Ask an Expert - Previous Q&A's Page 1
-
Patient Resources
- Your Care Team
- Quality Care
- Treatment Options
Developing a meaninful experience with patients is integral. Whether it's food, music or outdoor activities, our patient and staff events are designed to make patients feel at home with their healthcare team.
Learn MoreQuestions and Answers About Your Health
The Importance of Preparing for an Emergency
Question:
Why is it necessary to prepare for an emergency – won’t the clinic take care of me?
Answer:
As evident from the recent East Coast hurricane, it is important to be prepared for any type of emergency. During natural disasters and severe weather conditions being completely reliant on power and water for dialysis treatments put you at risk. With no access to power, water or telephones, it is difficult to communicate with your dialysis facility for treatment and medications. Every dialysis patient should take the following steps to prepare themselves:
- Ask your dialysis staff to show you your unit’s Emergency Preparedness Plan.
- Ensure your dialysis facility has up to date personal contact information, as well as, relatives or friends you may stay with in the event of an evacuation.
- Keep a copy of your medical history, dialysis orders and medication list in your wallet at all times.
- Review the “disaster” diet with your facility dietitian regarding food and fluid restrictions.
- Make sure you always have a one week supply of medications.
- Be familiar how to care for your vascular access such as a fistula or graft.
- If you need to go to a shelter, make sure they know your special needs as a dialysis patient.
- Make an emergency supply kit and store it in a backpack to easily grab on the way out:
a. Flashlight, batteries and cell phone
b. Personal Items
c. Manual can opener
d. First Aid Kit
e. Enough bottled water to last 48 hours
f. Small portable radio
g. Candles/matches
h. Disaster diet and appropriate canned or packaged foods
i. Change of clothing - If at any time you feel short of breath or ill, ask for transport to the nearest functioning hospital for emergency dialysis.
- Your dialysis clinic will contact you when they can reopen and will assist you in securing treatment in another facility or hospital if needed.
Remember for the dialysis community, emergencies and disasters can be the difference between life and death. You are at risk for experiencing many types of emergency situations regardless of where you live and being prepared is essential for your health and well being.
The Importance of Understanding what In-center Nocturnal Dialysis is.
Question:
Is in-center nocturnal dialysis right for me?
Answer:
In-center nocturnal dialysis is a modality that provides a better quality of life for those whose Nephrologist recommends this form of treatment. These dialysis patients whom go to dialysis treatment at night have their days free to work, go to school, care for their family or enjoy daytime activities. If your Nephrologist agrees and your life style fits; in-center nocturnal dialysis might be the treatment of choice for you.
Nocturnal Dialysis provides 6-8 hours of a slower and gentler treatment. This slower treatment cleans the blood more thoroughly and people do not experience the same washed out feeling they experience when they take traditional dialysis. Frequently these patients have more energy, have a better appetite and require fewer medications. During in-center nocturnal dialysis the patient is “put to bed” for dialysis and their treatment is monitored by professional care givers.
If this sounds like the modality for treatment that would work for you, contact your Nephrologist and let him know your desires. If he feels this would be a good choice for you then make a move to in-center nocturnal dialysis and have your days free.
The Importance of Understanding Treatment Options.
Question:
I recently visited my doctor who told me I will have to go on dialysis soon. Are there various types of dialysis, or only one? What are my options?
Answer:
All patients have the right to be educated and understand the various treatment options. Prior to going on dialysis, all patients should be educated in the various treatment options that can be performed at home or in a dialysis center. One size does not fit all and patients DO have options.
Dialysis can be done at home or in a center, whichever fits your lifestyle best. Your physician should educate you on Peritoneal Dialysis, In-Center Hemodialysis, Home Hemodialysis, Transplantation and the option of no dialysis.
For more information, visit these websites:
http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/choosingtreatment/
http://www.kidneyoptions.com/therapyoptions.html
The Importance of Completing your Treatment Time.
Question:
My nephrologists recently increased my treatment time from 3.5 hours to 4 hours. Why?
Answer:
Appropriate time spent on dialysis can lead to improved quality of life. One of the most difficult aspects of dialysis is the time you spend in a chair watching your blood circulate through an artificial kidney. Most people think that the medical staff is just removing water because your kidneys no longer aid in the removal of fluid from your body.
Removing fluid from your body is just one benefit dialysis provides but there are much more. Dialysis also removes harmful toxins and balances the electrolytes in your body and if it is not regulated through dialysis it can lead to very serious medical conditions that can become life threatening. Your Nephrologists will evaluate your lab results on a regular basis to determine how effective your treatment time is for you.
It is important to realize that everyone experiencing dialysis is different and while some patient’s do well with a shorter treatment time, others may need more time to accomplish the same outcome. Your nephrologists and medical care staff will work together to fine tune your individualized care to ensure you can experience the best quality of life.
The Importance of Communicating Changes in Your Health & Home Medications
Question:
I recently had an appointment with my Cardiologist, she prescribed a new medication, do I need to tell my Dialysis Doctor and Nurses if my home medications have changed?
Answer:
Dialysis treatments are part of your care, but many patients are also under the care of additional specialized physicians. We need to work together to coordinate your care. It is very important that you communicate to your dialysis team of any changes in your health. After each visit with a physician you should inform your dialysis nurse of any medication changes, upcoming testing or procedures. The nurse will maintain a list of all of the medications that you are taking at home.
Do you have a question for our Experts? Submit a Question via email. Questions will be reviewed by a team of Renal Ventures medical professionals on a regular basis. Not all questions may be answered on the site, but we will try to respond in a timely manner.
Submit a question via email >