My life with dialysis
You may notice that the routine you have established gives you more freedom to deal with other questions again. What activities did you enjoy before starting the treatment? What was helpful for your overall wellbeing? You now realize that life on dialysis requires concessions and that you had to restructure some areas of your everyday life. However, try to keep in mind that dialysis gives you the energy you need to cope with your everyday tasks and enjoy your life.
It is important for your wellbeing to find ways to combine hobbies and social contacts with dialysis.
Talk to your physician or healthcare professional about how to continue to integrate these into your everyday life.
Individualization of therapy
You already know the different forms of therapy and have a new everyday life with your chosen treatment. However, in addition to medical factors, your individual lifestyle also plays a role in the choice of therapy. This may change during the course of your life or there might be complications which require switching to another form of treatment or adjusting your current treatment prescription. Many patients do not undergo just one form of treatment in their lifetime. For example, you may begin with peritoneal dialysis and then get the opportunity to have a transplantation. If the transplant is unsuccessful, you may switch to home hemodialysis. A change in the therapy modality can therefore be reasonable in some cases.
Your physician will explain which options that best fit to your individual needs are available.
Problems that may occur on dialysis
As with any medical treatment, there may be problems related to dialysis. We want you to be aware of some of the possible problems related to the dialysis treatment that may occur and how to manage them.
Complications of dialysis
Complications may be due to different reasons: I.e., related to dialysis, the underlying kidney disease itself, or the medications that are taken. As the most important member of your health care team, you play the key role when it comes to preventing or correcting problems that can lead to long-term and even life-threatening complications. You can help prevent complications by:
In the following text, you can find the most common potential problems for PD and HD. During training, your nurse will explain these problems in more detail.
For peritoneal dialysis, there are three types of infections. Please see the details here
In hemodialysis, a potential problem is an unsuccessful cannulation.
After unsuccessful cannulation, a hematoma may appear. A hematoma is a localized collection of blood, usually clotted, in the tissue. Blood may seep into the surrounding tissue, e.g., after an unsuccessful needle placement. If possible, do not place the needle in this area and, give the area several days’ rest.
Frequently asked questions
General
Swollen legs can be an indication of oedema, a sign of fluid overload in your body, which may lead to severe complications. In this case, please contact your dialysis center.
Yes, you can continue to go on vacations after consulting your dialysis center. More information can be found here
Wear the most loose-fitting clothing possible in order to avoid applying too much pressure on your vascular access site.
Light exercise and sports have a positive influence on your wellbeing, circulation and sleep at any age. Many sports are suitable for dialysis patients if you protect your catheter and vascular access well. However, please clarify with your dialysis center which sports you can do, and to what extent.
More information can be found here
Peritoneal dialysis
Can I have a normal sex life?
Yes, a sexually fulfilling life may be possible with your kidney disease. Many PD patients have had good experiences by covering their abdomens. In any case, you should speak openly with your partner.
Yes, you don't have to go without a pet. However, you should make sure that your pet is not in the same room while you are exchanging the PD bag and that your room is clean.
Hemodialysis
To prevent this from happening, you or your nurse will firmly attach the dialysis needle to your skin at the beginning of the treatment. Check this from time to time by yourself. In case it falls out, you can contact the clinical staff or stop the treatment. For home hemodialysis patients, there may also be warning sensors which detect a needle falling out. After the treatment, the needle is removed, the bleeding is stopped by applying a small swab, and then the site is covered with a plaster.
Transplantation
If you want to be put on the list of potential organ recipients, discuss this with your dialysis team. It must be checked whether you are suitable as a recipient and that no medical factors contradict a transplantation. It is important that your health is suitable for a possible transplant.
You have to take immunosuppressants every day for as long as you have the kidney transplant. This is important to prevent rejection, as the transplanted kidney is a foreign organ to your body. You must continue to see your nephrologist regularly after the transplant. It is closely monitored how well the transplanted kidney is doing its job and whether the immunosuppressive medication may have to be adjusted. Under no circumstances should you stop taking the medication yourself! This can lead to the rejection of the transplanted kidney.
Read more about how to enjoy your life on dialysis in the next section
