I ama 62 year old female. I have been on hemodialysis then peritoneal dialysis and back to hemodialysis over the past five years. I felt great for the two years on peritoneal. Was able to work and go about my daily routine. The peritoneal stopped working and I have been back on hemodialysis for about a little over a year. The difficulty I am having is that I feel absolutely horrible after dialysis and now I am wiped out all the time. I am anemic but get iron at dialysis. I have a few other health problems but none that seem to explain my fatigue at least that is what my nephrologist tells me. The dialysis nurse and other doctor’s tell me differently ! I have numbness and weakness in my legs all the time but I am not diabetic. Again my nephrologist says it is not related to ESRD or dialysis. I am just wondering if anyone else can share their experiences. I am beginning to wonder if it’s just me and why I don’t feel better. My clearance is always good. My bloodwork is normal except for my blood counts being low and my albumin (protein) being to low. Any comments would be greatly appreciated.
Overwhelming Fatigue : I ama 62 year old... - Kidney Dialysis
Overwhelming Fatigue
I have been on PD for 5 yrs no major problems, just minor setbacks I thank God 4 it all. i experience numbness in my toes and feet, but i am diabectic so I know that can be a reason. I never been on any other dyalysis and I hope not have to start. But i hope you start to feel better and find the answers to help you feeling better.
Hello...I am surprised your Neph doesnt think your low Protien Level would be a cause of your fatique...without good Protien Levels your muscles don't get fed along with other things in your body...I also have low Protien Level and I constantly have to work at keeping it at 3.6. (The bare minimum is 4) ..and I definetly feel extra fatigued if it drops down to 3.2 or so...I would question your Doc on that...but in the meantime try to keep adding Protien to your diet
Yes, by all means check your diet and work with a dietitian if possible to improve it.
See if your clinic will give you some protein shakes. You may need more protein foods to bring up your albumin. Like you, I struggle to stay at 3.6 and above. Sometimes it helps to emphasize protein over carbs.
My Clinic gives me Liquicel....I drink one each morning...tgey recently started me on 2 a day...hopefully it will get me up to 4 Albumin...Thankyou for your reply
I am on haemodialysis. I also experienced extreme fatigue at the beginning. I started to notice a pattern. When I received my weekly iron shots, I was exhausted that night and for the next few days. I told the medical team and I was told it wasnt the iron shots. Only in very rare circumstances does this happen. One thing I have learnt on my kidney journey, dont always listen to the advice given. I googled extreme fatigue after iron infusions. There are hundreds of comments from patients, experiencing the same thing. I eventually overcame it. However on Tuesday after getting my shot, I was so tired, I couldn't even keep my eyes open. I actually felt as if i have been drugged. I felt the same way, as I did at the beginning. They had reduced one of my shots that day. I think a certain level can create an imbalance of something. Not very scientific i know 🙄..however i do know my body and it is definitely something to do with the iron shots in my case. Google it and see what u think. All the best, I know how awful it is and you have my upmost sympathy.
Thank you for the information. I will definitely check it out ! My body tends to be very sensitive to medication, supplements etc. Thank you for responding. You are right, not for the faint of heart. All my best to you.
If you are googling it. Make sure you add forums in the search engine. Thats where you will find people going through similar symptoms. Keep us updated 👍
have just started PD on on the amia cycler machine I have been quite tired and short of breath for some time. I started PD, but the first catheter did not drain. I had to stop and get that catheter taken out and another one put in. It seems to be working well and I am now using the cylcer. I am still very tired and unable to eat much. I think the program needs tweaking and there is some getting used to it as well. I did not expect instant results, but will probably feel better after some time on dialysis. I am paying close attention to the comments regarding diet and protein etc. That may well be part of the problem as I really don't feel much like eating anything. I can manage a few bites at a time. One slice of toast with peanut butter and honey and I am done for the day and have to force myself to eat anything at dinner time. I will certainly look into this protein stuff and have blood tests coming up in about a week. I do take a daily iron pill, and that may not be enough either. So, I will drift around and take naps and work on this. Fatigue is so awful. I live alone and have trouble with daily tasks. I do one thing like unload the dishwasher and have to sit down or take a nap. I don't get much done, so it is good I am on my own...although I do have a little dog and a cat to look after as well as my house I am getting some help with things....mostly from my daughter, but also have hired a housekeeper to come in and do floors and bathrooms etc. It is so hard to sit around and watch other people do your daily tasks and I sure hope to feel better soon and get back to at least some semblance of a normal life. I am able to drive and can get a few groceries ...small things like that wear me out for the rest of the day. How long before I start feeling a little better? I have had six nights of dialysis...so, that is not much. Maybe a few weeks?
Hi I'm Rachel, currently 34 years old, I was on peritoneal dialysis from 2017-Feb2022 when I got my transplant. I’m not diabetic and my kidney issues were related to FSGS autoimmune.
Through my time on Dialysis I managed to stay away from peritonitis or any other bacterial infection, I did struggle quite a bit with low protein/albumin, hyponatremia (low sodium), hyper-calcemia (high calcium). The fatigue and tingling in toes and hands I experienced was calcium related. You should really ask your nephrologist or dialysis care team about the low levels of albumin/protein, they can also lead to fatigue, low appetite, difficulty breathing.
I was never on hemodialysis, but i have knowledge on how much more invasive and fatiguing Hemodialysis is compared to peritoneal dialysis.
If you have any questions feel free to ask me. 
Keep strong 💪
Hi Frankie, I am 36 years old I was on hemodialysis for 5 years before my transplant July 2021. I too had challenges with anemia and extreme fatigue. There were times it was difficult to stay awake while driving and had gained about 15lbs after starting dialysis that was a challenge to take off. All my numbers were great after getting iron supplements yet the fatigue continued so I was sent to get a sleep study and they discovered it was sleep apnea. After getting diagnosed and getting on the CPAP it really made a difference for me it really helped with the fatigue. Your issue may be a different one but if your nephrologist is saying it isn’t CKD related you may want to explore other options with your PCP. Just a thought.
Hopefully you are able to find something that will help you feel better. My best wishes.
So If you are albumin is low, that can make you tired . I was on HD for 4 months and all I did was EAT. It seems I just could not eat enough. I never felt weak and tired. See if your albumin is low enough for free protein drinks that might help.
The other comments offer great advice. Just as an add on make sure you take a multivitamin made for dialysis patients. There are extra B vitamins for energy.
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