Check out the exercise booklet on the Life Options web site under "print materials." You can download it and print it for free. |
| ignacio | Re: Another Question (Currently 0 replies) Posted At 12:50:47 09/04/2002 the information posted is very informative. i am currently on p.d.. i am experiencing lots of anxiety and desperation. how normal is that ? what are some tips for me... i feel like i have reached the end of the road... thank you ignacio |
| Beth Witten | Re: Another Question (Currently 0 replies) Posted At 11:38:08 09/06/2002 Hi Ignacio, You didn't say how long you've had kidney disease, kidney failure, or how long you've been on dialysis. It is very common for people who have any chronic illness, including kidney disease, to feel out of control because of the uncertainty of what is happening and how the illness and treatment will affect their lives. These feelings are usually more intense in the first few months when you're getting used to new treatments, new responsibilities, new diet, new nurses and doctors, etc. Feeling out of control often leads to feeling depressed, anxious, desperate, and even hopeless. There are things you can do to help feel more in control and this should help you cope better: * Talk about how you are feeling with your doctor. Your doctor can review your treatment and your medications to see if any changes need to be made. Many patients report that PD gives them a sense of greater control over their treatment and freedom to work and do other activities that might be more difficult if they had to go to a clinic. However, some people feel overwhelmed by having to do PD daily (4 times during the day or overnight) without a break and having the supplies around the house as a constant reminder of their illness. * Talk with your dialysis social worker. He/she could talk with you or refer you to a local therapist to help you talk through your feelings. Your social worker could also let you know if there are local support groups for patients in your area. * Ask to talk with other patients who have gone through what you're going through so you can get some ideas what has helped others cope. Many patients have told us that this is very helpful. * Learn as much as you can about your illness and treatment. Visit Kidney School (www.kidneyschool.org) that was designed by Life Options to help patients learn more about kidney disease and how to live long and well with it. Module 5 is devoted entirely to coping with kidney disease. * Look at some of the tips patients have posted in the Showcase of Ideas for People on Dialysis at www.lifeoptions.org/patient/showcase/index.shtml. * Subscribe to an active patient listserv like the one that has over 350 dialysis and transplant patient subscribers who ask questions, offer tips and send messages of hope and support to each other. You can read more about this group sign up for it at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dialysis_support/ Rather than being at the end of the road, you are just at a fork in the road. You have the chance to take some steps down the path to help yourself or not. I hope that this information helps you to see that although dialysis requires that you make adjustments, you CAN live a good life with of dialysis. Many, many others have and I believe YOU can too. |
| K.S.PRAKASH | Re: Another Question (Currently 0 replies) Posted At 05:30:42 09/08/2002 My father, age 65 years, is undergoing maintainance hemodialysis on a twice weekly basis ( Tuesdays and Saturdays). So far, he has had approximately 40 dialysis. He is a diabetic and a hypertensive patient. He had a stroke in 07/00 and had diabetic nephropathy for a long time. He has a fistula in his right hand. His dialysis timings are 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. My question is he develops fever after the dialysis, at around 11 or 12 at night. Why is this happening. The fever subsides after he takes a tablet of paracetamol. Also after he returns home from dialysis, he develops hiccups which stays for quite a long time. Why is this. Also he feels cold, chill during the dialysis. Is this common? Our nephrologist is Dr. Ravi Chandran from Vijaya Health Center, Chennai, India. And also please let me know in detail what are the complications of hemodialysis and what I can do to help my father in case of emergency. Thanks for your time and I am very eagerly expecting a reply from you. My father is advised to take a capsule of Becosules after dialyis and he takes Calcigard retard 20 mg twice daily and arkamin (clonidine) twice daily. He is also on ranitidine 150 mg twice daily and Ecosprin, one at noon, which has been stopped for a week now because last tuesday he had coffee-grounds emesis and after giving him stat ranitidine 50 mg IV and emeset IV, symptoms subsided. He does