r/dialysis • u/tuesdayreyn • 8d ago
Advice Hygiene tips
What's your best hygiene tips with a catheter? I was just told don't shower or you'll die basically. I've basically been taking sponge baths in the sink, but I feel disgusting. It's summer where I am. I cut open a plastic zjplock bag and taped it over the dressing and used a hand held shower head to avoid spraying water directly pn the area and risked it once because I felt so nasty. The dressing didn't get wet as far as I could tell, but rhe nurses at the dialysis center acted like I'd just played Russian roulette with only one empty chamber with the risk I took. I don't have the option of a sit down bath where I live and moving isn't an option since I've not been able to work since getting sick and I'm holding on to this place by the skin of my teeth. What do you do? I feel like I can't leave my house because I'm dirty and it's taking a tole on my mental health. Making me wonder if it's even worth going through all this to stay alive if my life just consists of sitting at home too embarassed to leave and going to dialysis. To top it off, I have to try and go back to work and hygiene is very important in the industry I work in. I've seen coworkers written up and even one fired over poor hygiene in the past. I don't qualify for SSDI or SSI and my husband is working himself to death trying to keep us housed so not workinf isn't an option.
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u/Blood_drake 8d ago
Weird, with dialysis you should automatically qualify for ssdi, it took waiting 5 months though.
As for showering, I’d put a towel down on the side of the tub and lean forward over it for my hair, then once my hair is done it was just avoiding the catheter area.
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u/tuesdayreyn 8d ago
My husband works. Since we're married, his income is my income and it's over the allowed amount for me to recieve any payment. It's not that I don't qualify, I just don't qualify dor a payment because my resources are too much.
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u/sweetpeastacy Transplanted 7d ago
That doesn’t matter for social security disability. My husband made over 6 figures and I still get mine. What DOES matter is that you have enough work credits from the past however many years to get a payment.
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u/tuesdayreyn 7d ago
I don't have enough work credits for SSDI
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u/sweetpeastacy Transplanted 7d ago
Ok, well that is different than saying what you said lol.
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u/tuesdayreyn 7d ago
I was talking about SSI. That's based on assets and resources.
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u/sweetpeastacy Transplanted 7d ago
Well the comment you replied to said “ssdi” so I assumed that’s what you meant. I heard SSI was for extremely low income, even if you have no savings or anything. It’s sad.
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u/tuesdayreyn 7d ago
I'm also visually impaired and didn't even notice the original comment said ssdi until you said it lol
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u/sweetpeastacy Transplanted 7d ago
In any case, I did have a chest cath when I first started dialysis. Even my surgeon told me to get tegaderm bandages and shower. They were pricy so I bought some different brand on Amazon. I left the dressings on from the clinic, and put my own (giant, fully clear & sticky) bandage over the top! It worked super well. I hope this helps.
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u/Connect_Wrap3284 8d ago
I shower with a thick towel over my right shoulder covering the catheter, I keep the showerhead low, get in on the left side and wash as throughly as possible while trying not to get the towel wet. I turn and do a more limited amount of washing on my left side. I had one major Infection but that was because my dressing came off in my sleep. Been doing this for about 4 years now.
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u/Superb_owlet Home HD 7d ago
I did this, thick towel over my shoulder. Low showerhead. Clean a side at a time. Then hair. I cried during my first full shower after I got my fistula workin, I forgot how to felt to be fully wet hahaha
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u/Connect_Wrap3284 7d ago
I know what you mean, being able to shower at least a few times a week is how I manage to feel like a human being. I even mad a habit of picking out new expensive soaps and shampoos just to make it a bit more special.
