The Medical Education Institute’s Home Dialysis Central has added a video to its What Is Dialysis web page at https://homedialysis.org/home-dialysis-basics/what-is-dialysis. The video explains why removing too much fluid during dialysis, or removing it too quickly, can cause headaches, painful cramping, “washed out” feelings, and damage to the heart, brain, or kidneys, which can be cumulative and permanent, and may prevent future transplantation.
The National Forum of ESRD Networks has revised the Dialysis Patient Depression Toolkit and added a video. Find the revised English version at http://esrdnetworks.org/resources/toolkits/patient-toolkits/new-toolkit-dialysis-patient-depression-toolkit/dialysis-patient-depression-toolkit-english and a Spanish version at http://esrdnetworks.org/resources/toolkits/patient-toolkits/new-toolkit-dialysis-patient-depression-toolkit/dialysis-patient-depression-toolkit-spanish. A related video interview with a dialysis patient has also been recorded. Find it at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7Iv6JytQt4.
Home Dialysis Central has published a Dialysis Fluid Restriction Calculator to answer the question, “How much can I drink between dialysis sessions?” individualized for each patient. For the Calculator and discussion, see https://homedialysis.org/news-and-research/blog/265-a-new-dialysis-fluid-restriction-calculator.
Home Dialysis Central has published a summary of “organ stunning,” where dialysis removes too much water, or removes it too quickly, and your internal organs are shocked. This can damage your organs, and the damage may be cumulative. The HDC article covers the causes and processes of organ stunning, and most important, describes how you can avoid it. Find the article at https://homedialysis.org/life-at-home/articles/organ-stunning-on-hemodialysis-what-is-it-and-what-can-you-do.
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