Dialysis is not a one-off medical procedure. Each appointment is part of an ongoing treatment, and many patients need continued dialysis to stay alive and healthy. 

New dialysis patients usually have a lot of questions. Naturally, a patient will want to know what to expect. How much will dialysis treatments impact their lifestyle? What is it really like, living with dialysis? 

Let’s find out. 

Table of Contents:

• Medical Treatment and Appointments
• Diet and Lifestyle
• Physical Sensations

Medical Treatment and Appointments

The most obvious change to your previous lifestyle will be the regular dialysis appointments. If your dialysis is done at a clinic, you’ll need to attend around 3 times a week, with appointments lasting between 3-5 hours. 

Of course, this means that you’ll need to set aside at least 9-15 hours out of your week for dialysis, as well as any traveling and preparation time. You might find that you’re tired after a dialysis session, so it might be a good idea to set aside time to rest afterward. 

You can also use the time during your dialysis to read, watch TV, call friends, check your mail, whatever you like!

Diet and Lifestyle 

While on dialysis, you’ll need to stick to a dialysis diet. This is because instead of 24-hour blood filtering, your blood may only be getting filtered a few hours a week. To keep yourself healthy, you’ll need to drink a certain amount of fluid (the average dialysis patient should drink no more than 32 oz of fluid a day), and avoid or restrict certain foods. 

Here are some foods to limit or avoid: 

• High sodium foods
• Foods high in phosphorus (this is often used in bread and pastries, to make an item last longer)
• High potassium food (like bananas)
• Processed junk food
• Sugary or salty snacks 

If you don’t stick to your dialysis diet, your blood may not get filtered effectively during your dialysis sessions. This can lead to you feeling ill, fatigued, or bloated due to fluid retention. Remember, dialysis isn’t as effective as our kidneys’ natural function, and you will need to make allowances for an imperfect system.

When it comes to your lifestyle, you can do almost everything you want while on dialysis – just with a few added extra challenges. For example, you might need to do a little extra research and preparation if you plan to go on a vacation. 

However, you can work, play, and live your life as usual between your dialysis sessions. 

Physical Sensations

Dialysis shouldn’t hurt. Patients who have hemodialysis might notice a little bit of discomfort during their sessions, but that can often be corrected by adjusting the dialysis settings. 

Patients who have peritoneal dialysis (where the blood is filtered through the abdominal membrane, and dialysis fluid is carried in the abdominal cavity) might notice a few odd sensations as they get used to carrying around fluid in the abdominal cavity. 

You might also experience mild fatigue after your first few sessions, especially if your body is adjusting to your new dialysis diet. 

Be sure to mention any concerning symptoms to your doctor.