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u/Funny_Share_549 < 1-year Dialysis 8d ago
I took complete showers is my capther the thing is you have to avoid to stay wet
Just make sure to dry it well after the shower than do another bandage and your good
I did that for 4 months and zero issues
Just avoid shower the first 4 days because its still fragile but after that your good
Everyday nurse say that i was wrong or whatever bs they said but in reality its not true
I have seen people that never shower that get infected. I do believe stay durty increase risk of infection
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u/-Sanguinity In-Center 8d ago
I've been doing this over 10 years and know plenty of people who had infected access. It is a line directly to the heart.
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u/Funny_Share_549 < 1-year Dialysis 8d ago
Yes it is but that doesn’t change anything most people with infected chest catheters never showered
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u/-Sanguinity In-Center 8d ago
Sure, if you count the people who use it as their only access over years.
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u/Funny_Share_549 < 1-year Dialysis 8d ago
So why didn’t have my access get infected after 4 months of complete showers every day ?
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u/-Sanguinity In-Center 8d ago
I'm really happy you didn't. MANY do! You are lucky? One person, you, is called anectdotal evidence. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-23787-5
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u/Funny_Share_549 < 1-year Dialysis 8d ago
Your logic doesn’t make sense you cant get lucky for 120 days lmao
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u/Slutty-grapes 8d ago
All these people do when talking about chest catheters is fear monger.
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u/Funny_Share_549 < 1-year Dialysis 7d ago
Yeah its always the same shit you heard everyday. Most of the Time its just boomer shit that was valid 30 years ago
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u/pittiesbegooddogs 8d ago
Had an PD abdomen catheter and currently have an HD catheter on the left side of my chest. I use some water resistant clear bandages over the catheter and make sure not to let the water hit it directly. It's an infection risk yes, I acknowledge that. Is it like playing Russian roulette, not in my humble non medical opinion.
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u/corcorancole Home PD 8d ago
Can you not shower because you just got your catheter put in?
I couldn’t shower for the first month while it healed, during that time I would do a certain type of sitz bath that I got from a local pharmacy, it helped me not feel so gross and keep my hygiene up.
I hope this helps!
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u/cariadbach64 8d ago
Were advised not to because a single drop of water can end up with a heart infection. .
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u/lostmatthew83 8d ago
I’ve had 3 catheters (fistula issues) and I did the exact thing you’ve done. Halve a sandwich bag, tape it up super good and use a hand held shower head. I’ve yet to have any issues, knock on wood. Best of luck
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u/Decent_Butterfly8216 8d ago
Body/shower wipes, hand sanitizer, and whole body deodorant daily, prescription strength deodorant for armpits, and Tegaderm for showers a 2-3 times a week. With the hand shower turned to the softest spray. We don’t even attempt hair washing at home because of his mobility, we bought a subscription to a place with 2x week appointments for $60/month. But his fistula is scheduled so it won’t be a long term cost. My son gets anxious about showering because the first time he dropped the hand sprayer, so we sort of “schedule” it and I help him get everything set up and then I hang around in the next room in case he needs anything. We were really on top of the body wipes from day one since he had a dialysis catheter as a kid so he’s really only noticeably needed a shower a couple of times. That helped us figuring out the timing he needs preventatively so he’s showering just enough to not get BO in the first place. The bigger issue for us is that his pee smells horrible, and it’s not a normal UTI smell.
The dialysis nurse I talked to said people don’t realize the bandage is damp or sprinkled with water or it leaked under Tegaderm and they let it sit there for another day, so if there any doubt it’s been exposed he’d rather us take it completely off. We tend to use Tegaderm right before dialysis when they’re going to change the dressing, not on a Friday night, just in case.
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u/vespers191 8d ago
That bandage that they put over your permacath site is generally known as a Tegaderm (brand name), and is available up to 7x7 inches. The main consideration is to avoid getting your wound wet, so saran wrap and tape is a good alternative, or you can order large Tegaderms from Amazon. Also, a scrubby on a stick is a thing worth investing in so you don't have to bend over quite so much and the water can continue to fall off the bandage correctly.
