Never been in Australia - or Canada. Middle East. Africa. Europe. That was enough for me. Then after many years an exile I gave up and returned to my homeland

I was way off mark then

All the best

Never in the White Commonwealth. I was always in more exotic locales.

As a volunteer ambulance driver in UK I used to take loads of folks for dialysis, 3 times a week. Took around 4-6 hours and the unit ran three shifts a day , 6 days a week with 24 patients a time! Took some of them for 10 years and the difference when I picked them up was amazing. The only problem they all had was limiting their liquid intake to I think , 1 litre a day. Modern science is marvellous as 10 years ago, the majority would not have survived more than a couple of years. The eldest i took was an 86 year old lady and she'd been on dialysis for about 15 years! Good luck and long life.

I am already practising on the fluid restriction - 1 or 1 and a half litres a day. Diet restrictions too - including ones that seem daft. No coffee no chocolate.

Caffeine is a diuretic.

Sorry to hear of your kidney issues, I hope all is going well with the dialysis.

This NHS trust document might be handy - chocolate's high phosphate level is the reason given for it to be avoided. http://www.uhb.nhs.uk/Downloads/pdf/...sPhosphate.pdf

Just practising with the diet - though I have started on the fluid restriction. This from a man who would happily quaff 8 pints of an evening ! Ah but then I saw the light some years ago and "put the plug in the jug" as those in the Fellowship of Bill Wilson say. I have not started on the Dialysis yet. Going on a guided tour of facility in Greenock next week and have another regular consultation with the Kidney Specialist the week after.


When I heard the explanation of Peritoneal Dialysis versus Hemodialysisi I opted for the latter. I need to get a fistula created and am waiting for an appointment to go in overnight for that minor surgery.

I think you are wise opting for Hemodialysis. Im a GP -I have several patients on dialysis-
Two on PD and neither like it. HD is a pain but you get used to the routine. Don't dismiss home dialysis, it is certainly feasible though I don't know how you would go about it in the UK if indeed it would be available. I know someone who does this in BC but he is a GP! I know it is certainly commonly done though more so south of the border when covered by insurance plans. The fistula creation is a diddle, don't worry about it.
Anyhow, hope you get on ok- good luck.

O/T but just realised I confused you with scotdownunder when I thought you went to Aus then Canada

Hope everything is going well

Never been near Van Diemens Land ! Law-abiding I am ! I restricted my travels to the 3 continents of Africa, Asia and Europe.


Peritoneal Dialysisi (PD) seems a right lot of faffing about. I chose the Hemodialysis in hospital. 3 days a week 4 hours a time. Some people do hemodialysis at home - there is someone on the island who does that.


I will get it done under hospital supervision
NHS/Scottish Ambulance Service provide transport from my front door to the hospital in Greenock.


Interesting that Kidney Dialysis was pioneered in wartime Netherlands.

Global Dialysis - Costs of dialysis in the UK

is a breakdown of costs to the NHS. Cost to me at point of delivery is nil. God bless Nye Bevan.

Yes. He did a great and good thing there.

Hope all is as well as can be expected for you up there Scot47.

Hoping the treatment is working well for you. Nye Bevan is God.