| Author | Subject: Ending Dialysis |
| David | Posted At 14:13:01 01/24/2002 My father is at the end. He is back on dialysis after a kidney transplant but his body is failing in other areas. Does anyone have information on how to legally end dialysis treatment? Hospital? Hospice? How long does it take to die? What can be done to make it pain free? Help... |
| Dori Schatell | Re: Ending Dialysis (Currently 0 replies) Posted At 15:10:27 02/01/2002 Hi David, I'm so sorry to hear that you and your family are going through this difficult time. If his doctor believes that he is indeed failing and nothing further can be done medically to improve the quality of his life, then ending dialysis is something he may want to consider. If so, your father's dialysis social worker should be able to help. She can connect your family to resources like Hospice, which help terminally ill patients and their families through the dying process. Hospice in your area may offer in-home services or may have an inpatient center. Your father's doctor would need to certify that your father had less than a certain amount of time to live (6 months?) for him to be eligible, but this should be no problem in his case. Because the entire focus of Hospice is easing death, I suspect that you and your family would find it a more comforting option than just hospitalization. Palliative care, which includes pain management (if needed) is part of the Hospice services. I don't believe that there are any legal issues involved if your father chooses to stop dialysis. My understanding is that without dialysis to clean the blood, your father is unlikely to survive for more than a week or two. I wish I could tell you what to expect, but I'm afraid I don't know exactly what is involved. Maybe someone else who reads these boards and has had some experience would be able to help you with this? I suggest you talk to your father's doctor and ask him or her these same questions. |
| Beth Witten | Re: Ending Dialysis (Currently 3 replies) Posted At 16:31:20 02/01/2002 I am a nephrology social worker and have worked with people with kidney failure for over 20 years. As you know, someone who has kidney failure needs dialysis or transplant to live once kidney function drops to 15% or less. You may not know that your kidneys are essential organs that affect how other body systems work. People with failing kidneys have such symptoms as tiredness, low endurance, sleep problems, poor appetite and bad taste in the mouth, shortness of breath, itching, plus more. Treating kidney failure with dialysis or transplant usually helps these symptoms and improves the way the person feels about his health and life. I don't know your father or what other conditions he may have, but the first thing I'd suggest you do before your father decides to stop dialysis is to ask your father's kidney specialist if you can schedule a family meeting with as many members of his healthcare team (nurse, dietitian, social worker) are available. Here are some topics you might want to discuss: * Ask your father and those who live with him to share what symptoms he has before dialysis, immediately after dialysis, the day he's not on dialysis? * Ask the doctor if any of these symptoms are related to the dialysis treatment, his lab values including how well the dialysis is removing waste products or are they related to other health conditions that he has? * Ask the doctor if there is there anything your father can do to improve how he feels physically or emotionally? * Is there anything that the doctor can prescribe to improve how he feels physically and/or emotionally such as change, add, or stop medications, change dialysis prescription, refer for physical rehabilitation, etc.? * Is there anything that the nurse(s) can do to help his dialysis treatment be more comfortable? * Is there anything that the dietitian can teach him about diet that can help him feel better? * Can the social worker do anything that will help him adjust more easily to kidney failure? * Are there any other types of dialysis (home hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis) that would allow him to live a lifestyle that was closer to what he lived before kidney failure? * Are there other patients he can talk with who are near his age with similar health conditions who have been on dialysis longer and are doing well to give him hope? If his health is poor, dialysis is not expected to improve his life, and your father believe that the benefits of dialysis are not greater than the burdens, it is important for you and your family to understand that anyone with kidney failure has the legal right to not start or to stop dialysis. To help caregivers and family know what treatments your father does and does not want, if he has not completed an advance directive (living will and durable power of attorney for healthcare decisions or healthcare proxy), he should consider doing so now. In the list of resources below are links to places to find out more about advance directives, what they are, how to complete them, and to download forms specific to your state if you live in the U.S. I'd suggest that your father ask his doctor about his options for stopping dialysis, what the dying process is like, what his doctor and treatment staff can do to make him as comfortable as possible, what the dialysis clinic can do to support him and his family even if he is no longer receiving dialysis there, where and how he can get services like Hospice, and whether he could be hospitalized for his final days. Some of these decisions will depend on what his health insurance