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I usually consider dialysis to be the point where treatments start to become very limiting. Twice a week, most people feel tied to their dialysis clinic and ca

I usually consider dialysis to be the point where treatments start to become very limiting. Twice a week, most people feel tied to their dialysis clinic and cannot go far from it.

vasco 1y ago
Dialysis specifically requires several hours and a specific location and its debilitating. Going to a random pharmacy to take an injection 2x a week would be much simpler.
- dmurray 1y ago
  And plenty of people living with diabetes manage to self-medicate with injections multiple times a day.
- derektank 1y ago
  Being forced to sit in a chair for several hours every few days isn't what makes dialysis so debilitating. It's the loss of kidney function that dialysis doesn't replace, tied with the cardiovascular stress of emptying all the waste from the body at once.
  - vasco 1y ago
    Did anyone say that?
- Grazester 1y ago
  I have an acquaintance who has lived most of his life without kidneys(40 years). Looking in from the outside, his life seems normal; go to the gym and have a beer or two like anyone would, except for the dialysis trips. I then have a relative into their late 60's that was very laxed about diabetics within recent years.This has lead to kidney issues. They are refusing dialysis because of I guess the stigma attached to it. Now they are experiencing a cognitive decline due to poorly functioning kidneys. I guess when you want to live you would do whatever it takes.
londons_explore 1y ago
Why has nobody made a backpack dialysis machine so you can keep going about your day?
- coldtea 1y ago
  A combination of not quite feasible, not quite usable if created, not quite safe.
- cma 1y ago
  There are portable ones you can self administer overnight.
- JackMorgan 1y ago
  If you've ever been to a dialysis center when a patient accidentally pulls out the line you can imagine why. They are thick lines that will rapidly make a huge mess. I guess though a backpack version probably could be more like an always attached glucose device with just a tiny line.
- jimmydddd 1y ago
  My dad tried out a 24/7 IV for a heart medicine. The pump and a bag with a 1 week supply of the medicine fit in a fanny pack sized bag. It worked well, but he's 90 and pulled out the IV line in the middle of the night. He didn't remember doing it. So we decided to discontinue the meds. But I'm sure it would have been fine for a younger, less confused person. Just a bit inconvenient for showering, etc.
- hamburglar 1y ago
  There is peritoneal dialysis, which is pretty portable and doesn’t filter the blood (it exchanges peritoneal fluid, which is a lot less invasive). It’s actually quite fascinating how simple the machine is — and in fact, the simplest version of the machine is literally two bags and a couple of valves, completely operated by gravity. Everyone is not eligible for this type of dialysis, however. I don’t remember why. Oh, also, if you do peritoneal dialysis, it’s daily, whereas hemo dialysis is generally two or three times a week.

I usually consider dialysis to be the point where treatments start to become very limiting. Twice a week, most people feel tied to their dialysis clinic and cannot go far from it.

vasco 1y ago

Dialysis specifically requires several hours and a specific location and its debilitating. Going to a random pharmacy to take an injection 2x a week would be much simpler.

dmurray 1y ago
And plenty of people living with diabetes manage to self-medicate with injections multiple times a day.
derektank 1y ago
Being forced to sit in a chair for several hours every few days isn't what makes dialysis so debilitating. It's the loss of kidney function that dialysis doesn't replace, tied with the cardiovascular stress of emptying all the waste from the body at once.
- vasco 1y ago
  Did anyone say that?
Grazester 1y ago
I have an acquaintance who has lived most of his life without kidneys(40 years). Looking in from the outside, his life seems normal; go to the gym and have a beer or two like anyone would, except for the dialysis trips. I then have a relative into their late 60's that was very laxed about diabetics within recent years.This has lead to kidney issues. They are refusing dialysis because of I guess the stigma attached to it. Now they are experiencing a cognitive decline due to poorly functioning kidneys. I guess when you want to live you would do whatever it takes.

londons_explore 1y ago

Why has nobody made a backpack dialysis machine so you can keep going about your day?

coldtea 1y ago
A combination of not quite feasible, not quite usable if created, not quite safe.
cma 1y ago
There are portable ones you can self administer overnight.
JackMorgan 1y ago
If you've ever been to a dialysis center when a patient accidentally pulls out the line you can imagine why. They are thick lines that will rapidly make a huge mess. I guess though a backpack version probably could be more like an always attached glucose device with just a tiny line.
jimmydddd 1y ago
My dad tried out a 24/7 IV for a heart medicine. The pump and a bag with a 1 week supply of the medicine fit in a fanny pack sized bag. It worked well, but he's 90 and pulled out the IV line in the middle of the night. He didn't remember doing it. So we decided to discontinue the meds. But I'm sure it would have been fine for a younger, less confused person. Just a bit inconvenient for showering, etc.
hamburglar 1y ago
There is peritoneal dialysis, which is pretty portable and doesn’t filter the blood (it exchanges peritoneal fluid, which is a lot less invasive). It’s actually quite fascinating how simple the machine is — and in fact, the simplest version of the machine is literally two bags and a couple of valves, completely operated by gravity. Everyone is not eligible for this type of dialysis, however. I don’t remember why. Oh, also, if you do peritoneal dialysis, it’s daily, whereas hemo dialysis is generally two or three times a week.