My mom has kidney failure and is on peritoneal dialysis, and recently she has been vomiting a lot. She had the flu and we though that was the cause of the vomiting. She usually only vomits when there's an infection near where the tube is. But the doctor tested for infection and she doesn't have an infection, and the flu has been gone for several days. Can anyone tell me any possible problems that might be causing her to vomit?

Could you please tell me as to how long has your mother been on dialysis? Also what was the cause of her kidney failure (?diabetes). Why is she on peritoneal and not on haemodyalisis? In the mean time - of the top of my head, I am thinking whether you are monitoring her Sodium, Urea & Creatinine levels. If the current regimen of peritoneal dialysis is proving inadequate there might be an increase in the urea & creatinine causing vomitting.

She has been on dialysis for about 7 months, give or take a couple weeks. The cause of her kidney failure was diabetes. She told me that she started peritoneal dialysis because when she was on haemodyalisis it didn't make her body feel well.

And the blood reports? Also who administers the dialysis?

My guess is that the peritoneal dialysis is not proving to adequate. Heamodialysis is the preferred option short of a transplant for long term management of kidney failure. Also hope her diabetes is under check.

She's getting the blood reports soon, In 2 or 3 days I can tell you the blood reports. Delflex supplies her with the solution and equipment. Her diabetes is in check.

......... Delflex supplies her with the solution and equipment. Her diabetes is in check.
What I wanted to ask was who actually does the dialysis. Does she do it herself?

Yes she does it herself, and she has a mostly sterile environment do do it in.

I still feel that the dialysis is not proving adequate. The reason for asking whether she does it herself could also indicate whether proper technique was employed as there could be some element of error or inadequacy. The frequency, holding time etc were strictly being adhered to.

I've seen the way it works, seems to simple to make mistake. She rights down in a log book which solution and how long it was in her. She brings the book o the doctor every appointment, the doctor takes a look at the book and to him everything's OK with the treatment times.

Then lets just wait for the blood results.

Peritonitis / infection is a big concern
- fever?
- belly pain ?


Diabetics sometimes get gastroparesis that causes nausea




Renal failure patients often have calcium [ typically low ] and phosphate [ typically high ]
Disturbances that can cause nausea; although,though, an elevated calcium would be more likely to cause nausea. Sometimes different calcium supplements / phophate binding medicines are tolerated differently.



Of course, Peritoneal dialysis or not : pancreatitis, gallbladder/ gallstone disease, peptic ulcer, should also be considered.


There is a measure of the adequacy of dialysis called Kt/V - if this is not to goal than the dialysis is not adequate and the urea in the blood [ bun ] is too high. This can cause nausea.

Medline ® Abstract for Reference 24 of 'Adequacy of continuous peritoneal dialysis' (http://www.uptodate.com/patients/content/abstract.do;jsessionid=BAF6CC6EC457EE50E30AADD46E2 A0156.1102?topicKey=~SMtrBwVwiH0VDS&refNum=24)

#1 I would want to know where her supplies are produced . If the answer is china I would be worried. A company called Baxter had a recall earlier this year for a blood thinner that kidney patients use called heparin. I do not know if Baxter supplies delflex but is is worth a call to find out.

#1 I would want to know where her supplies are produced . If the answer is china I would be worried. A company called Baxter had a recall earlier this year for a blood thinner that kidney patients use called heparin. I do not know if Baxter supplies delflex their supplies but is is worth a call to find out.

The supplies are manafactured in Europe and North America(one of those 2, not sure which one).

Nausea and/or vomiting may occur during routine dialysis treatments. Most cases are probably due to hypotension (low blood pressure). Prevention and treatment of hypotension is important. If nausea and/or vomiting persist, treatment may include giving medication for nausea and vomiting.

My mom got the results back, it turned out she had the flu virus. Te doctor said it was a different strand of flu virus. Some measures were taken (don't ask me what, I can't remember the name) and she's fealing better. She stopped vomiting and everything's back to normal. She also switched to baxter for some reason, I don't know why I just saw the delivery guy drop them off.

I am glad that got settled and thanks for the up date. Glad also it wasn't anything serious.

Seniors I care for are encouraged to have flu shots every year but some have reported having flu anyway, so yes, there are different strains popping up.

Yea I'm happy too, thanks for your help.