Certain risks associated with hemodialysis treatment are increased when performing solo home hemodialysis because no one is present to help the patient respond to health emergencies.
If patients experience needles coming out, blood loss, or very low blood pressure during solo home hemodialysis, they may lose consciousness or become physically unable to correct the health emergency. Losing consciousness or otherwise becoming impaired during any health emergency while alone could result in significant injury or death. Additional ancillary devices and training are required when performing solo home hemodialysis.
Certain risks associated with hemodialysis treatment are increased when performing nocturnal therapy due to the length of treatment time and because therapy is performed while the patient and care partner are sleeping. These risks include, but are not limited to, blood access disconnects and blood loss during sleep, blood clotting due to slower blood flow or increased treatment time or both, and delayed response to alarms when waking from sleep. By strengthening our vertically integrated dialysis business, the merger supports our initiative of driving growth in the core business with innovation, better clinical outcomes through Care Coordination and improving the patient experience.
For information about NxStage products and services please continue to use this website. To learn more about Fresenius Medical Care and the merger, visit the links provided. The reported benefits of home hemodialysis may not be experienced by all patients. Healthy Kidneys Help Maintain Balance Healthy kidneys are constantly working to remove excess fluids and toxins, maintaining balance in your body. If you experience these symptoms, it may be a sign that you are not getting enough dialysis and your heart health is at risk.
Talk to your doctor or reach out to a NxStage Patient Consultant to talk about the benefits of more frequent treatments. Hear From a Kidney Patient. Talk to a Patient Consultant. Dialysis usually makes you feel better because it helps many of the problems caused by kidney failure. You and your family will need time to get used to dialysis. You may be on a special diet. You may not be able to eat everything you like, and you may need to limit how much you drink.
Your diet may vary according to the type of dialysis. Dialysis centers are located in every part of the United States and in many foreign countries. The treatment is standardized. You must make an appointment for dialysis treatments at another center before you go.
The staff at your center may help you make the appointment. Many dialysis patients can go back to work after they have gotten used to dialysis. If your job has a lot of physical labor heavy lifting, digging, etc.
If you would like more information, please contact us. All rights reserved. This material does not constitute medical advice. It is intended for informational purposes only. Please consult a physician for specific treatment recommendations. Skip to main content. You are here Home » A to Z » Dialysis. When is dialysis needed? To get the blood to flow to the artificial kidney, your doctor will perform surgery to create an entrance point vascular access into your blood vessels.
The three types of entrance points are:. Both the AV fistula and AV graft are designed for long-term dialysis treatments. People who receive AV fistulas are healed and ready to begin hemodialysis two to three months after their surgery. People who receive AV grafts are ready in two to three weeks. Catheters are designed for short-term or temporary use. Hemodialysis treatments usually last three to five hours and are performed three times per week.
However, hemodialysis treatment can also be completed in shorter, more frequent sessions. The length of treatment depends on your body size, the amount of waste in your body, and the current state of your health. This option is more common for people who need long-term treatment.
Peritoneal dialysis involves surgery to implant a peritoneal dialysis PD catheter into your abdomen. The catheter helps filter your blood through the peritoneum, a membrane in your abdomen. During treatment, a special fluid called dialysate flows into the peritoneum. The dialysate absorbs waste. This process takes a few hours and needs to be repeated four to six times per day. This therapy is used primarily in the intensive care unit for people with acute kidney failure. A machine passes the blood through tubing.
A filter then removes waste products and water. The blood is returned to the body, along with replacement fluid. This procedure is performed 12 to 24 hours a day, generally every day. Peritoneal dialysis is associated with an increased risk for infections in or around the catheter site in the abdominal cavity. For example, after catheter implantation, a person can experience peritonitis. Peritonitis is an infection of the membrane lining the abdominal wall.
If you continue to have these symptoms while on dialysis, tell the healthcare provider performing the treatment. Those who undergo long-term dialysis treatments are also at risk of developing other medical conditions, including amyloidosis. This disease can occur when amyloid proteins produced in bone marrow build up in organs such as the kidneys, liver , and heart.
Many experts recommend starting dialysis before you have any complications of kidney failure. That's because many of the complications can be deadly, such as not getting good nutrition, having too much fluid, or having too many wastes building up in your body.
Even if you don't start dialysis, you may want to plan for dialysis if your kidney function is getting worse. You could have surgery months ahead of time to create a place, called an access, to take the blood from your body to the dialysis machine. Dialysis—whenever it's started—can cause side effects. The longer you have dialysis, the longer you expose yourself to the chance of side effects.
Hemodialysis can cause low blood pressure and heart problems, such as sudden cardiac arrest. Peritoneal dialysis increases the risk of infection in the lining of your belly peritonitis. If you wait, you won't have as many limits on your time and lifestyle. Hemodialysis takes about 12 or more hours a week, usually in a dialysis center. Peritoneal dialysis needs to be done about 4 times a day, although it often can be done while you sleep.
If you decide to start dialysis, it may help to know that it's common to feel a little overwhelmed and even scared at first. It's a big change in your life. But if you choose to start dialysis, you can make good choices in your lifestyle to help you get the most from it.
These stories are based on information gathered from health professionals and consumers. They may be helpful as you make important health decisions.
For years now, I've been worrying about when I might need dialysis. Even though my labs results are still okay, and my doctor says I could wait a little longer, I don't feel that great.
I'm tired all the time. My doctor agreed it would be okay for me to start dialysis now and see if I start to feel better. I'm just not ready to have dialysis. My test results are right on the edge, and I know I'd probably feel better if I did it. But I feel like having dialysis is giving up, like my life as I know it is over.
It would depress me. I know I might have to do it sometime. But I'm just going to try to do everything my doctor asks me to so I can go as long as I can without it.
I feel pretty good. But my lab results have dropped a lot, so I know my kidneys are getting worse. I don't want to wait till I have symptoms, because by that point I could feel really sick.
So I'm going to start dialysis while I'm still feeling okay. I have a couple of family members who are interested in donating a kidney for me. They are having tests to see if one of them is a good match.
The rest of my health is pretty good. So I'm not going to have dialysis yet. Your personal feelings are just as important as the medical facts. Think about what matters most to you in this decision, and show how you feel about the following statements. Now that you've thought about the facts and your feelings, you may have a general idea of where you stand on this decision. Show which way you are leaning right now.
How sure do you feel right now about your decision? Here's a record of your answers. You can use it to talk with your doctor or loved ones about your decision. I'm not ready to make lifestyle changes and commit time to dialysis. I don't want to wait until I feel bad and maybe have complications.
My lab results aren't great, but I'm not worried about it right now. Many kidney specialists recommend starting dialysis earlier rather than later to improve nutrition, reduce fluid in the body, and reduce the chance of going into the hospital for complications from kidney failure.
Are you clear about which benefits and side effects matter most to you? Do you have enough support and advice from others to make a choice? Author: Healthwise Staff. Medical Review: Anne C. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor.
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