I recently started dialysis. and I have been losing some weight on the diet restrictions. Every time I go for dialysis they weigh me and every time I leave they weigh me on the way out. I have had a concerned nurse tell me more than once that I was "below my dry weight".
Why does the "below dry eight" measurement concern them so much, given the restrictive dietary guidelines that go with dialysis?
Dry weight is what they established as your normal weight...they try to get you back to that number at the end of each dialysis treatment, If you weigh less they worry they may be taking too much fluid off of you....If you think you have lost weight you need to let them know that so they can adjust your normal weight
Hi MP11,
You may already know/understand this, but if not…your « dry weight » is what they refer to when your body is not retaining extra fluid, as evidenced by a higher blood pressure, shortness of breath, or edema (swelling in your soft tissue, particularly around your ankles). That’s why they sometimes want to look at your ankles and press on the tissue to see if it leaves a indentation. So dry weight = weight without fluid/water retention. If your kidneys don’t function at all or not well, you may not be peeing…or not peeing much. That is one of the reasons dialysis is done…to remove (they call it « take off ») a certain amount of fluid from your body, fluid that one would normally pee out. That’s why weigh first under the assumption that your weight will be more, compare it to what you weighed at the end of last treatment, and try to get your weight back to that same number.
So dry weight is not necessarily related to the kidney »diet » or how much food you eat. « Well, what if I ate a big meal last night, say a couple kilograms of food…and haven’t yet pooped it out » you may logically wonder. « Doesn’t that add weight? »
Yes, it does…so at dialysis they aim for a number, but don’t get too bent out of shape as long as it’s consistently in the ballpark on average. But, if your weight upon arrival for dialysis is low and then they take off more fluid, over time it could be that they’re taking off too much. If that were happening, your blood pressure would probably start dropping, you may feel faint, dizzy, light-headed…even pass out.
It’s kind of a balancing act. So pay attention to your blood pressure, poke at your ankles to see if they’re squishy with fluid, and notice whether you feel light-headed…especially after dialysis. And talk about it with your dialysis nurse or nephrologist.
Best of luck,
GotaKidney
Check out kidneyschool.org And the book
Help, I need dialysis! It can be found at Amazon.com
Blessings
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