not have any edema at all and he passes urine normally. His body weight predialysis is usually around 57 to 58 kilograms. Predialysis urea is 155 and serum creatinine is 6.9. Is this okay? I want my father to live long. So please help me and give me all the details as to how my father can improve his general state of health and how he can tolerate dialysis better. If possible could you please mail me detailed brochures about kidney failure and hemodialysis and also diet. We are a typical South Indian family residing at Chennai. My address is: K.S. PRAKASH A - 9, "SANKALPA" NO 3, JAYARAM STREET, THIRUVANMIYUR, CHENNAI - 600041. INDIA PHONE # (RES) 4416729 Thank you very much for your valuble time. Thanks a lot and bye. |
| K.S.PRAKASH | Re: Another Question (Currently 0 replies) Posted At 05:34:40 09/08/2002 My father, age 65 years, is undergoing maintainance hemodialysis on a twice weekly basis ( Tuesdays and Saturdays). So far, he has had approximately 40 dialysis. He is a diabetic and a hypertensive patient. He had a stroke in 07/00 and had diabetic nephropathy for a long time. He has a fistula in his right hand. His dialysis timings are 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. My question is he develops fever after the dialysis, at around 11 or 12 at night. Why is this happening. The fever subsides after he takes a tablet of paracetamol. Also after he returns home from dialysis, he develops hiccups which stays for quite a long time. Why is this. Also he feels cold, chill during the dialysis. Is this common? And also please let me know in detail what are the complications of hemodialysis and what I can do to help my father in case of emergency. Thanks for your time and I am very eagerly expecting a reply from you. My father is advised to take a capsule of Becosules after dialyis and he takes Calcigard retard 20 mg twice daily and arkamin (clonidine) twice daily. He is also on ranitidine 150 mg twice daily and Ecosprin, one at noon, which has been stopped for a week now because last tuesday he had coffee-grounds emesis and after giving him stat ranitidine 50 mg IV and emeset IV, symptoms subsided. He does not have any edema at all and he passes urine normally. His body weight predialysis is usually around 57 to 58 kilograms. Predialysis urea is 155 and serum creatinine is 6.9. Is this okay? I want my father to live long. So please help me and give me all the details as to how my father can improve his general state of health and how he can tolerate dialysis better. If possible could you please mail me detailed brochures about kidney failure and hemodialysis and also diet. We are a typical South Indian family residing at Chennai. My address is: K.S. PRAKASH A - 9, "SANKALPA" NO 3, JAYARAM STREET, THIRUVANMIYUR, CHENNAI - 600041. INDIA PHONE # (RES) 4416729 Thank you very much for your valuble time. Thanks a lot and bye. |
| K.S.PRAKASH | Re: Another Question (Currently 0 replies) Posted At 05:38:12 09/08/2002 My father, age 65 years, is undergoing maintainance hemodialysis on a twice weekly basis ( Tuesdays and Saturdays). So far, he has had approximately 40 dialysis. He is a diabetic and a hypertensive patient. He had amputations of two toes on his left leg and three toes on his right leg due to dry gangrene, on two separature occasions at around 1994 and 1996. He was a smoker then and has quit smoking since he had stroke. He had a stroke in 07/00 and had diabetic nephropathy for a long time. He has a fistula in his right hand. His dialysis timings are 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. My question is he develops fever after the dialysis, at around 11 or 12 at night. Why is this happening. The fever subsides after he takes a tablet of paracetamol. Also after he returns home from dialysis, he develops hiccups which stays for quite a long time. Why is this. Also he feels cold, chill during the dialysis. Is this common? And also please let me know in detail what are the complications of hemodialysis and what I can do to help my father in case of emergency. Thanks for your time and I am very eagerly expecting a reply from you. My father is advised to take a capsule of Becosules after dialyis and he takes Calcigard retard 20 mg twice daily and arkamin (clonidine) twice daily. He is also on ranitidine 150 mg twice daily and Ecosprin, one at noon, which has been stopped for a week now because last tuesday he had coffee-grounds emesis and after giving him stat ranitidine 50 mg IV and emeset IV, symptoms subsided. He does not have any edema at all and he passes urine normally. His body weight predialysis is usually around 57 to 58 kilograms. Predialysis urea is 155 and serum creatinine is 6.9. Is this okay? I want my father to live long. So please help me and give me all the details as to how my father can improve his general state of health and how he can tolerate dialysis better. If possible could you please mail me detailed brochures about kidney failure and hemodialysis and also diet. We are a typical South Indian family residing at Chennai. My address is: K.S. PRAKASH A - 9, "SANKALPA" NO 3, JAYARAM STREET, THIRUVANMIYUR, CHENNAI - 600041. INDIA PHONE # (RES) 4416729 Thank you very much for your valuble time. Thanks a lot and bye. |
