I Hate Dialysis Message Board

Dialysis Discussion => Dialysis: Pre-Dialysis => Topic started by: Angel1954 on August 07, 2006, 07:52:19 AM

Title: When do they start people out on dialysis
Post by: Angel1954 on August 07, 2006, 07:52:19 AM
When do they start people out on Dialysis?Also if your kidneys are failing are they painful?I am sorry for asking all of these questions its i want to know what to know in case mine fail me since i have high blood pressure.Also if you have swelling will they give you something for it before you go on Dailysis?
See my wrists swell not my fingers or hands only my writs are swelling sometimes they go down sometimes they don't.It all started when i was put on these blood pressure pills that had water and the blood pressure pills in it together and everything went down here after that from my wrists swelling to my UT Is and it even wiped alof of my electrolyte out of my body i had to be admitted for a day and night to get everything back on track and my blood pressure was really low after that i went to the Dr two weeks ago and my blood pressure is 140 over 81 is that good.

                 Sorry to be asking all of these questions.
                              Kathy
Title: Re: When do they start people out on dialysis
Post by: Joe Paul on August 07, 2006, 01:47:07 PM
The bad part about kidney failure is no pain in the kidneys. If I remember correctly, they start you on dialysis when your kidney function falls to 10%. I had swelling in my legs before dialysis, and my Neph started me on Lasix (water pill). 140/81 isn't a bad blood pressure at all. If I'm wrong here, I'm sure someone will chime in. Joe
Title: Re: When do they start people out on dialysis
Post by: goofynina on August 07, 2006, 02:09:52 PM
Hi Kathy,  First they will take a blood test to see what function your kidney's are at.   Depending on where they stand, and if they are working well then you will probably be put on water pills.  For some reason your body is retaining water and they need to know why?  what is your salt intake?  do you eat alot of salt?  You might want to cut salt out of your diet for awhile and see if that helps the swelling any.  As far as your blood pressure goes,  your top one (systolic) is slightly elevated but not too much, bottom (diastolic) is near perfect.  But please, by all means if you have such concerns you should speak with a physician regarding this,  they are the only ones that can truly tell you what is going on.... Good Luck and let us know how your doing K? K! ;)
Title: Re: When do they start people out on dialysis
Post by: Rerun on August 07, 2006, 02:41:10 PM
When do they start people out on Dialysis?Also if your kidneys are failing are they painful?I am sorry for asking all of these questions its i want to know what to know in case mine fail me since i have high blood pressure.Also if you have swelling will they give you something for it before you go on Dailysis?
See my wrists swell not my fingers or hands only my writs are swelling sometimes they go down sometimes they don't.It all started when i was put on these blood pressure pills that had water and the blood pressure pills in it together and everything went down here after that from my wrists swelling to my UT Is and it even wiped alof of my electrolyte out of my body i had to be admitted for a day and night to get everything back on track and my blood pressure was really low after that i went to the Dr two weeks ago and my blood pressure is 140 over 81 is that good.

                 Sorry to be asking all of these questions.
                              Kathy

Kathy, I don't mind you asking questions.  It bothers me that you don't LISTEN!  I've told you that Normal Blood pressure is 120-140 over 80-85.  Then you ask if 140 over 81 is "GOOD."  I think you need to see your doctor again about the blood pressure pills.  But, the way I read you he would have to put you on something even if you didn't need them just to keep you happy.  WHAT... do you want to go on dialysis?  We can probably hook you up-!  I'm thinking you have a bit of a problem with "Hypochondria."  When your kidney function is down to 50% then come back to this site. 

To answer your question again.......
They start people on dialysis at "around" 10% function.  You have said that your kidney function is normal.  Your blood pressure is normal with medication.  Your wrists are swollen.  WATER does not pool in the WRISTS, so that is some other problem probably related to the blood pressure medication. 

