This is my mantra whenever the rainy season sets in. Influenza or the flu is more rampant during this season and being a dialysis patient puts me in a much higher risk of contracting the virus. People with kidney failure have weak immune systems, so therefore we are more susceptible to contagious diseases such as flu.

What is the Flu?

• Fever and chills
• Severe muscle aches
• Headache
• Overwhelming fatigue
• Sore throat
• A dry cough
• A runny or stuffy nose.

Somebody who catches the virus should not ignore the symptoms and take steps to hold it in check. A kidney failure patient catching the virus must consult to his doctor for further medical advice. The point of the matter is that the symptoms of the virus should not be ignored, especially by those who are immuno-compromised.

Tip: Many other severe health problems—like sepsis (blood poisoning)—also start out with “flulike” symptoms. If you feel like you have the flu, you need to see a doctor.

Your Best Defense is a Good Offense

They say that prevention is the best way to counter any disease. True enough. But what if you’re already past the prevention stage? What if you’re at high risk from contracting it? Being on the offensive is the best strategy you could do against the virus. And the best offensive is having yourself immunized. A normal person needs a single dose of Flu Vaccine, while dialysis patients needs to double the dose administered.

Flu Complications

Even though the flu is a virus, it can lead to bacterial infections:

• If your teeth or cheekbones ache and your nasal mucus is green or yellow, you may have a sinus infection.
• If you cough up yellow or green mucus, are short of breath, and/or have stabbing chest pain when you breathe, you may have pneumonia.

In either case, you may need antibiotics, and you need to see your doctor. Pneumonia can be very serious. If you have trouble breathing or you can’t keep your fluids in balance, go to the hospital. Let them take care of you for a while until you feel better.

Tip: Keep a list of all drugs you take and their doses, and a copy of your health history. Bring it along if you need to go to the hospital to save time and help ensure that you get the right treatment.

It’s already hard enough for a patient to battle the complications that kidney failure and dialysis brings. Adding other conditions would only worsen a patient’s situation, along with his perspectives and will to fight the battle. So make it habit to note the things and conditions that would greatly affect you as a dialysis patient. And always keep it mind that prevention is still the best way to counter a threat to your health and to keep you fighting the battle.

- image credit / - Flu reference: Home Dialysis Central

Don’t Let The Flu Get You is a post from: Dialysis Postings

The Pinoy’s common conception of getting infected with Hepatitis is eating street foods that are unsanitary. On occasions, you would sometimes overhear somebody jokingly pointing out that you’d get the Hepatitis Virus with the food you just bought from the street, free of charge. “Libreng Hepa”, (free hepatitis),  some smart ass would say.

As to the validity of this knowledge, I am not completely sure. Maybe if someone who’s been infected with the virus dips in the sauce, let’s say, of the fish ball; eats some of it, dips it again, then followed by you dipping into the fray, maybe there could be a chance for you getting infected. Not to mention the fact that it seems quite disgusting enough and appetizing at the same time.

– image courtesy of www.nmh.org

Although there’s one thing I am certainly aware of being at risk to Hepatitis. Being a dialysis patient, this virus just looms around the corner, waiting for an opportune time to get into your system. Patients that are financially incapable of sustaining EPO injections to treat Kidney Failure-related Anemia, turns to occasional blood transfusions as an alternative method, which in turn, puts them at a higher risk of being infected with the Hepatitis Virus.

“Hepatitis has been a long-standing problem in hemodialysis facilities. Essentially, hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver caused by a virus. Hepatitis viruses are bloodborne pathogens and are major biological hazards for everyone in the dialysis facility.  Hepatitis viruses, unlike HIV, can survive for long periods of time outside the human body.”

– source RenalWEB

It’s mandatory for dialysis patients to take the required Hepatitis Vaccine and have their Hepatitis Profile checked from time to time. I’ve been vaccinated last year, taking 2 vials of Engerix B, (Note: I think a single vial is the normal dose given for this vaccine), for 3 consecutive months, then taking the booster dose on the following month. For further details about this, it’s advisable to seek your Nephrologist or medical staff in your dialysis clinic. They’re the ones who could elaborate more on the subject.

I just took my Hepatitis Profile recently. It’s 3 or 4 types of laboratory tests that would ascertain if your body has already developed an antibody or defense against the virus and/or if you’re laready infected with it. Fortunately, my antibody turned up positive reaction and the test for the virus itself turned up negative.

I guess I got away practically unscathed and without having to worry about jaundice or my liver deteriorating for a while.

The battle goes on, though.

Hepatitis and Dialysis Patients is a post from: Dialysis Postings

This was the news 5 days ago describing the current status of the A(H1N1) Influenza Virus rampage, a.k.a. Swine Flu, here in the Philippines:

MANILA – Thirty-three new cases of influenza A (H1N1) were confirmed by the Department of Health (DOH) on Thursday bringing the country’s total number of victims of the virus to 344, as the World Health Organization (WHO) predicts the virus will be active for three more months.

Of the new H1N1 patients, 24 are male and 9 are female, and 31 are Filipino nationals, Health Undersecretary Mario Villaverde said in a press briefing in Malacañang.

The new patients’ ages range from one year to 52 years old, Villaverde said.

He also said that out of the total number of cases so far, 242 patients have fully recovered from the illness, 142 of whom recovered only recently.

Despite the large number of patients who have recovered from the illness, the DOH again reminded the public to observe proper hygiene to prevent the spread of the disease.

– courtesy of ABS-CBN News

To date, 36 new infections has been added to the total count of the confirmed cases, from which 79% have fully recovered.

