For Newbies, Dialysis does not mean death

[sophiasmom]

Hi Guys,

Alot of new patients and caregivers, seem to wonder how long a person can live on dialysis.  Let me just say that you DO NOT DIE from dialysis itself.
Most people on dialysis die from co-morbid conditions (disease or disorders that co-exist with your kidney failure.)  Once you are on dialysis you usually only
have less than 15-10% of your kidney function remaining. Your kidneys are shot.  If you do lose the little remaining function, you may need more dialysis
time or larger dialysis needles etc, but dialysis will keep you alive.  I for example have along wth kidney failure heart disease and a liver disease, so one of those problems
will probably end my life eventually.   The dialysis treatment itself wil not kill you. 
There are grim statistics out there about people and how long they live on dialysis, but you must take into the facts that alot of patients are elderly, and average lifespan
for men in US is 70 and for women 80 years old.  And as I mentioned earlier alot of patients also have co-exisitng medical problems.

There is very rare human errors which could kill you while on dialysis. 
If a poorly trained tech or nurse reinfuses your blood and does not realize the saline bag is empty,  major air can get into your blood stream and well that wouldn't be good.
Another way you could die while on dialysis is if you crashed really bad and could not be revived. (I only saw this happen once 9 years ago) (Crashing is when you are about to or do pass out because your blood pressure drops really low.) Nowadays they catch the symptoms of low blood pressure and dehydration alot earlier than they once did and can easily remedy these issues.
Finally if you were to get an untreatable infection you could die from that. Make sure your access is always cleaned well before dialysis.  Infections are usually caught very early, and
are usually very easily fixed.

So Newbies fear not dialyisis in not a death sentence.  There are plenty of patients here who have been on dialysis for a long time.  At my unit when I first started in Oct. 97  there was an elderly woman who had been on dialysis for 25 years. God bless her, she passed away 2 years later but she was in her late 80's. 

Hang in there new friends, thing will get easier!

love,
Chris   

[Sluff]

Thanks for the uplifting post Sophiasmom,

I laugh now but when I was diagnosed I thought the worst and then I found ihatedialysis.com and realized how lucky I really am. After reading what some of our members have been through, my problems almost seem insignificant. My situation could change in a heart beat, but for now I'm living like everyday could be my last.( within reason)

[keefer51]

Your so right Chris, Dialysis only keeps us alive. I heard many times people say; "Well he or she was on dialysis and finally passed." I think when one would hear the word dialysis they freak out and think it is a death sentence. My problems too are insignificant compared to others on this site. But since i joined i have a greater understanding of it all

[del]

I agree, dialysis is NOT a death sentence. My husband has been on dialysis for 10 years and he is as healthy or healthier than he has ever been.  As of right now he has no other health problems.  If it wasn't for the dialysis treatments he would not be around here now.  Thank God for dialysis!!

[Bajanne]

Amen to all that you guys have said.  I don't see it as a death sentence, although when I first started I gave myself at least 10 years (because that is how much my brother lasted on dialysis).  I am much more optimistic these days.  I too thank God for using IHD to help me through this situation.
I am also aware that a lot of it is in my hands.  I can improve my results by diet, exercise and taking my medications (I am very poor in this).  The three things that I have to particularly look out for are - my phosphorus/calcium balance, my fluid intake, my cholesterol.  I know I also should exercise which would help everything all around.
I expect to be around for a long time.

[bolta72]

Well said sophia

[Razman]

Thanks for the words of encouragement.  I am not on dialysis yet but I had a call last week and my creatine and  potassium are going up.  Each time I get the news I feel down but its messages like yours that help a lot.   I see that other people can handle it ( some for a long time ) and I know that the members of  IHD are a great support group.

[emilyc]

i personally have heard about a woman going 32 years on dialysis before receiving a kidney. THATS AMAZING! obviously the body can do amazing things

[SpeedFleX]

I guy I know started out I belive when he was 14 and has been on it now for 34 yeah, so yeah you can live a normal life on it.

I don't think dialysis will kill me, maybe my BMX or Snowboard^^

[Bill Peckham]

I know this is often the first question people have when they hear the diagnosis of severe kidney disease: How long will I live? What are the averages?

I answer these questions here http://www.billpeckham.com/from_the_sharp_end_of_the/2008/03/dialysis-lifesp.html.

