It’s been quite some time since I last made a post here in DP. Some of you might think that I already lost interest in sharing my experiences on treatment. Well, this is not true and is not the case. Simply put, I have been busy this past few months and didn’t found the time to write articles and update this blog.

Let’s just say that I had a blogging hiatus of some sorts. The important thing is that I’m here again to write, letting my readers know that I’m still here, and still very much enthusiastic to share my treatment experience, as well as some knowledge I gain along the way.

Blogging Hiatus is a post from: Dialysis Postings

I had a recent hiatus from blogging and wasn’t able to update my blogs due to a road trip I just took recently. My aunt, the one who’s been supporting my treatment, came here in the Philippines and we went on vacation. We went to our hometown in Bangui, Ilocos Norte. I had a chance for a vacation and also got the chance to see tha Bangui Wind Farm. I’ll get to tell you more about my road trip on my other blog, but that’s for another time.

The crux of this article is that taking a vacation, though how short, would be good for you as a dialysis patient. Taking a time off from the routines of treatment will help you lessen the stress you’re already feeling. And if you’re lucky, it will also wipe off the depression that’s already starting to creep behind you.

So, whether you’re a patient or not, I advise that you take some time off from all the stresses in your life. Trust me, you won’t regret it.

A Road Trip That Did Me Good is a post from: Dialysis Postings

It’s raining again outside our house and it just seem like a good time to make a post about it, and reminisce my past experience about the rainy days here in the Philippines.

Tropical storms or Typhoons are common occurrences here. When the season sets in, nobody could predict the effects it would bring. Sometimes it’s just the usual downpours we Filipino’s experience. Wet, cold, and a nuisance to travel. But every now and then, all hell breaks loose. Just like what happened last year here in Metro Manila when Typhoon Ondoy (Ketsana) decided to pay us a visit.

So if you’re living here, you should always be prepared for such things. The past rainy season taught me lot in terms ofpreparation. I now make it a point to check my stores for emergency purposes like candles, matches, batteries for flashlight, etc., and make certain it’s always ready and accessible. I also view the sites that gives information about the weather like storm2k, typhoon2000, JMA, JTWC, etc. I never rely on our local weather bureau, which is PAGASA, because in my opinion they’re inaccurate and inefficient.

Much more, I am a dialysis patient and my treatment schedules doesn’t recognize any type of “Typhoon Holidays”. Ilearned it the hard way last year and taught me a couple of valuable lessons. So I compiled some tips which I implement myself and hope it could be useful to my fellow patients and readers as well.

[good_list]

• Always stay updated whenever a storm or typhoon is coming in.
• Tune to your reliable weather resource for information and take notice of the typhoon’s path if possible.
• If it’s going to pass your location, know it’s ETA (Estimated Time of Arrival) ahead of time so you could compare it with your treatment schedule.
• If there’s a conflict, and the typhoon that’s coming in is strong, call your clinic and ask for a re-schedule if possible.
• If not, be sure to have someone with you when going to the clinic and pack some extra clothes. You’ll never know what would happen or whether you might have to stay in the clinic for a while if things worsen. It’s better to be ready than sorry.

[/good_list]
Well, I hope the things I’ve listed above would be useful for you. It served me well in facing the other storms that passed our country after Ondoy, and I hope it could do as much for you too.

-image credit

Gearing Up for the Rainy Season is a post from: Dialysis Postings

I had my monthly laboratory test for the month of June taken last week and only just now did I find the time to post it here. The past week had been quite busy for me, redesigning Dialysis Postings and my other blogs - Private Corner and Itlog de Arina, and my grandfather being rushed to the hospital due to uncontrolled Diabetes. But that’s all behind now and I’m here once again updating DP, posting my recent lab results, and trying to spew bits and pieces of information that I hope would be quite useful to my dear readers.

Enough with the chatter. My hemoglobin is down to 8.2 gm/dL. Anemia is on the rampage again and there are numerous factors that might be causing it. It might be that I’m not having sufficient doses of EPO injections, or my body’s not responding well to my current EPO therapy. Either way, I should resolve the issue immediately or risk the possibility of my hemoglobin’s further decline and the need for blood transfusion.

My creatinine level’s a bit high at 14 mg/dL. I might be the culprit on this one because I’ve been consuming more protein than I’m allowed recently, especially red meats. The solution – stricter protein intake, less or no red meat, and back to eating fish more often. The others – Phosphorus, Calcium, Potassium, Sodium, etc. – are fairly under acceptable levels.

I also had my Hepatitis Profile taken together with my monthly laboratory. Both the test for the virus – HBsAg and HCV – turned non-reactive, meaning I don’t have Hepatitis. The only sad outcome is that the test for my antibody against the virus – Anti-HBs – also turned out non-reactive, meaning my body’s still not producing enough antibody to have me protected.