– image courtesy of GMA News

(Update 06/25: Sorry for the link error on GMA News. I already resolved the matter and fixed the link.)

The mere fact that there is a contagious disease on rampage outside the comfort of your house is enough to make us dialysis patients concern of our health. I previously voiced out my concerns regarding the “Swine Flu” virus, and I also stated my basis for these concerns.

I have been practicing caution from this Flu Virus in my household way before it got here in the Philippines and started infecting people. I make it a habit to clean my hands before and after meals; I always carry a hand sanitizer with me; and I avoid physical contact from sick family members, relatives, and friends.

The Philippine Kidney Dialysis Foundation or PKDF, the clinic where I go for my dialysis treatments, has recently put up information posters regarding the A(H1N1) Virus. It includes a brief but concise description of what the virus is, symptoms to watch out for, as well as various preventive steps a patient could take.

Some of these steps are:

• Always wash your hands before and after meals.
• Use alcohol-based hand sanitizers.
• Avoid being in contact with people that are sick with colds or flu.
• Avoid being in heavily populated areas like school campuses, malls, and markets as much as possible.
• Get enough hours of sleep and always eat healthy foods that would help boost your immune system.

Another precaution our clinic is taking is that it makes sure every person entering the clinic doesn’t have a fever. A nurse is stationed at the entrance and checks your body temperature. If you checked in with a fever, you are denied entrance to the clinic’s premises and advised to have yourself checked further by a doctor or in a hospital.

This might sound a bit strict, but as a patient that’s more likely to get infected than others, I am in complete sympathy with this precutionary measure. I’m sure my fellow patients share the same view.

Dialysis Update – Taking Steps on A(H1N1) Prevention is a post from: Dialysis Postings

It has been quite a rough week for me in terms of health and nutrition. I have been eating and drinking liberally these past few days, for the simple reason that I just felt I had to satisfy my urge to do so, and paid quite rather painfully when my treatment session came. I’m just thankful enough that my neglect on fluid intake didn’t lead to cramps, though the days before the treatment were quite a challenge for my tolerance. Like I said before, too much fluid intake would lead to inconvenient consequences for patients. Although I really don’t blame those who forget their drinking discipline, for I myself tends to neglect them every once in a while. But let me reiterate once again the importance of a patient’s self-discipline when it comes to fluid intake: If you want to experience minimal inconvenience during dialysis treatment, you have to be wise on your eating and drinking habits.

Another factor that brings inconvenience up til now is my recurrent flu-like symptoms. In this post, I have described why dialysis patients are susceptible to various diseases, and the importance of prevention. In my case, I have been experiencing recurrent flu-like symptoms these past few days. If I hadn’t known better, I might think I am going down with Flu, or much worse. But with my past experiences, along with my doctor’s recent opinion, mine is but a simple case of Allergic Rhinitis, an allergic reaction to pollen, dander, and in my case, dust. I said simple simply because it’s more tolerable and less alarming compared to the more serious types, like the current Swine Flu Virus.

But in spite of this knowledge, I guess it wouldn’t hurt to continue to be vigilant and careful than ever before. I have temporarily isolated myself from other household members, for everybody’s sake and as a precaution as well. I’m also thinking of going again to my doctor if ever these flu-like symptoms escalate.

All in all, my recent treatment was just the usual routine, and no untoward incident really happened. Except for the fact that it went a bit harder than usual because of my bigger weight gain, which, I pointed out earlier, was my own fault, it’s still usual, on a dialysis patient’s perspective, at least.

My fight against kidney failure and dialysis goes on. Just as life goes on for the people around me, so must mine go on too. With considerable amount of undurance, coping, and determination to overcome all obstacles, I’m still able to live as normal as I possibly can.

My Dialysis Treatment Update is a post from: Dialysis Postings

The current news about Swine Flu Virus has been the subject of discussion on our dialysis clinic recently. Concern and unrest seems to be the general consensus, and for good reason, I might say. It’s because we dialysis patients are immunocompromised, meaning our immune system is down and it would be quite difficult for us to fight diseases compared to a normal individual. Coping with the rigors of treatment is hard enough already, and any viral outbreak like this would simply spell disaster for us.

Our weak immune system is the reason behind our continuous vigilance to health issues around us. It’s hard enough to cope with the rigors of dialysis already and an added ailment would seem too much to bear anymore. That’s why the news of Swine Flu outbreak, and any viral outbreak for that matter, would immediately warrant concern and unrest among us dialysis patients. And even though there’s still no reported case of swine flu outbreak here in the Philippines, it still wouldn’t hurt to be prepared.

Here are some ways that I employ myself to minimize contamination from airborne diseases:

• Stay away from crowded places like malls, parks, market places, and the like, especially during rainy season where cold and flu are rampant.
• If there’s nothing important for you to do outside, just try to remain at home.
• Stay away or avoid direct contact with a family member or relative that has a cold, fever, or flu.
• Don’t forget to take the medicines prescribed by your doctor, especially those that helps boost the immune system.
• Be sensible with your food choices. Eating right helps your body build resistance from diseases.
• Wash your hands and maintain personal hygiene at all times.
• If you still work and travel a lot, it is advisable to wear a face mask for protection.

The things I’ve mentioned above are some of the ways that could help you get out of harm’s way if you’re a dialysis patient. Even though it might not be completely foolproof, there’s still no harm on trying to be safe, especially if you’re as susceptible as us.

An ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of care… and isn’t it proves right on the mark?

Stay safe and stay healthy!

Current Health Concerns is a post from: Dialysis Postings