One dialysis treatment per week

[Jeaukool]

Hello everyone! Right now I get three dialysis treatments per week. I don't feel very good until the day after my treatment. Can I ask my kidney doctor at the clinic I want only one treatment per week?

[cattlekid]

Hello! This is probably not the answer you want to hear but more dialysis is better than less. Standard in center treatments are hard on the body, which is why you can feel poorly after a treatment, especially if you have a lot of fluid to remove.

May I ask where you are located and how long you've been on dialysis? Knowing this may help us suggest some options for you that might help you.

[Jeaukool]

Hi I am from Louisville, Kentucky and have been on dialysis since May 2015...

[Michael Murphy]

You can ask but the answer will be no.  Your kidneys filter 24 x 7 or 168 hours a week if you are a typical patient you get 12 hours of treatment a week.  That means you are replacing 168 hours of filtering time with 12 if you miss even one session a week over time the toxins build up.  More important is fluid removal unless you are one of the lucky ones your kidneys won't remove all the fluids you consume.  Excess fluid build up will kill you. Consume too much fluids and the dialysis session has to remove the excess fluids. The more you remove the worse you feel. Cramping is one of the effects of this.  Constant removal of large amounts of fluid is bad for the heart and again you can die.  It's simple follow the rules and you can live a long time on dialysis.

[cattlekid]

Have you been given any options or choices other than in center dialysis? There are other options like home hemodialysis or PD that can be gentler on the body and don't result in that washed-out feeling. I highly suggest checking out the tools at mydialysischoice.org and then having a discussion with your team. If they are not providing you information about all dialysis options, they are violating one of the Conditions of Coverage for Medicare. You do not have to suffer.