To sum it up, I’m still doing fairly well with my lab results and treatment. Although there are certain adjustments I have to make and try to implement them as soon as I am able. But it’s all good and I’m still in business with the my battle against kidney failure.

image credit – positivenation.co.uk / webMD

Dialysis Update – June Laboratory Test Results is a post from: Dialysis Postings

Based on randomized, controlled data, omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil are now routinely used to prevent the progression of IgA nephropathy, the world’s most common glomerulopathy

Image courtesy of Club Marine

I was surfing the net and happen to pass by this article about Omega 3 fatty acids. Being a kidney patient, I am always careful on what I eat, and try to follow my prescribed diet as best as I can. Having fish in them is a good choice, if not a must. It doesn’t only gives you the protein your body needs, but fortifies your heart and brain health as well. Another advantage for dialysis patients of substituting fish for beef or pork is that you could get a much bigger portion without as much by-product or waste.

It’s true that red meat offers a higher quality of protein than fish do. But for people who have malfunctioning kidneys, acquiring protein from a source that generates less waste after being broken down by the body could mean a lot. It doesn’t just helps you keep your Creatinine level checked, but it also lowers your Triglyceride level and reduces your risk from Heart Disease.

I, for one likes fish. Since time immemorial, fish courses was already a staple in our family table. The only difference, now that I’m suffering kidney failure and under dialysis treatment, is the way I prepare or eat them. Before that, fish in any form of preparation would do. May it be fried, dried, soured, sautéed or raw like sushi, I’ll eat it no matter what. But now is a different matter because of the factors to consider. My advice for my fellow patients is that it’s best that you’ll be the one to prepare the dish. That way, you could stick with your diet restrictions without sacrificing the taste of your food.But if you can’t cook, try to explain how would you want your fish done to the person who would do the cooking.

Among the fishes that are rich in Omega 3 fatty acids are Mackerel, lake Trout, Herring, Blue fin Tuna, Salmon, Albacore Tuna, and Sardines, to mention a few.

A word of advice for my fellow dialysis patients – always try to consult with your renal dietitian or nephrologist regarding your diet for the simple reason that every patient has unique dietary and nutritional needs. What’s good for others might be bad for you.

But all in all, fish is good for you. Let’s make fish a part of our diet and pave a way for a healthier life.

Fish be with you all!

Fish be with You is a post from: Dialysis Postings

In a few hours I’ll be off to my dialysis treatment. I’m already planning in advance how I would conduct my travel from our house in Manila, to the clinic in Quezon City. It’s only about 30 minutes away from our home, that’s if you have your own car, which I don’t. I take public transports (Jeepneys) and it takes 3 transfers before getting to the clinic. It’s tedious for patients like me, but there’s no getting around it, and besides, it’s a lot cheaper than taking a cab.

~ Image courtesy of www.a2gov.org

But it’s not the travel that bothers me. It’s the heat. You can’t hide from it whenever your outside, and even when you’re in the shade, you still can palpably feel the heat. It’s summer here in the Philippines, and to make matters worse, we’re currently under the El Niño Phenomenon. I have posted before on this blog the effects of summer and heat on dialysis patients. Today I reiterate it once again that excessive heat and humidity has a significant impact on dialysis patients.

We find it hard to tolerate the heat simply because we have a higher body temperature than normal people.

Mean oral temperature in hemodialysis patients was higher than in healthy individuals [98.7 degrees F (37 degrees C) vs. 98.4 degrees F (36.8 degrees C); p < 0.001], as was the mean average axillary temperature [97.7 degrees F (36.5 degrees C) vs. 97.5 degrees F (36.3 degrees C); p = 0.02] and mean left axillary temperature [97.9 degrees F (36.6 degrees C) vs. 97.6 degrees F (36.4 degrees C); p < 0.001].

~ Pub Med

And, if bad comes to worse, when our tolerance for heat comes to an end, the first thing that comes to mind is to beat the heat – that is, to drink water to quench our thirst and alleviate the heat we’re experiencing. It’s all good and well, drinking lots of water to rehydrate oneself and avoid the dangers and perils of dehydration or heat stroke. But for us with malfunctioning kidneys, drinking too much water tells a different story and would be quite dangerous at some point.

But don’t despair my fellow patients. There are lots of ways we could tolerate excessive heat and avoid the dangers that comes with it. Here are some that helps me survive the day, and I hope would be helpful to you too.

• Stay in the shade and stay away from direct sunlight, especially from 10 am – 3 pm, where it’s the hottest part of the day. If you’re not working and don’t have anything important to do outdoors, it would be best to just stay in the house.
• If you really have to go outside on the hottest part of the day, bring adequate protection from the sun, like an umbrella or sun shade. Also, don’t forget your towels or an extra piece of clothing, as you might need it.
• If you’re quite thirsty and finding it hard to regulate your fluid intake, go ahead – drink some water. But remember, sip and don’t gulp. But if your fluid intake is really ‘that’ restricted, try sucking on an ice cube, or some sour fruit like lime or calamansi, or brush your teeth to freshen up your mouth. It somewhat relieves your thirst.