| Amit Bhardwaj | Re: Another Question (Currently 0 replies) Posted At 12:11:45 11/16/2002 I am 37 years old & I have been recently informed by my cardiologist that I have mild ectasia. I have been advised by my doctor to take 1 tablet of Ecpspirin 75 mg daily. Will this medicine help me in maintaining good health. How can ectasia be removed ??? |
| Beth Witten | Re: Another Question (Currently 0 replies) Posted At 20:15:47 11/17/2002 The question you have asked is outside Life Options' area of exertise. Talk with your cardiologist and ask him/her to explain your condition in enough detail that you can understand it, to describe what treatments have been successful, to explain whether you will notice any change in symptoms, and if so, when. |
| James | Arkamin Drug (Currently 0 replies) Posted At 00:21:08 12/03/2002 My doctor prescribed me arkamin drug as he says that because of body heat my cheeks turn red. Whenever I am angry or nervous or excited they turn red. The same also happens when I am playing cricket in sun. IS it okay?? I read somewhere that Arkamin is for blood pressure. Will it help in this case? and how. what good effect it will haveon my blood vessels?? |
| Beth Witten | Re: Another Question (Currently 0 replies) Posted At 23:31:53 12/08/2002 You don't say whether the doctor that prescribed the Arkamin is a dermatologist or your regular family doctor. You also don't say what your doctor said your diagnosis is. However, to answer your question, Arkamin is also known as Clonidine and is a medication given most commonly for high blood pressure, but has been prescribed for migraine headaches and even hot flashes in women. The medication lowers blood pressure by relaxing the blood vessels. Flushed cheeks can be caused by a variety of things. A dermatologist is the best specialist to diagnose and treat conditions of the skin. |
| froggy | Re: pariteneal infection (Currently 0 replies) Posted At 13:42:12 01/24/2003 What is it ? |
| James | Re: Another Question (Currently 0 replies) Posted At 19:08:10 01/26/2003 I just started dialysis and it seems to go well, I adjusting pretty good and I am trying to stick to my renal diet with my family supporting me by being on the diet also, but I am having a problem with hiccups and it only started since I have started dializing, it can be very irritating anf I don't get alot of rest, I am on 1000cc fluid restriction. What can I do to get some relief from this, and why am i getting this, I am a diabetic also. Looking for answers thanks |
| Beth Witten | Re: Another Question (Currently 0 replies) Posted At 11:37:45 01/27/2003 One of the common symptoms of worsening kidney damage is hiccups and it can be very bothersome. From what I gather, many times it starts before someone needs dialysis. It's possible that when you've been on dialysis longer and dialysis has had a chance to clear out more toxins from your body, the hiccups will go away. There are medications that may help. Talk with your doctor about how often you get the hiccups, how long they last, and how they interfere with your life and sleep. I congratulate you on sticking to your diet and fluid restriction. Changing your diet is one of the most difficult adjustments people with kidney disease have to make. |
| Uma | Can blood loss be induced by Ecosprin? (Currently 0 replies) Posted At 00:07:58 02/18/2003 Hi, I would like to know whether consuming ecosprin for 1 1/2 years can induce blood loss. My father had a bypass surgery 1 1/2 yrs before. But it was found for the past three months he's been having blood loss from his system. This resulted in low haemoglobin (6%). Then he was undergoing treatment to improve the blood level(He was not given blood transfusion immediately). But unfortunately, one night he had massive caridac attack and was in a very very critical condition. His BP, pulse rate was very low. He was in life support system such as pace maker, ventillator, and 100 percent oxygen supply in the initial period. Since his left artery was 100% blocked, they had to do angio and inserted a stent in that artery. But now, he is out of that critical condition. But they have found bleeding in the small intestine.(Nuclear scan was done to diagonise the place) My question is what could have caused the blood loss(bleeding) and what medical treatment he will need to undergo. But ecosprin is still being given in a lesser dosage for, the doctors do not want to take risk at this stage. My father is also having gall bladder stones-mobile but not causing any severe ppain in the abdomen. But since he is a cardiac patient, he is not suggested any operation now. He was under medication for that problem. Right now, we need to stop the bleeding in the intestine. I would like to know what causes them and is there any medicine to immediately control them. If this condition of red stool/black stool persists i am worried about his recovery from the hospital. He is a bit in a depressed mode too. Due to his will power he is withstanding all this. Can u suggest me a solution for this? Can you send me your answer to my id directly? Thanx in advance. |
