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One of the most commonly asked questions from new dialysis patients is: “Will I be able to stop dialysis?”
You may be considering stopping dialysis for many different reasons, possibly against the advice from your doctor. So, what should you expect if you decide to stop dialysis? Will you die if you stop dialysis?
Let’s find out.
Dialysis is necessary when a patient’s kidneys stop functioning properly. The purpose of the kidneys is to filter our blood, removing fluid, toxins, waste products, and more. When the kidneys no longer work, this is called renal failure. Left untreated, renal failure will be fatal.
So, dialysis becomes a way to replace the kidneys’ natural function, manually filtering the blood for around 9-15 hours a week, depending on what type of dialysis you’re using and how often you need the treatment.
If you stop your dialysis procedures, your kidneys will be the sole blood filtration device in your body. For healthy kidneys, this is no problem. Our kidneys filter our blood all day, every day, and do a much better job than any medical dialysis replacement.
However, if your kidneys still aren’t working, your blood won’t be filtered. Fluid will begin to build up in your body, as well as toxins and waste products. Left untreated, this buildup will be fatal.
You’ll notice symptoms of fluid retention, severe nausea, and fatigue. High levels of sodium can begin to cause dehydration, and high levels of potassium will ultimately stop your heart.
If your stop dialysis treatment without working kidneys, you will die. However, patients may stop dialysis treatment if their kidneys are healthy again, or if they get a kidney transplant.
If you’re thinking of stopping dialysis treatments, talk to your doctor first, and seek medical advice. Some elderly or severely ill patients choose to stop dialysis if it’s impacting their quality of life or simply not working anymore.
It’s important to know that choosing to continue with dialysis treatments – or not – is your decision. If you choose to stop, make sure you have end of life plans in place, and be aware that your decision could ultimately lead to your death.
