Dialysis Patients Do Not Have To Be Afraid To Shower With Chest Catheters Anymore
The new dialysis shower shirt. now you can shower with a chest catheter! Click here.
Catheter-related bloodstream infections are a major cause of dialysis patient mortality, and more than 80% of Dialysis patients in the United States start Dialysis with a Chest Catheter - you may have one now. To avoid the risk of infections, patients are often told that they cannot shower at all with a Chest Catheter. This leads to depression, demoralization, 'not feeling like yourself', thoughts of giving up, and overall lower quality of life. While some patients may try make-shift ways to shower with plastic ponchos, plastic bags, tape, saran wrap or other contraptions, they often work for a given period of time and then BOOM an infection can take hold. However, a new invention is catching on like wildfire in the Chronic Kidney Disease Community which has proven to safely allow patients with Chest Catheters to shower simply and easily with limited or no concern of infection.
Recommended Reading: Protection Against Itching, Infection, And Death After Catheter Placement In CKD And Diabetics
The Dialysis Shower Shirt (video below) is the only proven device for Dialysis patients to shower without infection complications. It is Medicare Reimbursed for patients on or nearing Dialysis which highlights that (1) the device is safe according to Medicare, and (2) it is affordable for every patient (order here).
The Dialysis Shower Shirt has been designed for Dialysis patients with Chest Catheters, but every Dialysis patient should have one of these neat devices handy in case they ever need to use a Chest Catheter temporarily, they will be immediately protected. The Reimbursement Process is quite simple - typically completed by the Dialysis Center Social Worker or Nurse - and you can contact KidneyBuzz.com (click here) for more detail on steps.
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Patients who have used the Shower Shirt have said that it is "Life Changing! It gives me a chance to have the freedom to take a shower again! My entire outlook has changed." Others said, "Taylor loves the Shower Shirt. It has made a huge difference. Being on hemodialysis is hard already and not being able to take a shower was really unbearable for him. I can tell that just being able to safely wash his hair again and feel clean means a lot to him." Click here to order your Shower Shirt and let us know how you like it.
Recommended Reading: Most CKD Patients On Dialysis Are Receiving Substandard Treatments Suggest Johns Hopkins University
Other tips to consider to remain healthy with a Chest Catheter are:
Put a piece of gauze around the catheter site in case of leaks. Replace each time the catheter is replaced.
Do not pull or tug on the catheter.
Bring to the attention of your nurse and/or physician any excessive swelling, redness, and drainage.
KidneyBuzz.com recommends that you talk to your Healthcare Team about any concerns you may have. Your health is too important to ignore symptoms of infection.
Recommended Reading: Dialysis Patient Mortality Rates Over 20% Lower Than They Have Ever Been. Why The Decline?
How do you avoid infection with a Chest Catheter? Have you ever had a very serious infection? What did you do? Your insights could be very helpful to other patients so share your responses with the nearly 86,000 friends who have liked the KidneyBuzz.com Facebook Page (click here). Also, consider following the nearly 250,000 monthly visitors on KidneyBuzz.com for your Number One (1) source of Daily News, Information, Impact Meals, Inspirational Quotes, and tailored Products and Services which teach Chronic Kidney Disease, Dialysis, Kidney Transplant, Diabetes and High Blood Pressure patients how to better manage and improve their lives.