Everyone on dialysis would like to lead a normal life if given a choice. However, people on dialysis often have constraints that prevent them from doing things that people with healthy kidneys do. Exercise is one such example. Exercise is beneficial for everyone irrespective of whether their kidneys are functioning or not. It keeps the… Continue reading Exercising on dialysis: an important tool in the quest for a normal life
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Are your Medicines getting Washed Out during your Dialysis Session?
I have been suffering from sinusitis for the past month or so. I was prescribed antibiotics but to no avail. I was then referred to a pulmonologist who advised a CT scan of the Paranasal Sinuses and simultaneously put me on two potent antibiotics along with an anti-allergic medicine. I started taking all these medicines… Continue reading Are your Medicines getting Washed Out during your Dialysis Session?
Hepatitis C testing in Dialysis Patients: Making sense of the various options
Hepatitis C is a major problem in dialysis patients. Dialysis patients are at risk of seroconversion (getting infected with the virus) since their blood is being drawn out of the body and is passed through an external system. This risk is further increased when the dialyser is reprocessed. Regular testing for the presence of the… Continue reading Hepatitis C testing in Dialysis Patients: Making sense of the various options
Steps to a Normal Life on Dialysis
When someone is diagnosed with Kidney Failure and is told they need dialysis or a kidney transplant, it can come as a huge shock. While most people these days would have heard about kidney failure and dialysis (I had not, when I was diagnosed in 1997!), they are not ready to accept that they could… Continue reading Steps to a Normal Life on Dialysis
AV Fistula on Dialysis: Don’t give up too easily
An Arteriovenous Fistula (AVF) is the Gold Standard for accesses in Hemodialysis. A surgeon or a doctor will connect an artery and a vein underneath the skin to improve the pressure of the blood in the vein to enable good flow rates for hemodialysis. Other types of hemodialysis accesses in decreasing order of preference are… Continue reading AV Fistula on Dialysis: Don’t give up too easily
On Dialysis, Protein Intake needs to be High, not Low
Doctors recommend a low-protein diet for most patients in the early stages of kidney disease. This is because kidneys remove excess protein from the body and have to work harder if the patient eats more protein. When the patient reaches the last stage of kidney disease (not life, mind you) and has to undergo dialysis,… Continue reading On Dialysis, Protein Intake needs to be High, not Low
From the Patient’s Perspective: What to do about Anemia on Dialysis?
Anemia is one of the most common problems faced by dialysis patients. The Mayo Clinic website describes it below: “Anemia is a condition in which you lack enough healthy red blood cells to carry adequate oxygen to your body’s tissues. Having anemia can make you feel tired and weak.” Dialysis patients have poorly functioning kidneys. Apart from… Continue reading From the Patient’s Perspective: What to do about Anemia on Dialysis?
From the Patient’s Perspective: How to Protect your Heart?
The reason most dialysis patients lose their battle with kidney disease is not because of the kidneys but because of their hearts. Heart problems are the leading cause of mortality among dialysis patients. Why is this the case? When kidneys don’t work well, they stop filtering out toxins and excess fluid from the blood. This… Continue reading From the Patient’s Perspective: How to Protect your Heart?
Restless Legs in Dialysis Patients? There’s a Solution for that.
When I had settled down with Peritoneal Dialysis towards the end of 1999, I was thrilled that my life had finally returned to normal. I had started working. I was also playing Table Tennis. I couldn’t complain about how life had turned out, given the circumstances. One new problem surfaced, though. My legs started behaving… Continue reading Restless Legs in Dialysis Patients? There’s a Solution for that.
Bone Pain on Dialysis: What You Should Know and Watch Out For
Patients who have been on dialysis for long durations, frequently report bone pain. The reasons are well known. Kidneys produce Calcitriol which absorbs Calcium from the food. When kidneys are not functioning, Calcitriol production also stops. This means that Calcium is no longer being absorbed from the body. Calcium is a very important mineral for the body.… Continue reading Bone Pain on Dialysis: What You Should Know and Watch Out For