at what stage does dialysis start

[anusai344]

Would like to know at what eGFR level does the doctor start dialysis. is there any way to delay it? can a patient opt for transplant instead having to go through dialysis.

[belindascott]

my kidney function at the moment is 35%, I've been told that when I get to 15% which will be in 2 to 3 years time I will go on dialysis and then be put on a transplant waiting list which is 2 years. St james hospital are doing 6 transplants a week but I don't know what the success rate is, I do need to ask my renal consultant next time I see him.

[alfiep in reply to belindascott]

I'm afraid you can't choose to hav a transplant instead of dialysis unless you have a living donor.When your kidney function drops below about gfr20, your consultant will put you on the transplant list.People on this list get allocated a kidney by need, not preference.You will need to go onto dialysis when you reach approx gfr10.I am currenrly gfr15 and have a living donor so I count myself very lucky.

[Dedalus in reply to belindascott]

How do you know that you will go from 35% to 15% in 2-3 years - is that the norm for everyone - i.e. a loss of approx 20% every 2-3 years?

[belindascott in reply to Dedalus]

my renal consultant told me, it's been 7% every 6 months for me.

[Dedalus in reply to belindascott]

Thank you for your reply - I am going to have to watch my levels much more closely.

[starstationearth]

Hi. I was at 8% when I started dialysis. It really depends on how you are feeling and whether you can manage issues like phosphate overload using binders and anemia. The transplant wait can be short and some get a result within a few weeks or months but others can wait much longer than 2 yrs. If you try to eat sensibly, keep fairly fit and control your BP and weight you are a better candidate for transplantation. However you should appreciate that blood/tissue type also affect your wait time as well as age. Do you have anyone who might consider donation to you, this would bypass the list and you could get a pre-emptive transplant, thus avoiding dialysis altogether. Dialysis is quite rough on your body, so being fit for it or avoiding it altogether would improve your long term outlook.

[anusai344]

Hi All,

Thanks so much for the response. It has been very valuable information for me.

my husband had a DTPA renal scan done on 28th March 2014, and the result is as follows

GFR TOTAL 70.75 ml/min,

left kidney 33.41ml/min (47.21 %) and the

right kidney was 37.35 ml/min (52.79%)

Another test done on 7th april showed eGFR is 41 and now it has come down to 36 on 1st of Sept.

Isn't the GFR falling fast? the doctor had told that the kidney function goes down by 2% every year. But that is not the case. My husband is 61 years. Can a transplant be done at the age of 65 or later?

[Mgt8]

Hi

I'm egfr 15 and not yet dialysing. They've discussed putting a fistula in but I've been told I won't be dialysing yet as I'm doing okay.

I've been told it can be below 10, even 8 before you begin for some people.

It is a bit scary thinking about starting but life on dialysis can be fine. My dad dialysed for many years and it was the right thing for him. This week i met a couple who have made it part of their lives for 35years.

Some people can't have a transplant so I count myself lucky as I see it as a temporary situation before the transplant.

[concord1]

can you be a living donor on methertrexate as i am on it and my partner may need 1 in the future x

[concord1]

can you be a living donor on methertrexate as i am on it and my partner may need 1 in the future x