| mark | Re: Another Question (Currently 0 replies) Posted At 20:57:21 05/05/2003 help my wife has been on hemo for about 9 yrs, she ha sbeen doing well except her lifesite is starting to fail so it will need to come out she had a graf put in her groin but that failed, she has very small veins and is running out of sites, in fact the only known site will be the temp one they stick inher chest. she needs a transplant and so far a live donor is out of the question and the folks at maine medical don't seem to be at all interrested in her to get her evaluated etc, mainly because of her past visits she became very emotional, and due to a emergency she missed one appointment with the urologist now they seem to want to forget about her, heck she has had bad experiences as a child with hospitals so she has been traumatized, so what other options are there? |
| Beth Witten | Re: Another Question (Currently 0 replies) Posted At 16:24:20 05/08/2003 There are limited numbers of sites for hemodialysis access. If your wife hasn't had venous mapping done, this might help to locate a good spot for her next access. If she can cut down on the number of people that use her hemodialysis access, she might have fewer complications. Patients that have been taught to do their own needle sticks or catheter care say they have less pain and fewer complications. Because of her small veins and limited number of access sites, perhaps peritoneal dialysis might be a good alternative to hemodialysis. You can read about this option several places: * Kidney School (www.kidneyschool.org) * Kidney Directions (www.kidneydirections.com) * National Kidney Foundation's A-Z Guide (www.kidney.org) So far as transplantation is concerned, as with any other treatment, there are positives and negatives. Some of the medications can cause emotional reactions. If your wife is having emotional issues now, these may be worse with transplant medications. Perhaps she should seek counseling to help her cope with all the uncertainties in her life right now. This might not only help her cope and make good decisions, but could help her become a better transplant candidate in the eyes of the transplant center. You might want to check with your insurance to see if it will pay for a transplant evaluation anywhere. There are many transplant programs in the northeast. If your wife has any family members or friends who have not been tested, they could be potential living donors. Even spouses are now considered potential donors if the match is OK. |
| S. N. Jamil | Re: Question (Currently 0 replies) Posted At 00:21:16 05/10/2003 I cousing is facing both kidney failure. i want to know the following things regarding kidney transplant: 1. Can it be done at Vijaya Health Centre? 2. Can the hopspital Arrange a Kidney for the Patient? 3. What will be the approx cost of the Transplant? 4. If my cousin who is deaf and his kidney matches, will it be accepted? thanking you s.n. jamil |
| Beth Witten | Re: Another Question (Currently 2 replies) Posted At 11:19:16 05/11/2003 The Vijaya Health Centre is on the Internet (see http://www.vijayahospital.org). It appears that they do offer both hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis as well as transplantation -- all three types of treatment for kidney failure. I would suggest that you contact Dr. R. R Ravichandran, MD, MNAS who is listed as the nephrologist and ask him these questions. If he can't answer them all, he probably can refer you to someone who can. The main phone number for this hospital is 91-44 4814263. |
| meera singh | Re: Another Question (Currently 0 replies) Posted At 19:01:58 06/12/2003 doing research on amount of potassium leached out of ground provisions and some vegetables. would like to know if any thing was ever done on thid topic before. thanking you in advance. |
| Beth Witten | Re: Another Question (Currently 0 replies) Posted At 18:16:26 06/15/2003 This is a question that I would ask a dietitian. They are the ones that keep up with the research on potassium and other electrolytes in foods. |
