To say the dialysis and plasma- exchange has gone smoothly would not be the truth. There have been a number of surprises and minor complications. It is a know possible side effect of kidney failure to get cramps. I suffer from this mostly in the leg, foot and hands. It is also known that dialysis can aggravate cramping and so it has been with me. They don't seem to know what to do to prevent this. They have offered pain killers to ease the symptoms.
In some cases, including mine, Plasma-exchange can leech the calcium out of the blood leaving you with pins and needles in the hands and lips. From now on I will be given a calcium supplement before the procedure.
My iron levels are low so I will also have iron added to the mixture to help make me less anemic and prepare for the transplant.
Let's hope all of that will make the days on the 10th floor more comfortable.
Are you allowed to eat bananas, Jane?
ReplyDeleteWeird question, I know ... but I had terrible cramping in my legs when I was pregnant, and they told me it was a potassium deficiency. Bananas are high in potassium, so they were recommended.
I thought of that too and took one for my lunch the next time.
ReplyDelete