8 myths about dialysis .. Living with treatment is not impossible

Myths and legends abound about many diseases and treatments, including dialysis, which leave patients worried about their fate. What is the truth about what is being talked about?

Heart disease and liver disease are usually treated with alternative therapies, on the other hand, dialysis or its machine, sometimes to save patients from inevitable doom.

Hemodialysis is a treatment that filters and purifies the blood using a machine, which helps maintain fluid and electrolyte balance when the kidneys are unable to function.

Although hemodialysis or dialysis can be a difficult medical procedure, it replaces kidney function and has been used since the 1940s to treat people with kidney problems.

What is dialysis?

Your kidneys filter your blood by removing waste and extra fluids from your body. These waste products are sent to your bladder to be eliminated when you urinate.

Thus, the proper functioning of the kidneys prevents the accumulation of excess water, waste and other impurities in your body, and it also helps in controlling blood pressure and regulating the levels of chemical elements in the blood. , and these elements can include sodium and potassium, and it also activates a form of vitamin D that improves calcium absorption.

When the kidneys cannot perform these functions due to disease or injury, dialysis can help the body function as normally as possible. Without dialysis, salts and other wastes build up in the blood, poisoning the body and damaging other organs.

According to the US Kidney Foundation, end-stage kidney disease occurs when the kidneys are functioning at only 10 to 15 percent of their normal function.

Although this medical procedure has been used for almost 8 decades, it carries many risks associated with dialysis.

According to Healthline, they include:

• Low blood pressure.
• muscle spasm.
• Difficulty sleeping
• High levels of potassium in the blood.
• Pericarditis (membrane surrounding the heart).
• Sepsis.
• Bacteremia or blood infection.
• Arrhythmia.
• Sudden cardiac death, which is the leading cause of death in people undergoing dialysis.

Dialysis Myths and Facts

“In nephrology, we only have the ability to replace a job intermittently and yet we live a reasonable quality of life,” says nephrologist Dr. Suresh Sankar.

Sankater explained that although dialysis treatment can improve quality of life, many myths surround the treatment, from travel to diet to exercise.

The hindustantimes website quoted the specialist as saying a number of myths surrounding the life of a dialysis patient, the most famous of which are:

1- Myth: Dialysis is a painful procedure

Fact: Although starting and ending dialysis can be painful due to the use of a needle to access your bloodstream, dialysis treatment itself is not painful or uncomfortable.

2- Myth: Patients cannot eat normally if they are on dialysis

Fact: A well-thought-out meal plan will play an important role, as a dietitian can help patients balance their choices with their own needs.

Patients should follow certain things related to diet, including eating less salt and moderate protein.

3- Myth: Living with dialysis is impossible

Reality: Almost everyone overcomes their initial fear of undergoing dialysis. Yes, it is life changing, but it is manageable, and often having better information and knowing what to expect helps a person cope better.

4-Myth: Patients cannot travel while on dialysis

Reality: Many feel it is necessary to limit travel, whether within the country or on vacation. It can be difficult to make spontaneous trips and to spend long periods away from home, but thanks to the availability and improvement of dialysis services today, patients can travel safely on a large scale.

5- Myth: Patients cannot exercise during dialysis

Fact: Most dialysis patients can exercise to stay healthy. Regular exercise such as walking, swimming or cycling is the number one activity that helps many people on dialysis feel normal again.

On its website, the National Kidney Foundation of the United States adds other myths and legends, including:

6- Myth: Dialysis is a death sentence

Truth: No, when you, your family, and your doctor decide it’s time to have dialysis, you’re busting those myths with your desire to live a normal life.

7-Myth: Dialysis patients don’t have the time or energy to work

Reality: Many dialysis patients can return to work or school after becoming accustomed to dialysis.

8- Myth: A dialysis patient will feel alone and be a burden on my family

Reality: Many patients, once they become accustomed to dialysis treatments, begin to feel much better than before treatment began and feel much less of a burden to their families.