Current Events > Well my doctor called me saying I need to start dialysis

(+) Yeah! (+)

Need to see him tomorrow to set it up or some shit.

I feel fine, but apparently my potassium and creatine is so high I'm a walking heart attack or something?

I just honestly don't care anymore.
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Sick gains bro.
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AlecSkorpio posted...

Need to see him tomorrow to set it up or some shit.

I feel fine, but apparently my potassium and creatine is so high I'm a walking heart attack or something?

I just honestly don't care anymore.

i care and i don't want him to die :( lost so many on CE.
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I'm not going to die, it just makes my life really really complicated and lonely from here on out.

Or at least it feels that way. I dunno, everyone I've met so far that is on dialysis is super old.

And like, nobody wants to be with a sick dude.

It's just depressing is all.
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I'm not going to lie, dialysis is awful and I legit feel sorry for anyone that has to do it three times a week. I hope you're on the transplant list - you're too young to have to deal with this.
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how old are you?
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Coffeebeanz posted...

I'm not going to lie, dialysis is awful and I legit feel sorry for anyone that has to do it three times a week. I hope you're on the transplant list - you're too young to have to deal with this.

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I'm really sorry. I've almost been put on it twice because I've had renal failure twice. Luckily I managed to get by without a transplant or dialysis.
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I'm 28

I'm on a transplant list, but I'm on some sort of "hold" because my doctor put me on these weird steroids that caused me to gain 40 pounds so now I have to lose the 40 pounds to get taken off the hold.
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Have they already put the Cather in TC? I'll warn you now, you are going to be very paranoid about hurting the site, feel like an outsider because you're young, to be honest, young guys or gals on this aren't uncommon it's just most of them either die or have managed to get a transplant I don't know how it works but from what I remember from my own experience kidney transplant priorty is children, young adults then old people so that's why you'll see older people more than younger people but they exist.

I'm fine with talking to you about this since I've been through it twice and I'm only a year older than you.
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I have a fistula in my left arm that I got last year in preparation for this, although they're saying that the upper portion of it didn't mature like they wanted because I have too many veins so blood didn't flow hard enough to the top?

I dunno, they're being really vague about it. I had an angioplasty done yesterday to widen the upper part in preparation for dialysis, which they say should start next week, but they still haven't told me when exactly or what.

I guess I need to go get a bunch of blood tests tomorrow before they'll give me the details.

They did tell me that I'd more than likely get a transplant sooner (within like 6 years I guess?), but then my doc put me on some weird steroids that made me gain like 40 pounds and now I'm on the list but also on some type of hold until I can lose the weight?

It's all really strange.
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AlecSkorpio posted...

I have a fistula in my left arm that I got last year in preparation for this, although they're saying that the upper portion of it didn't mature like they wanted because I have too many veins so blood didn't flow hard enough to the top?

I dunno, they're being really vague about it. I had an angioplasty done yesterday to widen the upper part in preparation for dialysis, which they say should start next week, but they still haven't told me when exactly or what.

I guess I need to go get a bunch of blood tests tomorrow before they'll give me the details.

They did tell me that I'd more than likely get a transplant sooner (within like 6 years I guess?), but then my doc put me on some weird steroids that made me gain like 40 pounds and now I'm on the list but also on some type of hold until I can lose the weight?

It's all really strange.

Are they Penisolone by any chance or Pravastatin? Also, yeah, weight is a very big factor in transplants, I suggest as soon as possible to speak to a dietitian, the ideal weight for transplants is 180 but they can do at least 220. Also, you'll be drinking alot of water, I hope you like that and sprite/7-up/Serra Mist because that's the only soda you'll be allowed to drink. Have you started any Prograf yet? I must warn you a kidney transplant will result in 2 things that are very, very uncomfortable.

A tube will be stuck to your urethra for about a couple of months, it'll itch, it'll hurt, it'll make you paranoid and most of all, you'll see lots of blood at first as well as been in a world of pain when you have to be and it doesn't end there, once it's time to remove it, you will not be put under, instead they'll numb the surrounding area and pull it out right then and there then weeks later remove the deeper one... with pliers.

Next, this should happen if you have good doctors, A biopsy, this is where the take a needle to stab you near the groin area,which is likely where your kidney will go, to take a piece of it to see how it's responding to the medication and it's new body. It's fucking terrifying and I'm not saying that to scare you, like the urethra tube before the site will be numbed you'll be completely awake and aware of yourself through the whole thing and your nerves will be waiting for the pain that will hopefully in your case, never come, you can't sit up because of blood vessels or something so you'll be stuck lying in that position for pretty much the rest of the day so get used to counting ceiling markings.

Once you're able to get up peeing will sting and there will probably be blood. Don't worry, that's normal, the more water you drink the more of that you'll purge from your system. Water will pretty much be your BFF or clingy girlfriend as a kidney transplantee.

After all of this, if things go well, guess what? depending on how well the kidney is adapting to you you'll be going in for blood work, piss work and status updates, For me, at first it was every 2 weeks, then bi monthly, then 6 months. They'll probably tell you not ot seek out any physically demanding jobs because of the kidney, which can really put a dapper on things if you're like me and don't know how to do anything else.

It's a scary,long,mentally exhausting and expensive process,TC so my advice is to focus on the after, be it something as mundane as going home to shit in your own bathroom to shitposting here.
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Oh,one last thing, when you wake up, ALL of your pubes hair will be gone, I'm talking scorched earth right down to the glands and even with that damn thing in your you know, boners still happen and they will hurt and at that point you'll probably be in the hospital for a solid month with them coming in at all ridiculous hours to monitor you for blood, for weight or to talk to you about the progress so don't expect some sound sleep, on the bright side, you'll likely get your own room, but hospital TV is ass, I've developed a special hatred of TBS because of this, oh and despite the dick issues you will be encouraged to walk around the area with it because they don't want your body forming blood clots in your legs so you'll just have to walk even if you can't feel below your waist at first, you'll be holding the IV stand as well so it'll be a little awkward and part of the paranoia I was warning you about earlier, I almost pulled out my IV back then because my brain forgot it was there and the pain was unbelievable
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AlecSkorpio posted...

I'm 28

I'm on a transplant list, but I'm on some sort of "hold" because my doctor put me on these weird steroids that caused me to gain 40 pounds so now I have to lose the 40 pounds to get taken off the hold.

Damn. I got turned down for transplant listing at 29. I haven't been to see the coordinator for relisting yet, and as of now my doctors aren't pushing for it because I'm stable.
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AlecSkorpio posted...

I'm 28

I'm on a transplant list, but I'm on some sort of "hold" because my doctor put me on these weird steroids that caused me to gain 40 pounds so now I have to lose the 40 pounds to get taken off the hold.

I am sorry to read that. Do you have plan to lose the pounds. I am not good in this area but I know a lot of people on the CE have lost a ton of weight, and might can help you with that.
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AV fistulas scare me so much. When I was a third year med student I saw one rupture (it had a huge aneurysm) and that was pure nightmare fuel.

Godspeed, man. I hope you get a new kidney asap.
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