Nephrology focuses on diagnosing and treating kidney diseases. The kidneys filter waste, balance fluids, regulate blood pressure, and manage acute and chronic conditions.
Send us all your questions or requests, and our expert team will assist you.
Hemodialysis is a treatment, not a disease. Therefore, when we discuss symptoms in the context of dialysis, we are usually referring to two things: the symptoms of the kidney failure that make dialysis necessary and the symptoms or side effects that can occur during the treatment itself. Understanding the “why” behind dialysis helps patients accept the need for it. The cause is always the same: the kidneys have stopped working. However, the path to that failure can be different for everyone.
Recognizing the symptoms of kidney failure is crucial because starting dialysis at the right time—before the body is completely overwhelmed by toxins—leads to better outcomes. Similarly, recognizing the symptoms that happen during dialysis helps the medical team adjust the treatment to make it more comfortable. This section explores the physical signs that lead a patient to the dialysis chair and the biological reasons behind the need for this life-support technology.
When kidneys fail, waste products like urea and creatinine build up in the blood. This toxic state is called uremia. It affects every system in the body.
One of the first signs is a metallic taste in the mouth, often described as tasting like pennies or ammonia. Food stops tasting delicious, leading to a loss of appetite and unintentional weight loss. Morning nausea and vomiting are common because toxins have accumulated overnight. This malnutrition weakens the body, making dialysis necessary to clear the nausea and restore the desire to eat.
The buildup of waste acts like a sedative. Patients feel a deep, unshakeable tiredness. They may sleep for hours but wake up exhausted. “Brain fog” sets in, making it difficult to concentrate or remember simple things. In severe cases, high levels of toxins can cause confusion, seizures, or even coma. Dialysis clears these toxins, often lifting the fog and restoring mental sharpness.
Healthy kidneys remove excess water. Failed kidneys cannot. This leads to fluid overload, or hypervolemia, which is one of the most dangerous aspects of kidney failure.
The excess fluid has to go somewhere. It settles in the ankles, feet, and hands, causing swelling (edema). More dangerously, it can back up into the lungs (pulmonary edema), causing shortness of breath. Patients may find they cannot lie flat to sleep without gasping for air. This fluid can also surround the heart, making it difficult for it to pump. Dialysis is the most efficient way to remove this fluid quickly, allowing the patient to breathe freely again.
While dialysis makes you feel better in the long run, the treatment itself can cause temporary symptoms due to the rapid changes in body chemistry.
This is the most common side effect. Dialysis removes fluid from the blood. If fluid is pulled out faster than the body can refill the blood vessels from the surrounding tissues, blood pressure drops. This condition causes dizziness, nausea, and a “washed out” feeling. It usually happens towards the end of the session.
Painful muscle cramps, especially in the legs and feet, are a frequent complaint. These are caused by the rapid removal of fluid and shifts in electrolytes. While uncomfortable, they usually stop once the session ends or if the dialysis nurse gives a small amount of fluid back to the patient.
Many patients report feeling drained or fatigued for several hours after a treatment. This is sometimes called a “dialysis hangover.” The body has just run a marathon of chemical changes in four hours that normally takes two days. It takes time for the body to equilibrate and feel normal again.
The need for hemodialysis is the end result of chronic damage. While there are many kidney diseases, two main culprits drive the majority of cases in the developed world.
Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure. High blood sugar acts like slow-acting poison to the tiny filters (nephrons) inside the kidney. Over the years, high blood sugar damages the blood vessels, leading to protein leakage and eventual scarring. This condition is called diabetic nephropathy. Once enough filters are scarred, the kidney cannot function, and dialysis becomes necessary.
The second leading cause is high blood pressure. The kidneys are packed with blood vessels. Uncontrolled high pressure pounds these delicate vessels, causing them to harden and narrow. This condition reduces blood flow to the kidney tissue, essentially starving it of oxygen. The kidneys shrink and fail. This procedure creates a vicious cycle, as failing kidneys raise blood pressure even further.
While diabetes and hypertension are the big two, other conditions also lead to the dialysis clinic.
Some patients know for years that dialysis is in their future. They have a slow, predictable decline. Others “crash” into dialysis. This happens when a person didn’t know they had kidney disease until they ended up in the emergency room with severe shortness of breath or confusion.
In these “crash” cases, the symptoms—swelling, fatigue, nausea—were ignored or attributed to other things until the body reached a crisis point. These patients often need emergency dialysis with a temporary neck catheter while a permanent fistula is created. Recognizing the symptoms early allows for a planned, safer start to therapy.
Send us all your questions or requests, and our expert team will assist you.
Itching is caused by high levels of phosphorus in the blood, which failing kidneys cannot remove. Dialysis helps, but diet and phosphate binders are also needed.
Your blood is drawn and runs through cooler plastic tubes. Although the machine warms the blood before returning it, you still lose some body heat.
No. Skipping even one treatment allows toxins and fluid to build up to dangerous levels. You might feel fine for a day, but the risk of heart failure or sudden death increases dramatically.
The process of dialysis is stressful on the heart because of the rapid fluid shifts. However, untreated kidney failure is much worse for the heart. Following fluid restrictions helps protect your heart during treatment.
Some patients retain “residual function” and still make urine, though it doesn’t clean the blood well. Over time on dialysis, most patients will stop making urine completely.
Your Comparison List (you must select at least 2 packages)
