How to stop dialysis with diet control ?

[sirhindee]

My father is CKD stage 5 patient with diabetes and blood pressure. He is feeling too weak since we started dialysis (currently twice a week) which is also impacting his mental health. Please advice how we stop the dialysis and control creatinine and urea figures with diet.

[Bassetmommer]

You can't. Diet will not filter the blood and remove toxins. Once you are on dialysis, that's it. The reason is that your kidneys no longer function properly and will not repair themselves. Dialysis is a replacement therapy, meaning it does what the kidneys do. But not as well as the kidneys do naturally.

Your choice off of dialysis is hospice or transplant. If you haven't looked into transplant, do so as it takes time. Hospice is a one-way street. Dying from kidney disease is a hard death.

At two days a week, your father has a very light prescription. Most people do 3 to 4 days a week. He should be happy that is all he needs right now. Down the road, he will probably need more.

Watch his diet on dialysis. He needs more protein than prior. Usually up to 70 grams is good. Watch the salt and fluids if he is having edema. Make sure he eats regularly and includes fruit and veggies in his meals. Watch his sugar so his diabetes stays controlled and the same with the blood pressure. You should have a dietician connected with whatever center your father is with and they should be answering his diet questions.

Unfortunately, most folks suffer depression for a while when starting dialysis. It is such a lifestyle change and hard on the body at first. It will get better.

[tashagirl in reply to Bassetmommer]

my egfr is 27 and I am 81 woman in the US, with an ileostomy. We have connected before and I appreciate your insight, and I believe you also have an ileostomy. I have been to dialysis education. I have been back and forth about dialysis and now have decided not to have dialysis when it becomes necessary. What do you mean by a hard death? Palliative care and meds should ease the process of death when time, I would think? Thanks!

[Bassetmommer in reply to tashagirl]

My Father -in-law passed for kidney disease. He also refused dialysis being 94. He slowly filled up with fluids and eventually filled his lungs. It was not painful, because he was so heavily medicated. But at the end, he basically was drowning in his own fluids. They kept him comfortable, but it was hard to watch.

You have the right to choose your options. And you may live for quite some time with a GFR of 27. I stayed at off of dialysis for six years with a much lower GFR by managing my diet. Enjoy your time left.

[tashagirl in reply to Bassetmommer]

Thank you! best wishes to you!

[OperationKidney]

Unfortunately that's not possible. The kidneys cannot regenerate once they reach the pont where they need dialysis.

[Beachgirl32]

yeah one he started he need to continue since he has diabetes that probably why he has ckd speak to dietitian at his clinic . Is he getting enough dialysis on two days a week? How many hours is he doing is he getting enough hour to remove the toxins. They always give me a protein bar at dialysis cause my protein run lower side . Yes depression is normal with kidney disease he can speak to his social worker about that . Unfortunately it a new life style that he has to adapt to. There also dialysis to do at home if he feels better doing at home pd dialysis he can do himself after training hemodialysis he need a partner to help him you have to train for both. If he want the transplant route if his health would let him get on that list now cause it can take time.