covers. The social worker should be able to help you and your family sort through coverage questions. Many people considering stopping dialysis are concerned about whether stopping dialysis is committing suicide. Most organized religions believe that stopping dialysis is NOT the same as committing suicide, but to make spiritual peace with this decision, it may help your father and family to confirm this with a trusted spiritual leader. Finally, losing a family member and/or preparing for loss of a loved one is an emotional experience. I found an excerpt from a book by a chaplain that deals with emotional issues around stopping treatment. This does not focus on dialysis, although it does have one example of a family member who needed to decide whether to stop dialysis for her mother who was not doing well. If your father chooses to stop dialysis, it will undoubtedly affect everyone in your family who loves your father. Although it is ultimately your father's decision, it is best if everyone can be as comfortable as possible with the decision that he makes. I hope that the resources that I have provided below help your father and family. Resources: * The National Kidney Foundation has a brochure on stopping dialysis that includes practical information http://www.kidney.org/general/atoz/content/dialysisstop.html. * The National Kidney Foundation has a brochure that describes advance directives http://www.kidney.org/general/atoz/content/advancedirectives.html * Partnership in Caring has state-specific documents you can download as well as other information to help patients and families http://www.partnershipforcaring.org/HomePage/ * The Medicare web site has a link to the state hospice organization in your state -- To find this, enter your state and check the box by "Health Care Facilities and Services in Your Area" http://www.medicare.gov/Contacts/Home.asp * Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations has information on choosing a hospice or home care agency http://jcprdw1.jcaho.org/choices/h_homeca.html * Hospice Foundation of America has information on hospice, publications, resources, and a place for family members and friends to share their grief http://www.hospicefoundation.org/ * You can read an excerpt from Hard Choices by Loving People by Chaplain Hank Dunn and there is a link more information http://www.hospicenet.org/html/choices.html |
| Gail | Re: Ending Dialysis (Currently 0 replies) Posted At 08:44:32 05/28/2002 My step father has just discontinued his kidney dialysis 4 days ago. It was the doctors choice due to my mother could not bring herself to make that decision but she said she would be behind the doctors 100% when they could make the best decision. He has had multiple strokes, weight loss of 50 lbs in the past year, and has gotten too weak to run any more tests to check for cancer or anything else that may be making his health decrease so fast. He had dialysis 3 days a week and seemed so weak after dialyis. He started having seizures when anyone tried to move him about 2 weeks ago. He hasnt been able to eat solid food in over 6 months now. He is 74 yrs of age. He weighs 90 lbs when they stopped the dialysis. He is very sleepy now. He will answer you briefly but very seldom opens his eyes. He says the light bothers him. But he doesnt seem to be in any pain. We love him very much and know that God will take care of him from now. |
| Beth Witten | Re: Ending Dialysis (Currently 0 replies) Posted At 10:47:56 06/13/2002 I'm sorry I didn't see your message until now or I would have responded sooner. Because it has been several days since your father stopped diallysis, I assume that he has passed away. I hope that you and your family are coping with the loss as well as to be expected and will remember the good times and not focus on how he died. The social worker at his clinic may be able to suggest communtiy resources to help you cope with your loss. I worked for many years as a social worker in a dialysis unit where I got to know and care about people like your father. I was always happy to hear from family members after their loved one had died to know that they were doing OK. |
| Dee Henderson | Re: Ending Dialysis (Currently 0 replies) Posted At 21:08:15 07/21/2002 My sister decided to stop dialysislast Friday, I know that Hospice will be involved, but how long will she live and how uncomfortable will she be? I'm so afrain she will smother in fluid - please give me information. Thanks |
| Beth Witten | Re: Ending Dialysis (Currently 0 replies) Posted At 20:10:33 07/28/2002 First, I want to apologize for not finding your message right away. People who decide to stop dialysis live an average of about 8 days, some more, some less. A patient will be more comfortable if they're able to not drink too much. Without dialysis, extra fluids aren't removed. Sometimes patients use oxygen and other times they choose to have ultrafiltration (the part of dialysis that takes off fluid without removing waste products). If hospice is working with someone, the nurses make sure that the patient receives medications for pain, shortness of breath, or anxiety to keep them comfortable. If you feel that your sister needs more help than she's getting, be sure to be persistent as her advocate. |
| Paula L | Re: Ending Dialysis (Currently 0 replies) Posted At 17:41:51 09/09/2002 My Mom stopped her dialysis 4 days ago. She is well aware she will not last much longer and has accepted that. If anyone has any thing to say or advice to give, it well be welcomed. Thanks. |
