
Dialysis Support Group
Dialysis is a type of renal replacement therapy which is used to provide an artificial replacement for lost kidney function due to renal failure. It is a life support treatment and does not treat any kidney diseases. Dialysis may be used for very sick patients who have suddenly lost their kidney function or for quite stable patients who have permanently lost their kidney...
Also having had a successful liver transplant should set you up for a kidney transplant assuming you are otherwise eligible.
With a transplant now working I can reflect on the days on dialysis (8 years) and remember it was not all fun but it was not all misery either.
I remember smiling at the technicians and chair mates when I arrived so my upcoming treatment could not be that bad.
I remember traveling: air, RV, auto, foot. No bicycle but that was just me.
I dialyzed here at home, in Detroit, Nashville, Hawaii - for a month, Seattle 3 times for a month each living in my RV.
My life did go on and yours will also, just differently. Heads up girl things could be worse.
Most people on hemo have a harder time because when too much fluid is removed so quickly your blood pressure drops and makes feel wiped out. Not the case with PD. I never feel tired unless my hemoglobin (red blood cells) is low. But, even that has an easy solution. There's a shot I give myself twice a month and take oral iron to keep my iron stores within range. thank goodness it's been a piece of cake for me.
Take care!
Doing Home Hemo was the best (as far as our experience goes). Things for doing home hemo in the states have changed over the past few years though and many that were able to do that had to go back to clinic situations.
I know people that do PD and their quality of life seems to be better. Its more controlled as some have mentioned.
But again, it is an individual thing and while all of us can give advise, don't let us overwhelm you if we or someone we know is having a bad time of it.