CAPD/APD General

When starting dialysis there are a few things you’ll need.

Treatment Room

A safe and clean treatment Room in your home to do the exchanges in.

Have a chair to sit down while you wait for the exchange to take place. Something to do is also good – I had a telly in my treatment room.

Treatment Table

You’ll also need a treatment table. It needs to have space for storage of your regularly used items and also a flat, easily wiped top.

I’ve found the Ikea Algot is an excellent choice. It allows you to mix and match different drawers and tops – you can even add wheels.

Storage Space

There is a lot of product involved in dialysis so you need storage space. I have little space so my Baxter deliveries are every two weeks (normally they are once a month).

Some people have outdoor storage for all the boxers to be kept in.

This is just two weeks worth of stuff.

Deliveries

After you’ve given your stock (see below) Baxter will deliver the stock you need. If you work like me, you can give Baxter a key and they will deliver the stock and put it in a room you ask – I normally just leave a note.

Stock Take

Every other week I have to do a stock take. Baxter gave me a stock sheet and I have to count how much of everything I have left. Baxter then ring me on a fixed day and take my stock list off me.

They can then work out what you need (and what will be delivered).

At the start the stock list is a bit confusing and you trust Baxter a lot that they know what they are doing. But, as you get used to it listen to what they are sending you; think

  • Are they sending anything I don’t need?
  • Anything that I do need?

If you speak to the operator on the phone, they are very helpful and will change the order. Remember no one is more responsible for your health than you are.

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