| P. McMillan | Re: Ending Dialysis (Currently 2 replies) Posted At 12:39:55 10/02/2002 A family friend was just diagnosed as having Lupus Nephritis and her physicians recommended that she begin dialysis and take steroids immediately. She is 30 years old. Her family is concerned that she has decided not to take dialysis and has only agreed to take the steroids. She has decided to seek out a "naturalist" physician (medical doctor). Her family is very concerned. What alternatives to dialysis are offered by the "naturalist" physicians? Thank you |
| Beth Witten | Re: Ending Dialysis (Currently 0 replies) Posted At 23:23:42 10/03/2002 Your friend may not really believe that her kidneys are failing and may need time or a second opinion to accept it. Denial is a common reaction to being told you have a chronic and potentially fatal illness. I'd hate to see your 30 year old friend die because she doesn't realize that people on dialysis can live full happy lives, marry, raise children, travel, work, etc. Attending classes on kidney disease and treatment and/or talking with other patients on dialysis or with transplants can help give people hope when they thought there was none. Life Options has a web site called Kidney School (www.kidneyschool.org) that might help you friend understand kidney disease and how to live long and well with it. If she has not seen a kidney specialist, I'd suggest that she do this to find out what percentage of kidney function she still has. Sometimes there are medications or dietary changes that can prolong kidney function. However, when kidney function drops below 10-15%, this is where most people start dialysis. For a while, some medications and diet changes can keep people alive. However, your friend needs to know that some "natural" supplements contain things that can be harmful when kidneys are failing. I hope since her "naturalist" is a physician, that he/she knows what things are safe and which are not. Sooner or later diet and medication alone will not be enough keep your friend alive. As kidney function continues to drop, without treatment, people get short of breath, fluid builds up, muscles become weak, people get forgetful and confused, they get sleepy, lapse into a coma, sometimes have muscle twitching, get a "frost" on their skin from the toxins building up in their body, and their heart can start beating irregularly or stop. Many times as symptoms (especially shortness of breath) increase, people who thought they weren't interested in starting on dialysis decide to give dialysis a try. They can later decide to stop dialysis and die if the burden of treatment is greater than the benefits. Your friend may not realize that, even with lupus, she could be a transplant candidate. People often don't know that they can get evaluated for a transplant and if found to be healthy enough, your friend could talk with family and friends to see if anyone would be willing to donate a kidney or her doctor could put her on the transplant waiting list before she has kidney failure. I have known several people whose lupus was controlled and they did well on dialysis or with transplants. |
| betsy wood | Re: Ending Dialysis (Currently 0 replies) Posted At 07:14:42 10/14/2002 My husband has been on Dialysis for 6 years now. His quality of life has been very poor for over a couple of years now because he never feels good. He still smokes cigarettes and does a lot of coughing. I see him trying to catch his breath a lot, even when he is not smoking. His eye sight is bad now and I have to drive him and pick him up from dialysis round trip 55 miles 3 times a week because he doesnt want to try and let a van pick him up. Sometimes he seems to go into a deep sleep which scares me a lot. He does a lot of vomiting almost every day. All of a sudden, it seems he cannot walk very well because his joints won't move for him. The doctor tells him that he is doing fine and is getting cleaned out good on the machine. He willnot tell the doctor how bad he feels or that he throws up a lot, and he forbids me to tell the doctor. If I dont do what he says he gets mad at me. Last night, he got up out of bed and got on the couch and tried to sleep. He has done this before. I asked him why. He say's that he doesnot know, he just dont feel right. My question to you is, how I know when his body is failing and dialysis is no longer doing the job for him? Sometimes, I can hear the fluid in his lungs. His coughing isnot always a cigarette cough. What do I expect to see in him when his treatments are no longer working? I feel that he is rapidly failing, and I think he knows it also, but wont say it. Please help! |
| Kathryn | Re: Ending Dialysis (Currently 0 replies) Posted At 09:31:10 11/12/2002 It's been three months since my mother quit dialysis. There were a few times that I thought, okay, this is the end. But she manages to keep going. We were told she would live two to four weeks without dialysis. Sometimes she gets discouraged because she is lingering so long. I see it as more time to spend with her. It just so wierd not knowing when it's going to happen. I moved in with her (even though I am married) so I can be with her and take care of her. I never expected to be still living with her three months later.I would be interested hearing of similar experiences. |
