What happens during dialysis

The membranes filter waste products from your blood, which are passed into the dialysate fluid. The used dialysate fluid is pumped out of the dialyser, and the filtered blood is passed back into your body through the second needle. During your dialysis sessions, you’ll sit or lie on a couch, recliner or bed.

Myth: Dialysis is painful. Fact: If you are on hemodialysis you may have some discomfort when the needles are put into your fistula or graft, but most patients usually have no other problems. The dialysis treatment itself is painless.

Today, someone can be on dialysis for many years. Many patients lead long, active, and fulfilling lives for 5, 10, 20 or more years. The length of time depends on many things such as age, gender, other health problems, and how well you follow your treatment plan.

Dialysis treatment begins

Your nurse will wipe your vascular access with a solution to eliminate any bacteria. Then, two needles will be used to connect you to the machine. An arterial needle will take your blood through the dialyzer or artificial kidney, while a venous needle will return your blood to your body.

TREATMENT COST

The average national cost of dialysis is around Rs.3000.

Sleep-associated symptoms and excessive daytime sleepiness are felt to be more common in dialysis patients. Several surveys conducted in this patient population have identified a prevalence of sleep disturbances in up to 80% of patients.

The most common side effects of hemodialysis include low blood pressure, access site infection, muscle cramps, itchy skin, and blood clots. The most common side effects of peritoneal dialysis include peritonitis, hernia, blood sugar changes, potassium imbalances, and weight gain.

Nocturnal dialysis is a slower, longer hemodialysis treatment that takes place at night while you sleep. This longer treatment is for six to eight hours, three times or more a week. You can do nocturnal dialysis at home or at a dialysis center that has a nocturnal dialysis program.

Yes, dialysis patients are allowed to make decisions about stopping dialysis treatment. You are encouraged to discuss your reasons for wanting to stop treatment with your doctor, other members of your health care team and your loved ones before making a final decision.

Low blood pressure

It can be caused by the drop in fluid levels during dialysis. Low blood pressure can cause nausea and dizziness. The best way to minimise these symptoms of low blood pressure is to keep to your daily fluid intake recommendations.

Under normal circumstances, the brain produces a hormone at night called anti-diuretic hormone (ADH). This hormone sends a message to the kidneys to ‘quiet-down’ and not make as much urine at night.

Is death from kidney failure painful? Not usually. If you do feel any discomfort, pain medication may be prescribed for you. Without treatment for kidney failure, toxins, and fluid will build up in your body, making you feel increasingly tired, nauseous and itchy.

Life expectancy on dialysis can vary depending on your other medical conditions and how well you follow your treatment plan. Average life expectancy on dialysis is 5-10 years, however, many patients have lived well on dialysis for 20 or even 30 years.

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in dialysis patients and sudden death (SD) represents a significant proportion of overall mortality in both hemodialysis (HD) and peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients.

Without life-sustaining dialysis or a kidney transplant, once a person with kidney disease reaches stage 5 (end stage renal disease or ESRD), toxins build up in the body and death usually comes within a few weeks. The decision to stop treatment should be an informed and voluntary choice.

Brown, red, or purple urine

Kidneys make urine, so when the kidneys are failing, the urine may change. How? You may urinate less often, or in smaller amounts than usual, with dark-colored urine. Your urine may contain blood.