Bottom line? You can live a long time on dialysis; do not max out your credit cards.

[Ang]

it  aint  a  death  sentence,  if  i  could  only  drink,  i  could  do  this  standing  on  my  head.

[Bajanne]

it  aint  a  death  sentence,  if  i  could  only  drink,  i  could  do  this  standing  on  my  head.

[kitkatz]

Amen to that one!

it  aint  a  death  sentence,  if  i  could  only  drink,  i  could  do  this  standing  on  my  head.

[Mimi]

Ain't that the truth!!
 

[Stacy Without An E]

Sometimes I feel like being on Dialysis is like living death.  Uncontrollable vomiting, vision blackouts, unbearable dizziness not to mention how it affects my personal self esteem.

And don't get me started on when it comes up in dating.  I'm tired of seeing that look of shock and disgust in beautiful women's eyes.

Not to put a damper on the thread.  I'm still here and still laughing.

Just not as much as I'd like.

[lruffner]

Do most of you dialysis experts drive yourself to treatment? I don't know if there are rules regarding that. I worry about it because I am out in the boonies....actually, the boonies are a few miles BEFORE you get to me 

[flip]

I have always driven myself although I will confess to keeping a clamp in my laptop bag just in case.

[Cincygrandma]

lruffner, I'm sure not an expert, but driving depends on the individual.  Thankfully I've been able to drive myself, even thru the boonies.   My husband drove me the first time and twice over the winter during bad weather.  He'll also be driving me for a couple weeks after I have surgery next week.  I do confess there are days when I wish I had a warm car and driver to get me home but with fuel costs we just can't afford to double up on the trips. 

[lruffner]

That's good to hear. I am right with you on the gas Cindy and they said on the news tonight it will go up 60 more cents over the next 2 weeks!! I truly don't know how people will survive. My husband gets on me for worrying too much about what I can't control, but I worry about those who need to be worried about....just my nature! Sings "We are the world...." lol.

Ok Flip, I must be having one of my brunette, blonde moments.....what is the clamp for exactly?

[flip]

When you finish your hemo treatment, the clamps are placed on your sites to stop the bleeding. There is always a possibility that a site will start bleeding again after you leave. It's never happened to me but it isn't uncommon either. It just makes me feel safe until I get home and get the heparin out of my system.

[lruffner]

Good lord! I guess so Flip! Great, just one more thing to worry about 

How has your day been today Flip? I am sleepy today, but I think the cold, rain, and clouds are to blame.

[flip]

Cold and rainy here too, Lee. I just curled up, watched TV, drank my tonic, and peed all my fluids off in preparation for the "Big D" tomorrow. Are you going to The Derby?

[Rerun]

Dialysis didn't kill me it just took my LIFESTYLE away.  My job, my marriage, my California house, my normal life.  I'm sitting here in a dumpy 2bdrm apartment in freezing Spokane reading this post and now I've learned I'm going to LIVE another 25 FREAKING years!  AHHHHHHHH  Just Shoot me!!!

                                                                                                                   

Dialysis is a slow.... death, but if you don't get hit by a car or get cancer it will get you sooner or later.  Just to bring ya all back to reality! 

[flip]

Sorry your life sucks so bad, Rerun. I've never let dialysis affect my lifestyle. It's just a minor inconvenience three times a week. I just hope I live another 25 years.

[lruffner]

Heck no, I am not going to the Derby, Flip. I was talking about that kind of stuff at the nephs office yesterday. I hate traffic so bad, that I just avoid it. I told them that I wish that I had a helicopter, just so I could bypass Nicholasville Rd. traffic!!! You know FLip, I lived just 30 minutes from the Indy Speedway, but never went to the 500. I have always hated driving in tons of traffic. It must be the small town, farm girl in me...lol. Are you going Flip?

Do you ever get back to Lexington much? You should give me a shout if you do!

Sorry things are so bad for you Rerun and I hope that it's not that bad for me....or rather, I refuse to let it. If I feel that I can't deal with it all, it will be my choice whether or not to continue dialysis too. I have known some older people who just couldn't go on with their illnesses and they stopped taking their meds....they decided to take control of their own life and end years of suffering. So, in the end, it is really our own choice....