These are some tips that worked for me and I hope would be helpful to you too, although every person is unique and has different needs. Summer time is somewhat of a punishment for us patients, but there’s no getting around it. So what can we do?

If you can’t beat ‘em… try to enjoy ‘em! A wonderful summer to you all!

El Niño – Maximum Tolerance for Dialysis Patients is a post from: Dialysis Postings

The previous onslaught of Tropical Storm Ondoy last Saturday, September 26 left people here in Metro Manila stunned and grieving. Floods devastated the city and left traffic almost non-existent, if not leaving them at a stand still, on streets. Here in our immediate area, where the deepest flooded area reached waist high, we weathered out the storm inside the house.

It was a devastating experience, this flash floods. I was due for a dialysis treatment on that fateful day and all I could do was call the clinic, cancel my schedule, and get listed for another session. I’m lucky enough that I wasn’t toxic and overloaded with fluid because if that were the case, I wouldn’t be able to make it that Monday. I would have gone to a hospital for an emergency dialysis if I haven’t been controlling my fluid intake.

Ah well, nevertheless, the past incidence serves a reminder for patients like me to be prepared for the unexpected. Someone like me who’s been on dialysis for quite a long time now has already grasped the importance of a regular treatment cycle. Whether I like it or not, I must admit that these treatment schedules are so important to me now, it’s been a part of my everyday existence.

Being prepared for the worse scenarios like typhoons, calamities and disaster is not being a pessimist or an alarmist. For us patients who relies on our dialysis treatments for life, being prepared is just being realistic.

(Note: By the way, I’ve decided to abuse another picture for this post. In fact, I am thinking of doing my own images for the rest of my upcoming posts… what do you think guys? Is it a good idea?)

Nature’s Wrath When Least Expected is a post from: Dialysis Postings

It has been quite some time since the last time I have updated my blog. I’ve been recently experiencing internet connection problems. This, together with my current set up of my personal small graphics design business, I have been out of touch with my blog. But now I am back and I have made some photo manipulated images just for this post.

I took some stock photos and manipulated it to my liking, and well, you guessed right, just for the hell of it. I hope you like it guys!

It’s nice to be back into blogging again.

Back from the Dead is a post from: Dialysis Postings

Hypertension or High Blood Pressure, as it is more commonly known, is one of the silent killers that plagues the general population. It owes its lethal efficiency to the fact that it goes on undetected for months, and even for years, up until a point where significant damage has already been done. Such as it was in my case, where I neglected and took it for granted, in spite of being aware of its past devastation on our family’s medical history. But that’s all in the past, and as I have always told myself, regret is one of the most futile and unproductive of all human emotions. So there’s really nosense in trying to undo what’s already been done.

What about you? Are you also suffering from Hypertension? You know you might be, and worse, you’re not even aware of it. This is a common enough scenario, especially for the population’s poorer class who’s financial capability to seek medical attention is virtually non-existent. Nobody could really blame these people the tendency to take for granted the sensibility of early detection through screening. But if you’ll ask me, however, this should not be an excuse.

Why is high blood pressure dangerous?

The higher the blood pressure, the harder the heart has to work to keep on pumping against increasing resistance. If, in the course of time, the heart muscles tires, it could eventually lead to heart failure. Because of the enormous burden it puts on the arteries, high blood pressure adds to their wear and tear, especially in the target organs, the brain, coronary and kidney vessels. Stroke and Myocardial Infarction (heart attack) are frequent and dangerous consequences of untreated hypertension.

Recognizing high blood pressure

High blood pressure is a Silent Killer simply because it doesn’t show typical symptoms that might serve as early warning signals. In fact, in certain cases, many people feel well and energetic despite their high blood pressure. There is only one way of finding out whether or not you have hypertension and that is to have your blood pressure checked. Measurements must be repeated at least once a year. If an elevated pressure is detected in time, early treatment can help prevent the possible fatal consequences.

Prevention of complications from high blood pressure

Bringing the pressure down relieves the strain on the heart and arteries; this lessen and often eliminates the dangerous consequences of elevated pressure. With proper treatment, high blood pressure can be normalized, or at least brought down to a tolerable level. The treatment does not call for any heroic measures; regular checking of the blood pressure, a few generally painless changes in one’s eating and living habits, and taking the prescribed medication everyday. If detected and treated in time, hypertension should not stop you in leading a normal and productive life. All that is required is determination and close doctor-patient cooperation.

Protect yourself against high blood pressure

A genetic predisposition is a frequent cause of hypertension. It “runs in the family”. Caution is advised if you have a family history of high blood pressure. Your way of living could have an important bearing on whether or when you will develop hypertension. If you are overweight, has a high sodium intake on your diet, under psychological stress, agitated and hyperactive, you’re more likely a candidate, or can exacerbate an existing tendency. Losing weight, cutting down on salt in the diet, and avoiding stress are useful precaution to help you keep your pressure down.

Protect your health why you still can and when you still can. As always, being well-informed is being well-prepared.

Hypertension – Living with It, Dealing with It 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