What do people who have dialysis feel like when they get out of the dialysis session?

Question

I communicate via text messages on my phone with a friend in Texas who is undergoing dialysis treatments. I am trying to be emotionally supportive.
I understand what it does, that it cleans the blood of urine,etc. because the kidneys aren't working.

How will my friend feel when she is done with dialysis. Is it painful and tireing?

Because I'm just an online friend 1000 miles away all I can do is type the letters h and u and g, and type that I support her, and try and emotionally cheer her up.

Thanks.

Answer 1

There are a couple of R&S regulars that I know of who are on dialysis; if they see this question, I'm sure they'll give you the information first-hand.

I do have a relative on dialysis, though, so can offer a bit from that perspective. Much depends on a person's age, their general health otherwise, and how long they've been on dialysis. It's not a walk in the park, though. First of all, in order to have dialysis a person needs some kind of surgically placed permanent access to their circulatory system called a shunt or fistula. When these fail or can't be used any more because of clotting, they need a new access -- often with a temporary catheter used in the meantime.

My relative who is on dialysis is quite elderly. He says that on some days he's fine afterward, and other days he feels very weak and tired and sometimes even nauseated. Each individual's experience varies but he says there are much younger people at his dialysis center who say the same thing.

Regardless of how your friend feels afterward, your care and concern for her can't help but lift her spirits and give her a smile. So I'd say you're doing exactly the right thing.

(By the way, you may also want to post this somewhere in the Health section -- might get more responses from dialysis patients there.)

EDIT: I'm going to star this question, as one of the people here I mentioned above is on my contact list.

Answer 2

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Answer 3

Sorry, I don't have experience with that. But I imagine they must feel better and refreshed maybe afterwards. Nice of you to be supportive to your friend in need.