Blood pressure

[BRANDY]

Does all hemo dialysis patients have to battle BP problems  I am 4th stage  GFR at 21 % I havent a problem with BP  will I eventually have a problem.  Just wondering  I am reading about BP problems with dialysis  Hope my ramblin makes sense.

[RichardMEL]

Hi Brandy,

I don't think you can say "all" would battle BP problems but certainly in my experience because of the pulling of fluid associated with dialysis that BP can become an issue - usually just when undergoing the procedure, but sometimes afterwards. When a stable dry weight is achieved then usually (again, in my experience only) blood pressure issues tend to be minimal. However there's a reason they take BP's on a regular basis during hemo treatments because it's important.

At the same time I really wouldn't worry too much about it. In relation to hemo the BP going high or low is usually a temporary thing, so won't damage you like chronic hypertension would, and the issues have more to do with fluid anyway (ie: taking off too much, or not enough, or having a high amount of fluid to start with).

Indeed a year or so after I started dialysis I was actually taken off my BP meds because in general my BP had actually overall lowered from being on dialysis (go figure)

Although some others could well correct me on this (oh Stauffenberg where are you??) but that's my general understanding.

[Ang]

as  so  eloquently  written  above