Hi all

I have been on Hemo for nearly 4 years, and I've now made the decision to switch to PD.

I have renal failure due to contracting an illness called Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS), which I developed while undergoing IVF treatment here in Brisbane (Australia).

In the beginning, I was to ill to go straight to PD, so I've just kept up with the Hemo.

It has taken me a long time to decide to switch over, but now that I have made the decision, I'm looking forward to having a bit more freedom.

Can anyone tell me, what does it feel like to have all that fluid "swooshing" around in your tummy. And, will I be walking around with a big stomach (vanity I know)? I'm only a smallish person so I guess I am worried about having a big stomach. I know that this is a small price to pay for good health but I guess I'm worried people will think I'm pregnant, when I can't actually have any children now.

Any info, (good or bad) that you could offer on your experiences with PD would be greatly appreciated.

I am back to see my Neph at the end of January and I will arrange for PD to start rolling then.

Thanks
Kelly

Don't worry, PD is wonderful. My father has been on it for 18 months now and it is as though he has the freedom to do whatever he wants. You will quickly adjust to the feeling of the solution in your stomach, and it does not proturde at all. No one will notice and in fact, you will not look any larger at all.

My husband has just started PD and we've been on our own now for 4 days after almost two weeks of excellent training. We have PD nurses on call all the time. My husband says he can't feel it inside at all and no sloshing. We exchange 4 times a day but with PD, you can skip occasionally so we can work a social life into our days. When everything is flowing properly, the whole process takes 45 min to an hour each exchange.