using catheter in home hemo dialysis

[joyce4len]

My husband has had a catheter in place since Last April. We have been doing homehemo since last August. When the catheter was put in 4 of his docs told us he would not last through the Summer. Now he is doing really well and the Nephrologist wants him to have a fistula put in. I'm wondering how long catheters can last. Do any of you have experience with this. Everything is going so well that I hate to jinx it.

[M3Riddler]

My husband has had a catheter in place since Last April. We have been doing homehemo since last August. When the catheter was put in 4 of his docs told us he would not last through the Summer. Now he is doing really well and the Nephrologist wants him to have a fistula put in. I'm wondering how long catheters can last. Do any of you have experience with this. Everything is going so well that I hate to jinx it.

Catheters can be tricky.. some nephrologists like them and some do not. There is a patient at the center where I do home hemo that has had the same catheter for 10 years..... yes that is 10 years.... totally amazing....

[joyce4len]

Thanks for that information. I had noidea that the tubing could last that long. Thanks, thanks, thanks.

[RobertCairns]

From everything I've heard that length of time for a cath would be really rare.Good luck!

[efp76]

Hello. I've been doing home hemo for just over two years and all this time on the original catheter they installed into me back in May 2011. I'm currently trying to mature my third fistula attempt. The previous two failed because I'm so small my veins wouldn't grow big enough until now. If you're meticulous about keeping it clean - no one touches my catheter except myself or two home hemo nurses I totally trust (seriously) - then it will last as long as you'd like it to.

Personally, I can't wait to remove th catheter. I really want to go swimming.

[krunde4]

My husband was on PD for a year, then he had some health complications and had his first hemo catheter put in June 14th of this year, it went "bad" and had to be replaced 2 weeks later, then that one had problems and was replaced 2 weeks after that. We continue to have issues with his third one. He is currently working on maturing his fistula. They only recommend a catheter as a temporary option since the risk of infection and complications is huge. Also not being able to take a normal shower would bother most people after a while. I know my husband can't wait to have a normal shower again. Neither of us was thrilled about the fistula, but considering the risks and the issues we have had with the catheter, we both are ready for it to be gone.