Dialysis and Survival

Most Common Causes of Death while on Dialysis   Narration by Michael Dawa Jr.

    It has been 3 years since I have been doing a dialysis treatment. For all those years so many many things happened, I have witnessed lots of my co-patient suffered and some are unfortunate and died. I have been through about 6 treatment facility having experience different ways and approach to Dialysis.

       So many times did I have this glimpse of a certain patient after having a dialysis, they are unstable and dizzy, often incautiously neglected by the nurse and the Doctor as if it was was normal, resulted to death,  because some are misinformed and doesn't bother being unstable thinking that it is okey. There was one of the patient reported missing and did not come home for more that 4 days after saying they will go to a dialysis treatment.

          My personal opinion about being dialysed some of this unstable conditions such as:

1 Elevated high blood pressure ; Elevated pulse rate reaching up to more that a hundred; No power and being disoriented; Low Blood pressure resulting to coldness and dizziness ; lower blood count reaching below 6.5

     After dialysis you have a very high blood pressure instead of the normal blood pressure before you start the session. 

    Most Doctor's (neprologist) often call this as normal, and often gives a patient a couple of blood pressure control medicines. Other worst facility would even give you about 4 to 5 types of medicine just to control your blood pressure.

       But there was this treatment facility that I have my dialysis session with, the Doctor is so sympathetic to patients and it really gives me a relief. The told me this things... 

- In a dialysis session each patient have different tolerance. thus which could result to some of the situations mentioned above.

- Dialysis is a means to clean toxins in your body, at a tolerable level not to the point that you cannot walk anymore or even go home unstable.

- You must ask you Doctor for an adjustment if after dialysis you bp will go wild and will take more time (30min and more) to even if you took already the meds.

- You must watch for your own strength and observe for any changes and difficulties.

- Nurses and Doctors in Dialysis department is not the same are the Nurses and Doctors in cardio department. Most of the hospital nurses who does not engaged in cardio studies thinks but not all. They think that it is normal to have a high or low bp after  a dialysis.

- A patient having a dialysis who is sleeping and resting for 3 to 4 hours with 70 pulse should not have a pulse higher that 93. This is not normal, it maybe the bloop pump is too high for the patient. Higher pulse rate depending on you condition could trigger heart attack to some, or a palpitation  causing your heart to pump more faster that normal which could result to cardiac arrest.

- High blood pressure if it elevates from normal to as high as 160 or more. This is not normal. You must tell your Doctor and ask for adjustment. I remember my Doctor says " Here in our facility we will try to have your dialysis start at normal condition and finished  up with the most tolerable or close to normal condition so you can drive home safely if you are driving.

Hospitals/ treatment Facility should:

- Patients finishing dialysis with bp higher than 170 will not be allowed to go home unless bp becomes normal or lower. A waver should be given to those who will insist to go home with a high bp for the safe of both parties.

- Patients with lower blood pressure and feeling dizzy should not be allowed to go home without a companion unless otherwise he will sign a waiver.

- A patient having a hemoglobin count of below 6.5 which is half of the normal blood count should not be allow to walk alone, According to one of my Doctors in the Filipino association of Doctor's Riyadh . "Patients with 6.5 hemoglobin is an emergency situation " He must be recommend for blood transfusion.

        It is important that being a patient we should be observant with health and the treatment we are going into to avoid any unlikely result or even death.

    Thanks for spending your time. I hope this can help some who are one the same situation as I have been through.

       Be safe.... bye.