Many people with kidney failure require dialysis to stay alive. If you need to have dialysis, there are options to have your treatments at home, which can make it easier to stay with your treatment regimen and have fewer intrusions in your life.
Options For Peritoneal Dialysis
Most people think of hemodialysis because it is the most commonly used method of replacing lost kidney function. Peritoneal dialysis is another method used that can be similarly effective and might be an option if you would prefer to do dialysis at home. Speak with your doctor about whether peritoneal dialysis is an option. When you have peritoneal dialysis, you will have surgery to place a catheter into your abdomen and a port outside of your abdomen. The port is used to transfuse dialysis solution into the catheter where it can circulate in your peritoneal cavity. During the diffusion process, the solution stays in your peritoneal cavity where it absorbs waste products. Once the solution has been in place for the designated amount of time, it is drained from the port. This method of dialysis may be more convenient for some people, especially if they live a busy lifestyle.
Commitment To Home Dialysis
If peritoneal dialysis is not an option, there are methods to have hemodialysis at home, but you must be committed to the process. You may need several months of training by medical professionals before you are cleared to perform the treatment at home. In some cases, there may not be a facility nearby with the staff necessary to train you, so you must take this into consideration. Learning to do dialysis at home will require you to learn how to use the machine properly, but you may also need to monitor yourself for any warning signs of problems. For example, you may need equipment available to monitor your blood pressure and be vigilant in checking for signs of bleeding from your arteriovenous fistula or infection. People who do not have someone to help them may need to hire someone to be beside them during dialysis and in the following hours, just in case an emergency happens.
Specific Treatment Length
Everyone is different in their prescribed treatment for hemodialysis, which might also affect your decision to have dialysis at home or at a center. For example, some treatment lengths tend to have fewer side effects, making them ideal for home dialysis. Generally, people who have dialysis for a couple of hours, but many times per week, or lengthy, overnight treatments, seem to have fewer side effects after treatment. If you want to do home dialysis, you might discuss the possibility of changing your prescribed treatment if you were supposed to have a traditional dialysis schedule. The traditional dialysis schedule of three weekly sessions for several hours each, might be best performed in a dialysis center.
Options for home dialysis can make it mentally and physically easier to adhere to your treatments. The possibility of having more flexibility in your dialysis can also make it easier to lead a nearly normal life with kidney failure.
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