What You Actually Need for Home PD
If you are just starting home peritoneal dialysis, the supply list can feel like a second diagnosis. There are boxes, bags, tubing, clips, and a stack of paper you did not ask for. It is a lot to take in at once, and nobody hands you a plain-English list of what matters most.
I have been on PD myself, and I have spent years building products for people on it. So here is the honest version: what supplies for peritoneal dialysis you truly need, what can wait, and which everyday accessories quietly do the most to make home therapy livable.
Prescribed supplies vs. everyday accessories
It helps to split your setup into two piles, because they come from different places and do different jobs.
The prescribed list
Your clinic arranges your clinical supplies - dialysate solution bags, transfer sets, caps, gauze, and the cycler if you are on APD. This is the medical side of PD, and it is managed for you. You generally do not shop for these, and you should not try to.
The everyday accessories
Then there is the second pile: the small, personal items that turn a treatment into a daily routine you can actually live with. These are rarely prescribed, often not mentioned at discharge, and they are exactly where new patients get stuck. This is also the pile that makes the difference between managing PD and dreading it.
The accessories worth having from day one
You will not need everything at once. But these are the ones I would hand a brand-new patient before anything else.
A PD belt
A belt for dialysis is the single most useful first purchase. The Tuck-Away PD Belt holds your transfer set and tubing close to your body, so nothing tugs at your exit site as you move, bend, or sleep. The difference is simple and physical: you stop protecting your catheter all day long and just get on with things. Look for a soft, machine-washable fabric, a latex-free covered elastic band, and an adjustable D-ring so it fits both CAPD and APD patients comfortably.
Line clamps
A set of dialysis tubing clamps lets you secure lines exactly where you want them, and they are cheap insurance for a smooth exchange. Keep a small handful in your setup bag so you are never hunting for one mid-exchange.
A PD lanyard for showering
Showering should not be a negotiation with your catheter. A PD lanyard like the PD-Showermate keeps your transfer set supported and hands-free while you wash, so there is no accidental tugging on the exit site. The one feature I insist on is a breakaway safety release: if the lanyard catches on something, it gives way before your catheter does.
A quieter night
If you are on a cycler, you already know the sound of an unnecessary alarm at 2 a.m. Most of those interruptions trace back to a kink in the line. The PD Beep-Away Spring is a small, simple accessory that holds the tubing open and cuts down on those wake-ups - for you and for whoever is trying to sleep in the next room.
A drain clip for effluent
Draining at the end of an exchange is the least glamorous part of PD and the easiest to improve. A Drain-Away Toilet Clip fastens your drainage tubing to the toilet rim so you can drain hands-free, with fewer spills and less cleanup. Measure your toilet rim before you order: the original clip fits rims about 1.25 to 1.75 inches, and the larger clip fits 2 to 2.5 inches.
Nice-to-haves that earn their place
A few more items are worth knowing about, even if you do not buy them in week one.
A PD fluid warmer is the upgrade that most new patients underestimate. The Daytripper CAPD Solution Warmer keeps one solution bag warm around the clock using less power than a 20-watt light bulb, with a preset thermostat so the temperature stays consistent and safe. It replaces the heating pad routine and the guesswork. It also comes with a car charger, so warm solutions travel with you.
A portable solution tripod matters the moment you want to do an exchange somewhere other than your usual chair. It sets up in seconds, holds bags from 1000 to 3500 ml, folds down to 28 inches, and comes with a carrying case. If travel or a second location is on your horizon, this one pays for itself quickly.
What you can safely put off
You do not need to build a perfect setup before your first exchange. A backup set of clamps, a spare belt, and a second drain clip can wait until you know your own routine. Start with the items that solve a problem you actually feel this week, then add as you go.
One practical note: buy your everyday accessories in the quantities you really use rather than one at a time. Bulk order discounts and free US shipping help keep the cost of PD where it should be - an afterthought, not a stressor.
A word for caregivers
If you are the spouse, parent, or adult child doing the reading for someone else, this list is for you too. The accessories above are mostly about dignity: showering without fear, sleeping through the night, moving through the house without guarding a catheter. Setting those up early does more for a patient's mood than almost anything else you can buy.
Where to start
If you remember nothing else, remember this: your prescribed supplies come from your clinic, and your everyday comfort comes from the small stuff - a belt, a few clamps, a lanyard, a drain clip, and a quieter night. Get those right, and home PD starts to feel less like treatment and more like your normal day.
We have been on this road ourselves, and we build every product to make it a little easier. When you are ready, browse our full line of PD supplies and accessories - and if you are not sure what fits your setup, we are always glad to help you figure it out.