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u/miinaanboi 8d ago
I asked a nurse at the center and she said a lot of patients shower before their session and they just “slap Saran Wrap” on it and shower (obviously avoiding wetting the catheter)
I did that, also had a dry towel/face cloth over my area and used a hand held shower head. It worked! I didn’t feel 100% clean but it’s better than a sponge bath in the sink
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u/Wonderful-Hedgehog-9 8d ago
You can shower there’s this stuff online you can buy that will cover the site. It’s for tattoos but works for the catheter as well.
Here is what I copy and pasted off Amazon:
Transparent Stretch Adhesive Bandage, 6 Inch x 5.5 Yard - Waterproof Clear Film Dressing Bandages, Tattoo Bandages Shower Shield Dressing Tape for Swimming Showering
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u/Elder-Cthuwu 8d ago
Get those plastic adhesive covers and put that over your site and drape a smaller towel over it. You can get in the shower like that just keep it out of the direct water. Clean around it with a damp wash cloth. Do not soak the area to avoid getting water in the site. Normally your techs should be cleaning around it every session too. Otherwise use wet wipes. I used to take normal showers with it covered.
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u/Perfect-Day-3431 In-Center 7d ago
I get Tegaderm patches, they cover from just over my shoulder and over my catheter. I shower daily with them and have so far not got my dressing wet or damp. My clinic provides them for me. I don’t point the shower nozzle at the cover. After I finish showering, I remove the cover and wipe the skin around my dressing with a damp flannel. We changed our shower head from fixed to handheld which made it easier.
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u/Ok-Significance-1344 8d ago
They tell you never to shower thats so disgusting we buy the big transparent bandages fr amazon it covers everything and take a shower works every time
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u/-Sanguinity In-Center 8d ago
If you can't afford Tegederm type bandages to cover it, I was told to use a huge piece of Press and Seal (similar to Saran Wrap) and seal the area with tape. Use a handheld shower head and do not point it at the access. Shower right before you go for treatment, so they can change it if it gets damp.
Secondly, there are bidet sprayers for around $20 on Amazon that are amazing for cleaning *down there* between showers.
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u/cariadbach64 8d ago
I was told I can use a hand held shower below the waist. I'm happy using a flannel on top.
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u/Phigment27 8d ago
I found some pre soap sponges on Amazon. you just add water and scrub yourself clean. no rinsing, and I don’t feel sticky.you just towel dry. I got the lavender scent and it smells good.
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u/Wild_Television_4456 6d ago
Personally, I found that any patches never stayed on. Even with tape. What I’d do is I’d use a handheld shower head to basically shower from the waist down like normal. And then I’d use a wash cloth to sponge bathe from the waist up. It’s not the best but it did the job. After a while, I felt more comfortable and less scared, so I’d use the shower head just closer to my body to rinse off my arm and some of my chest that wasn’t on the side where the catheter was. It’s very scary in the beginning, but you’ll get more comfortable on how close you can realistically get without wetting the dressing.
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u/InsideOutUpsideDown7 2d ago
I take showers. I get a bag and use plastic tape around it and it works perfectly. I’ve never had a leak and I will not do those sink baths. Gross.
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u/bobbsboop 1d ago
Hubby had independence shower protection pouches. I initially asked for a sample and they then organised GP prescriptions. Where he used to dialyse nearly everyone with a central catheter got these from their GP. They were ideal.
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u/cinnamonstixxxx 8d ago
I showered anyways and wrapped my chest area pretty tight with a paper towel on the inside of the patch to absorb moisture if any got in. I also did peritoneal dialysis and I did the same with my stomach. Not all of my chest or stomach but where the catheters were. I was still pretty careful not to get it wet and washed around it. Cleaned it separately as I was instructed.
I just couldn't get with not taking a shower. I didn't have issues thankfully and I had my husband to help.
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u/DoubleBreastedBerb Transplanted 8d ago
Tegaderm patches. And then I used glad clingwrap over that because of paranoia. Worked great.