⌛ Forget kidney dialysis in Dumaguete...

I started dialysis at Holy Child hospital on Monday, April 4th and my blood pressure went from 130 to 150! Wednesday it went to 160 and Friday it went to 170

Just what I need-hospital induced hypertension... Plus I'm wobbly after treatment and tasting salt in my mouth! For ten months in the US I had no similar problems btw.

The doctor at Holy Child is half concerned and often says I can just go back to the US if I'm not happy. Ya fine, what about the Filipinos you're treating? He's one of two nephrologists at Holy Child and Silliman Hospital.

Dialysis essentially isn't that complicated. Blood is pumped thru a filter, and the machine adds a sodium solution into the filter to attract unwanted bad stuff and flush it away. But, if the sodium level from the containers is higher than your blood's sodium content, some sodium will flow from the mix into your blood and back to the body...

So I had enough of that and went to Bacolod. A much more professional set up here and no problems with blood pressure during my first treatment. They actually wear gloves and masks in the clinic here!



Today a friend said he talked to a guy in the Dumaguete Rotary which had donated the dialysis machines in Dumaguete and the guy said he wouldn't recommend getting dialysis in town.

So, I'll be moving to Bacolod, which is sad because there are very few resorts nearby...

 

Sad to hear that about that Nephrologist. I always heard bad comments for local hospitals here. I also had a story, two of my Dad's friends happened to be both foreigners too and took that local hospital in this city. Well, they're both dead now and according back to their country where it was being check again by their Doctors, both of them got wrong diagnose from their sickness. Anyway, there are Dialysis center in Cebu which is nearer, but if you prefer Bacolod, it's up to you. It's cool city too, known as " the city of smiles" Enjoy !!!

 

SurfinUSA, hope you can get the necessary treatment you need there, too bad about the scary situation here in Dgte.

 

Thanks for the responses. I've talked my Dr in Bacolod into reducing my treatments to 2x a week. That's a huge relief from the 3x a week I've been doing since May 2010!

So, that being the case, I'll just commute to Bacolod instead of moving up here. That way we can stay in Dgte where I know people and there are resorts nearby. Not the case in Bacolod, the ocean outside the city is polluted and isn't safe for swimming.

I might keep Chong Hua in Cebu as a back up - last week on our way up, our aircon bus ran into the front of another bus head on at the Ceres terminal before boarding, delaying our trip on it by 1.5 hours

 

I've heard that the diving and snorkeling around Sagay is good. Big marine reserve up there. I keep intending to go check it out and alway get diverted to other things. You'd find that a great many foreigners in the Bacolod area actually live north of the city. out towards Talisay or further. From Talisay to Sagay it's about an hour an half drive. Still a hike - but I did that or more to get decent snorkeling in Saudi and never grumbled. We're up in Bacolod next month and I'm hoping we can get the time and a relative's vehicle and driver and check out Sagay ourselves. There is a Yahoo group 'Living in Bacolod' where you can ask around for current information. Most of the people on there are Talisay residents.

 

Which terminal, Dumaguete or Kabankalan?

 

I prefer the bus up the coast to Cebu but if I had to commute on a regular basis I think I would consider using the fast ferry. Might do that over busing back and forth to Bacolod as well. You could sit and read a book

 

If there's a signal 1 the ferries might not be running for the Cebu trip.

The trip to Bacolod requires coming back on a non aircon bus; which must be a miserable experience. Unless I spend the night somewhere and come back on the morning aircon.

Either route is a lengthy bus ride.

Meanwhile I'm looking for a truck.

 

Dumaguete terminal

 

I assume you can schedule your treatment ahead of time, so you can fly to Cebu, if booked ahead they are pretty cheap. Than back in the afternoon with bus or Ferry.

Makes at lest one way convenient and fast.

cheers

Rhoody