AGAIN, you are not needing dialysis anytime soon.   :P :P :P
Title: Re: When do they start people out on dialysis
Post by: Black on August 07, 2006, 03:05:21 PM
The bad part about kidney failure is no pain in the kidneys. .... Joe

Thankfully, most renal patients do not have kidney pain, but many PKD patients have severe pain for decades before their kidneys fail, and often for many years after starting dialysis and after getting a transplant.  It is not unusual for one PKD kidney to be almost the size of a two liter soda bottle and weigh around 20 pounds.  The neph told my husband that Medicare will pay for dialysis to start at GFR 10, so he will not be started on dialysis until then.
Title: Re: When do they start people out on dialysis
Post by: Epoman on August 07, 2006, 04:41:09 PM
When do they start people out on Dialysis?Also if your kidneys are failing are they painful?I am sorry for asking all of these questions its i want to know what to know in case mine fail me since i have high blood pressure.Also if you have swelling will they give you something for it before you go on Dailysis?
See my wrists swell not my fingers or hands only my writs are swelling sometimes they go down sometimes they don't.It all started when i was put on these blood pressure pills that had water and the blood pressure pills in it together and everything went down here after that from my wrists swelling to my UT Is and it even wiped alof of my electrolyte out of my body i had to be admitted for a day and night to get everything back on track and my blood pressure was really low after that i went to the Dr two weeks ago and my blood pressure is 140 over 81 is that good.

                 Sorry to be asking all of these questions.
                              Kathy

Kathy, I don't mind you asking questions.  It bothers me that you don't LISTEN!  I've told you that Normal Blood pressure is 120-140 over 80-85.  Then you ask if 140 over 81 is "GOOD."  I think you need to see your doctor again about the blood pressure pills.  But, the way I read you he would have to put you on something even if you didn't need them just to keep you happy.  WHAT... do you want to go on dialysis?  We can probably hook you up-!  I'm thinking you have a bit of a problem with "Hypochondria."  When your kidney function is down to 50% then come back to this site. 

To answer your question again.......
They start people on dialysis at "around" 10% function.  You have said that your kidney function is normal.  Your blood pressure is normal with medication.  Your wrists are swollen.  WATER does not pool in the WRISTS, so that is some other problem probably related to the blood pressure medication. 

AGAIN, you are not needing dialysis anytime soon.   :P :P :P

Yeah that blood pressure is fine. Swelling for dialysis patients always starts in the lower legs, ankle area.
Title: Re: When do they start people out on dialysis
Post by: Mom3 on August 07, 2006, 07:55:24 PM
There are no always!

 My son has to get incredibly fluid overloaded before his ankles swell and I'm the same way. It is the LAST place either of us swells and when we swell there, we are in trouble.(Many years ago I was developing acute kidney failure and ONE leg finally swelled. My doctor, an obstetrician laughed at me when he saw me, wrote me a prescription, and sent me home. Next day I was back with both legs swelled-- and swelled even more-- and I was put in the hospital. Stayed there two long months, getting worse and worse, only to make an unexpected recovery after the birth of my first son! There really are no ALWAYS..! If my wrists started swelling I'd be very worried! Our wrists hands and faces swell BEFORE our legs and ankles. Who knows why?)

Even so, if a good doctor has run function tests and said you are not near kidney failure that should be the case. They have done blood work and a urinalysis, right? Have you seen a nephrologist? Since you've been hospitalized, and have swelling you don't understand, I can understand how you are afraid and want more information. Personal message me anytime. We;ve been dealing with ESRD for a LONG time....

AND I can second the pain of PKD kidneys. They can really hurt at times!

Mom 3
Title: Re: When do they start people out on dialysis
Post by: Epoman on August 07, 2006, 08:36:05 PM
There are no always!

 My son has to get incredibly fluid overloaded before his ankles swell and I'm the same way. It is the LAST place either of us swells and when we swell there, we are in trouble.(Many years ago I was developing acute kidney failure and ONE leg finally swelled. My doctor, an obstetrician laughed at me when he saw me, wrote me a prescription, and sent me home. Next day I was back with both legs swelled-- and swelled even more-- and I was put in the hospital. Stayed there two long months, getting worse and worse, only to make an unexpected recovery after the birth of my first son! There really are no ALWAYS..! If my wrists started swelling I'd be very worried! Our wrists hands and faces swell BEFORE our legs and ankles. Who knows why?)

Even so, if a good doctor has run function tests and said you are not near kidney failure that should be the case. They have done blood work and a urinalysis, right? Have you seen a nephrologist? Since you've been hospitalized, and have swelling you don't understand, I can understand how you are afraid and want more information. Personal message me anytime. We;ve been dealing with ESRD for a LONG time....

AND I can second the pain of PKD kidneys. They can really hurt at times!

Mom 3

Well when I say "always" I am just speaking from 13 years of experience and speaking with several doctors and nurses and literally hearing stories from hundreds of fellow patients and from the major majority, peoples legs swell first when there is fluid overload, it's also simple physics, GRAVITY. But people can swell in other places first, but it usually is a different condition causing it.