| uma | u havent answered my question which was posted on 18th feb. It's all over now.... (Currently 0 replies) Posted At 06:04:59 06/17/2003 i expected a reply but i dint receive from your site. I really dont understand why my question was not answered...Fine, please remove my query from the site....i dont want my name to be seen in this site which dint offer me an answer. |
| Beth Witten | Re: Another Question (Currently 0 replies) Posted At 21:03:37 06/19/2003 I didn't see any question with your name. I'm sorry, but our bulletin board only allows entire threads to be deleted, not individual messages. Please let me explain why you may not have found what you wanted to learn. The Life Options web site and this bulletin board are target to people with kidney disease and focus on rehabilitation. Occasionally people post questions on topics unrelated to our area of expertise. When they do, we encourage those people to ask their questions of their professional staff. The National Library of Medicine has a web site called PubMed at www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/PubMed that you can search by typing key words into the search field. Good luck in your search for answers! |
| Debashis Mukherjee | medicine (Currently 0 replies) Posted At 06:29:26 06/22/2003 I had kidney transplantation on 05-06-1996, my mother being the doner. In the post operative period, it was found that I had contaminated Hepatitis B. The findings were as under: HBsAG - Positive in December 1996. HBeAG - Non-reactive in November 2002. Presently I am under the treatment of a nephrologist at West Bengal. My present doses of medicine are like these: 1) For transplantation : a) Sandimmune Neoral -75/75 mg./day b) Azoran - 50 mg./day c) Predinisolone - 10 mg./day 2) For Hepatitis B : Lamivir HBV 50 mg/day since January 2002. The critical pathological tests shows the results as under: ( as of April 2003 ) a) Creatinine - 2.1 mg./100ml. b) SGPT - 23 units/l. c) Urea - 69 mg./100ml. d) Bilirubin total - 0.8 mg./100ml. e)Haemoglobin - 11.2 G/dl. f) Total Leucocyte Count - 7,500 /cu mm. As you aware, the cost of Sandimmune Neoral is fairly high and, for me, it's really becoming difficult to afford this medicine. Now I seek your valuable advice to the following quarry: May I shift from "Sandimmune" to "Imusporin" manufactured by "Cipla" without taking any additional risk? Is Imusporin equally effective like Sandimmune? Your early response will help me to take an important decision. |
| Beth Witten | Re: Another Question (Currently 0 replies) Posted At 15:52:20 06/23/2003 Anti-rejection drugs are expensive and there may be less expensive options than Neoral. However, since I am not a physician, I can't advise you whether Neoral and Imusporin are exactly the same although it looks like they're different brand names for cyclosporine (see http://www.webhealthcentre.com/ref/drugix/DI0043.asp) Here is a web site that describes Imusporin http://www.cipla.com/ourproducts/26/imusporin.htm. I'd recommend that you take this to your transplant physician and let him/her know the difference in price and ask if it would be OK for you to change to the less expensive drug and if the dose would be the same or different. Also, you might ask if there are any programs to help people like you get drugs at lower cost. In the U.S. there are programs and/or discount drug cards that help some people get expensive drugs after government programs run out. Finally, whatever you do, do not change from Neoral without permission from your doctor. Transplant patients have lost their transplants by taking medications that turned out not to be exactly the same and/or by taking a new medication that needed to be taken in a higher or lower dose than what they'd been taking. |
| Sanjeev Slehria | fever of unknown origin (Currently 3 replies) Posted At 23:51:50 08/16/2003 My aunt is getting her treatment at Batra hospital New Delhi by Dr Ramesh Kumar. She had had chronic renal failure for 3 years and did not undergo treatment till last 1 month ( her baseline Creatinine was 10 and BUN > 100 but she refused dialysis for a while) Recently she was became very acidotic and hyperkalemic and had a subclavian cath and HD x 2 ( they could not make a fistula ) She is having now 100- 102 degree fever's Her Cultures( blood urine, catheter tip , line was removed) are all negative, Ct abdomen is negative She was neutropenic earlier but after neupogen her WBC improved She still has bilateral pleural effusions ( from fluid overload) They are not dialysising her for next few days due to fever and they do not want to put a new access Question is what else needs to be done to investigate her fever at present Second will a transplant be a better option ( we have a donor for her , but she and her husband are very skeptical about it. Thanks Sanjeev Slehria |