Renal Dialysis Side Affects

[Sunshine1099]

I started out on peritoneal dialysis which I could do myself at home every night. Never felt bad and I was able to travel. After my automobile accident I had to switch to renal dialysis. This is my third year dealing with this dialysis. It makes me feel dragged out every time. Sometime I am unable to eat until midnight and I’m so weak and sick that I often can’t move out of bed all the next day. This renal dialysis is slowly killing me. I don’t have diabetes but I do have high blood pressure. The renal dialysis has never lowered my pressure to a satisfactory level. When I was on PD it was so low that I stopped taking high blood pressure medicine. I also see that other people on renal dialysis are not feeling very good anymore. I’ve talked with them about feeling bad all the time and they feel just like me and they don’t look as good as when I first met them. Renal dialysis will prolong your life but life will never be the same. I’m feeling especially bad tonight. I wonder why I feel so weak and nauseous after every session. I seem to be getting worse with passing time. No help in sight.

[cs65 NKF Ambassador]

Have you checked with your doctor and nurses about your dry weight maybe changing? I had to have my dry weight adjusted upward since they were taking off too much fluid and causing cramping. I've never felt nauseous on dialysis, but i know that can be a symptom, too. I do feel weak the night of dialysis, but usually feel better the next day. They can give you a med for the nausea. Are you on blood pressure meds? It is true that hemodialysis can make you feel weak since they are taking off fluid and cleaning your blood in just a few hours 3 days a week, rather than your pd, which probably took overnight and was gentler on your body. Try having some low-sodium crackers and peanut butter or some other protein when you get home, rather than waiting for hours to eat. You could have a little gingerale with them to settle your stomach. Also they could prescribe protein drinks if you've been losing weight ( my center is run by our local hospital and the patients can buy these by the case at reduced cost). Good luck to you!

[adkane]

Hello. I have been on hemodialysis for 3 years too. I always feel horrible as soon as I get home (6:30 pm), have dinner, then sleep for about 1 and 1/2-2 hours, then wake up still feeling bad. Enjoy some TV time with my wife and then in the morning I don't feel well till about 2 pm. I used to feel better around noon but as time has gone on I have felt worse longer. I see that many of the other patients look pretty sickly. I've had my share of medical woes (afib, smoldering myeloma blood plasma cancer, a non-functioning bladder so that I now have to self catheterize 5-6 times a day), but otherwise I am very healthy and don't usually get colds or the flu. But I feel like hemodialysis in our country is torturous. We go for too short a time (3 and 1/2 hours for me) and only 3 days a week. Unfortunately I can't do peritoneal because of too much scar tissue in my belly due to removal of a 20 lb cancerous tumor in 2012. I so wish I could because it is longer and slower and more gentle. My life revolves around my best times being half days on my days off dialysis and Sunday. It is a hard adjustment for me and my wife. We are tying to come to terms with this new normal but it hasn't been easy. If anyone has any tips I'd sure appreciate them.

[Frankie24 in reply to adkane]

I am on hemodialysis and find that if I go under a certain dry weight, and dry weight is to low I cannot function. That being said the nephrologist and I have agreed on a dry weight that seems acceptable and though I still feel tired after I can function better. My days off are good and I am able to work. I go 3 times a week for 3 1/2 hours as well. I am being evaluated for home PD on Monday and hoping for the best, I have PKD so they are not sure if my kidneys may be to large for it. Good luck to you and feel better.

[adkane in reply to Frankie24]

Thank you for the reply and for you kind concern. I lost one kidney when they took out the 20lb tumor and my remaining one wasn't in great shape and gradually my kidney function was almost gone. I do still urinate though. I think the idea of keeping my dry weight higher is a good one because I don't need any fluid taken off. When that's happened I cramp, have nausea, and vomit. I rarely have to have fluid taken off though. Good luck with home PD. Let me know if you can do it.

[mingmiley]

They should have given you EPO shots every week to grow red blood cell, after the hematocrit come up, you should have more energy. but if hematocrit grows too rapidly, it can raise blood pressure too. The first few years of my dialysis life my blood pressure was high, but after several years it goes low now. i hope your condition will improve, Thanks for coming to this place.

[Kidneyreciepent]

Yes its true..renal dialysis does hamper ur metabolism.try being active.go for walks. take a lot of protein intake. paneer,cereal,egg etc. its hard for sure. peritoneal is advised less due to high risk of infection.talk to ur family members about transplant or register urself in hospitals near me. Keep ur salt intakes less..bare minimum. do check when ur bp rises the most n consult the doctor