| Beth Witten | Re: Ending Dialysis (Currently 0 replies) Posted At 20:02:07 11/17/2002 Although most people who withdraw from dialysis die in around two weeks, if people have residual kidney function, they can living much longer. If it hasn't been done, I'd suggest that your mother ask her nephrologist to check her kidney function now that she hasn't had dialysis for several months. Based on how much kidney function she has, the nephrologist may be able to give you and your mother a better idea of how long she might live without dialysis. I'm sure your mother appreciates what you're doing for her, but she probably feels guilty for taking you away from your husband and family. A hospice agency could help you make sure your mother receives the level of care you would provide for her so you could split your time between her and your husband. Your mother's nephrologist or dialysis social worker could make arrangements for hospice services if you wish. This way you will not jeopardize your marriage to take care of your mother. |
| susan | Re: Ending Dialysis (Currently 0 replies) Posted At 16:56:57 01/05/2003 does anyone know what the end is usually like. tell me fast. are there any signs to look for? |
| Exie Stevenson | Re: Ending Dialysis (Currently 0 replies) Posted At 12:07:01 01/06/2003 I have a 19 year old daughter. She has been sick for six years. She has been through two transplant both have failed. Now she back on dialysis and she has informed me once before that she want to stop her treatment. I feel that this thoughts are all my fault and because of so much tension we have created between us over the years that i have damaged our relationship. I have not had an easy life raising my children. I never let any one abuse them. But just to to come to realization for me I have been the biggest abuser in her life. I hate her father because he has not ever been there for her when it counts but she want to leave and go live out her final days with him. all because I love and care so much and always so protective over her. so much that i have driven her into a decision that will affect all my years to come. I try to explain to her the effects of her being sick. But I just wind up hurting her because she said I am always contstantly reminding her of her illness I don't mean to remind her so much it is just that i don't anyone else to take my place with caring for her when it comes to her illness. I might have said some hard things to her yeasterday in a heated argument that might have made this thought a done deal. I don't know how i am going to live with my self because of this argument that took my child life. She said she is just tire of being sick all the time the needles no strength not being able to live a regular life as a teenager. But my hard ways have just sealed my daughter casket for ever. Please help me I am going to loose my heart and mind over this final decision. |
| Beth Witten | Re: Ending Dialysis (Currently 0 replies) Posted At 00:09:30 01/11/2003 You don't say how long your daughter has kept either kidney, whether they were donated by family or by a deceased donor, what led to the rejection, how long since she lost the last kidney and had to start dialysis, what type of dialysis she is on, and whether she's being treated in a pediatric or adult dialysis facility. I hope that your daughter finds something in her life to give her motivation to continue treatment. Parents are often the first to blame themselves when their children have problems. None of us are perfect parents. Neither are our children perfect. Growing up and becoming independent from parents is never easy for the parent or the child. It is made more difficult when the child develops a chronic illness and is probably even worse when the child develops that illness as a teenager. As you probably know, even healthy teens and their parents fight and say things in the heat of battle that neither mean. I hope that your daughter continues treatment. From your post it sounds like you are both depressed and both of you are feeling hopeless about her health and future. There should be a nephrology social worker in your daughter's dialysis facility. This social worker should have a master's degree in clinical social worker and thus trained to counsel patients and families. He/she can talk with you and your daughter to offer counseling at the clinic or refer you to someone who does family therapy. This type of counseling can help you and your daughter look at and improve negative communication patterns and even re-evaluate possibilities that the future may hold for her -- career, marriage or long-term relationship, children, etc. She might benefit from meeting other teens or young adults who are on dialysis or have transplants so she can get support from them. At the same time, I suspect meeting other parents could give you support and encouragement that all of us need in raising our children. Talk with your daughter's social worker and/or the National Kidney Foundation about whether such groups exist in your area. There is an online support listserv for people on dialysis or with transplants and their families at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dialysis_support. I've heard many positive things about this group. You and your daughter might also get something out of reading the National Kidney Foundation's brochure "It's Just Part of My Life" that was written for teens. The Life Options booklet "New Life, New Hope: A Booklet for Families and Friends of Renal Patients" is on the Life Options web site (www.lifeoptions.org) under print materials and offers tips for family members of dialysis patients. Rather than blaming yourself which is never very productive, reach out and ask for help from family, friends, and your daughter's treatment team. I think you will be glad that you did. |
