Medicare's "You Can Live: Your Guide For Living With Kidney Failure"

To determine what type of PD treatment is best for you, yourkidney doctor needs to consider your• body size,• lifestyle,• lab test results, and• ability to do the steps in dialysis.How you feel is not a good way to tell if you are getting enoughdialysis to stay healthy. Do not skip CAPD exchanges or shortenyour CCPD treatment. Doing so could be harmful to your health.CCPD is done at home with a machine called a cycler. Thecycler connects to your access and works at night while yousleep. For eight to ten hours each night the machine fills yourbelly with clean dialysate and then it drains the used dialysatefrom your belly. In the morning, clean dialysate is put in yourbelly after you are unhooked from the cycler. You may do one ortwo more exchanges by hand during the day.CAPD can be done in a place that is clean and well lit. Try to picka place that is free from drafts or pets and where you can close thedoor. Before you start an exchange, be sure to wash your hands. ACAPD exchange lasts about 30 minutes and is done about everyfour to six hours during the day. Most peoplebegin their exchanges in the morning and endtheir day with one before bedtime. Some peoplewho do CAPD can also do an exchangeduring the night.“Do not skipexchanges orshorten yourtreatment.”Continuous CyclingPeritoneal Dialysis (CCPD)These are the steps in anexchange:1) A closed bag of dialysate isattached to your access with plastic tubing.2) The closed bag is hung above your head on ahook or pole.3) A second bag sits on the floor.13