My dad has been on hemodialysis for about 9 months now. He is getting thru it fine and all of his counts every month have been perfect--THANK GOD !! They are still doing it thru a catheter in his neck. He had his fistula put into his arm, but they have not used it yet.

He is PETRIFIED of the dialysis needles they will be using. He said several of the patients have jumped up from thier chairs and pretty much ran out of the center because of the pain.

He is only 67 and my parents LOVED to travel, but this form of dialysis is pretty restrictive.

Was wondering if anyone has any experience with peritoneal dialysis or even the cycler that does the dialysis overnight while you sleep ??

He is getting down in the dumps due to the fact that travelling, even though possible, will be such a pain if he has to schedule hemodialysis at other centers. He is feeling very cooped up and is getting very depressed at the thought of getting "stuck" in the arm 6 times a week for the rest of his life.

Any input or info would be SO greatly appreciated.

Thanks !!

My dad has been on hemodialysis for about 9 months now. He is getting thru it fine and all of his counts every month have been perfect--THANK GOD !! They are still doing it thru a catheter in his neck. He had his fistula put into his arm, but they have not used it yet.

He is PETRIFIED of the dialysis needles they will be using. He said several of the patients have jumped up from thier chairs and pretty much ran out of the center because of the pain.

He is only 67 and my parents LOVED to travel, but this form of dialysis is pretty restrictive.

Was wondering if anyone has any experience with peritoneal dialysis or even the cycler that does the dialysis overnight while you sleep ??

He is getting down in the dumps due to the fact that travelling, even though possible, will be such a pain if he has to schedule hemodialysis at other centers. He is feeling very cooped up and is getting very depressed at the thought of getting "stuck" in the arm 6 times a week for the rest of his life.

Any input or info would be SO greatly appreciated.

Thanks !!


First there is a topical medication that can be applied to the needle area (it comes in a toothpaste looking tube) It will deaden the skin. Some of the people at dialysis their insurance would not pay for it. I think it was $67.00 a tube (8 years ago).

Pertioneal dialysis is used more in Eurpoe. I credit that with finding the colon cancer my Mom had. She did that first, 4 times a day. He will have to increase his pants size by 2 inches. You store 1 liter of liquids in your stomach area. You have a shunt that hook up the liquids with. He can have these liquids shipped to his destinations. We had them shipped to Vegas waiting for us when we checked in.

When she went on Hemodialysis we chose cities (like Vegas) that had numerous clinics and some were 24 hours a day. When we went back hom to Michigan, we just arranged thru her dialysis center an appoinment for the city we were staying in (Bay City) not really a very large town.

You can travel, but you must plan first, and it will typically cost you more. Her insurance would only pay the rate charged her in Fort Worth, TX, so it seemed all cities were more and she had to pay the difference out of her pocket.

All this information is old, since my Mom passed away over 8 years ago. Have your dad or mom work with the dialysis center and see what they can do to help them travel.