Table 3: Patient responses to interview questions about successful treatment.

 

Emergent themes for patient responses

Example of patient quotes

Interviewer question: what makes treatment successful?

Amount of fluid removed during hemodialysis

·                     Can feel the difference when the fluid is coming off of me

·                     Could tell the difference when the fluids come off

·                     I'm not having to have so much fluid drawn out

Fewer side effects following hemodialysis

·                     Feeling good after the treatment, not having any light-headedness or cramping

·                     It’s not taking so much fluid that I'm pretty much incapacitated for that day

·                     Treatment allows doing normal activities without having to crash in bed for hours to recuperate

Reduced fluid retention

·                     Get under my weight and my water down

·                     I don't put on a lot of water weight in-between treatments

·                     If I can take off 5 kilos, that's a good treatment

Interviewer question: how would your symptoms have to change for treatment to be considered successful?

Lessening of fluid retention

·                     It probably would make me more active to not have as much fluid on me, it's about a good 5 pounds of water

·                     A short treatment, just to take fluid off

·                     It’s kind of visual, you'll see like less fluid, less puffiness

Relief from constipation

·                     Getting the treatment, I go a little better [constipation]

·                     The treatment loosens me up, it makes more liquid after I have my treatment [constipation]

Increased energy

·                     More energy, help me to better measure my lifestyle, give me more control of my lifestyle, I think the treatment is worth it

·                     My energy level

Relief from thirst

·                     I wouldn't be as thirsty, it would be draining the sodium out of my body to stop me from being thirsty

·                     If my thirst would be relieved, that would be great

Interviewer question: how would the impact of your condition have to change for treatment to be considered successful?

Improved activity level

·                     I'd be able to go home and do some activities instead of lying down

·                     It would be a great thing if I could do more

·                     About 50% [improvement in activity level]

 

Twenty-one patients included in study.