Dialysis and tiredness

[beep]

I have been on HD  for 3 years now  n feeling very fatigued the next day....so I'm asking does Dialysis make you tired n fatigued to the point that you don't feel like doing a thing
After 4.5 hrs of being on the machine I'm exhausted the next day

[Riki]

Someone told me once that a 4 hour dialysis treatment taxes your body in the same way a 5k run would.. so, your body is tired, your mind is a bit foggy from fatigue, and you're a little dehydrated... it's a lot of work to sit in that chair.. I'm glad that my treatments are in the evenings, so I can come home and go to bed if I want to, though I do tend to stay up a few hours.. I sleep all night, and am usually fine the next day

[Charlie B53]

I am very new to this Hemo thing.  I have been on PD for a little over 3 1/2 years until a recent infection that would not die. After messing with antibiotics for 3 months Dr and I agreed my PD cath had to come out.  So I got a veinous cath and began Hemo M-W-F.

I immediately lost about 10 pounds that I didn't know I had in me.  But the Clinic has been pressing to keep lowering my 'dry weight'. I was getting so exhausted, my legs were cramping at home in bed at night.  During treatments I was complaining of pain in my shins. I quickly learned that was a pretty good indicator I would leg cramps later those night.

We had a long talk about what they had my 'dry weight' at and finally agreed that I was too dry.  We increased it a whole Kilo.  My exhaustion is almost GONE.   Seems my blood pressure was getting too low, but not low enough for the clinic to say anything until it began to drop below 100.  By the time my pressure gets into the one-teens, I'm exhausted already.

Watch your pressures.  If you are having any cramping even later those nights,, speak up.  Dry weight is not a hard and fast number that is easily determined, it is very individual and must be carefully approached to prevent the exhausting side -effects.
While on PD if I took off too much water my PD Nurse told me to fix me a cup of chicken broth, or a bowl of chicken noodle soup.  The salt and the fluid together will more quickly be absorbed into your system, re-hydrating you sooner than simply drinking water.

[GA_DAWG]

I was told by a nurse that doctors say a dialysis session is like running a marathon on your body, without the mental fatigue. I go home and have about a three hpur nap after eating. The next day is pretty good though usually, unless I am at a point of needing my dry weight adjusted up.

[Charlie B53]

I forgot to mention that I still make a small amount of urine.  Enough I have to 'go' a few times a day.  While the clinic had my dry weight too low my kidneys didn't seem to make ANY. Raising my dry weight 3 K's I am 'going' regularly.

I still have what I consider a minor amount of swelling in my ankles.  Nothing to worry about.  At this hydration level I no longer have to take those naps after each dialysis session.  I can stay up and go on about my day.