Dialysis Day 92

Rough day yesterday. I’ve been lightheaded the past few days, and it’s getting annoying. In addition, my hands are tingling and buring at times, but that most likely is the neuropathy. 

I was late getting on dialysis (due to the previous patient). I usually don’t have a problem with this, but I felt so yucky, plus, the patient at my station is known to be late for dialysis, and seems to have a lack of concern for time. The dialysis was fine until about 30 minutes prior to the end. My BP was 90s/50s, but I wasn’t symptomatic. Then, I started with cramps. They gave me a syringe of hypertonic saline, and that helped for about 2 minutes. Then, I started with cramps in my feet, front and back of upper and lower legs, abdomen, and neck, all at the same time! They gave me my end-of-dialysis saline rinse and turned off the machine, and I had a brief respite, but then I started cramping just as bad. Another fluid “bolus” of saline, and the cramps improved. Despite the machine listing the amount of fluid taken off as 400 cc below the goal, and getting extra fluid, I still met my dry weight. Oftentimes, I end up several hundred grams below my target/dry weight; I wonder what factors contribute to this? Exercise prior? (I walk about 1/2 mile from our office to dialysis, part of it up hill) Sleep during dialysis? Eating before and/or during dialysis? 

Last night, I was exhausted. Jackie and I went out to eat (Kevin didn’t want to come; since it was 72 degrees, he went fishing), and I hardly ate at all. We picked up Kevin, went home, and I crashed on the couch at around 7:00, and didn’t wake up until 6 this morning. I don’t have any lightheadedness today; I only have itching and a rash. 

Beginning wt: 97.1 kg. End wt: 92.5 kg.