| CAROL | Re: Ending Dialysis (Currently 0 replies) Posted At 08:28:27 03/26/2003 My Mom have just stopped dialysis on 3-24-03 she is at her last stage of renal failure,and because of her health, the doctors says that it's not doing her any good,they are giving her 2 weeks to live.someone please tell me what to expect what signs to look for. |
| CAROL | Re: Ending Dialysis (Currently 0 replies) Posted At 08:28:58 03/26/2003 My Mom have just stopped dialysis on 3-24-03 she is at her last stage of renal failure,and because of her health, the doctors says that it's not doing her any good,they are giving her 2 weeks to live.someone please tell me what to expect what signs to look for. |
| Beth Witten | Re: Ending Dialysis (Currently 0 replies) Posted At 21:50:23 03/27/2003 People who stop dialysis may live up 2 weeks, but most die sooner than that. Without treatment, people get short of breath, fluid builds up in their body and they get puffy, muscles become weak, people get forgetful and confused, they get sleepy, lapse into a coma, sometimes have muscle twitches, get a "frost" on their skin from the toxins building up in their body, and their heart can start beating irregularly and will eventually stop. Tips: 1) Talk with the nephrologist about what to expect and what medications he/she plans to give your mother in case she needs something for pain or anxiety. 2) Ask her doctor for a referral to Hospice. Hospice staff are very strong advocates for patients and their families and will do their best to make sure that your mother's last days are as comfortable as possible and that your family's needs are met too. 3) Talk with the dietitian about what foods your mother can eat. The dietitian may remove suggest that she be allowed to eat what she wishes. However, limit the amount of fluids she drinks to keep her from getting too short of breath. 4) Be sure that she has an opportunity to speak with people that she cares about and that her spiritual needs are met. 5) Find a support group to help you deal with the loss that you will likely feel the loss for months and even years to come. Make sure that you take care of yourself and ask others for help when you need it. |
| Carol S. | Re: Ending Dialysis (Currently 0 replies) Posted At 10:38:38 04/25/2003 My Father is going for his last dialysis on Sat. April 26, 03. He has zero kidney function and is in very poor health. He is in a nursing home and is ready to go on to his next life. He has had several strokes and hasn't been able to get out of bed since October, 02. Could you tell me what to expect and approximately how long he might have left? |
| Beth Witten | Re: Ending Dialysis (Currently 0 replies) Posted At 23:12:21 04/28/2003 The National Kidney Foundation has a booklet Dialysis: Deciding to Stop. This can be found online at www.kidney.org/general/atoz/content/dialysisstop.html. Death usually occurs within a few days or weeks and patients can be kept comfortable with medications and shortness of breath can be lessened if they don't drink too much. Hopefully the nursing home is talking with the nephrologist and possibly the renal dietitian for suggestions regarding your father's medical and nutritional care. You might ask if a hospice program can work with him and with your family to help you through this period. Hospice staff are experienced with the dying process and usually communicate closely with the physician to make sure the needs of the patient are met. Remember to take care of yourself too. Even though your father has been ill for a long time, expect to grieve so don't hold back asking others for support. |
| Brenda Williams | Re: Ending Dialysis (Currently 0 replies) Posted At 11:48:03 05/12/2003 Difficult decisions indeed. My husband is 47 years old and has been a diabetic for 20+ years. He has had 4 laser treatments on his eyes for bleeding in the retna, as well as a total retna replacement 7 years ago. He was diagnosed with ESRD 3 years ago and been on dialysis since January 2000. Over the course of the last three years, he has had 4 strokes (one which left his left hand paralized). Has had both legs amputated to just below the knees. Has had the middle finger of his Right hand (which is his only good hand to work with) amputated and will tomorrow (05/13/03) have his right index finger and his right ringer amputated. All amputations have been due to the lack of circulation to the extremetities. My husband has been in a nursing home since August of 2002 and is becoming more delusional, withdrawn, confused, and has been having holucinations, etc. due the amount of brain damage he has experienced. These symptons occure anywhere from 2-3 times per week but seldom last more than 2 days at at time. Some days his mind is better than others. But I know there is no hope and that dialysis is just sustaining his life and that it will never be the same. I have expressed this concern to his doctors and am awaiting their decision after the care plan meeting tomorrow. Should I press for his stopping dialysis or should I just sit back and watch his body be taken apart one piece at a time. How much can the human body take? How much medication? How much pain? He's on 28 pills a day, 5 shots per day, dialysis 3 times a week. Sleeps 60% of his days and doesn't quite understand everything that's happening to him. What should I do? Please give me some guidance and understanding. |
| Beth Witten | Re: Ending Dialysis (Currently 0 replies) Posted At 20:20:10 05/13/2003 There are several questions that need to be asked and answered to know what you should do: 1) Have you talked with your husband's nephrologist about what, if anything, can be done to manage your husband's pain? As I'm sure you know, pain can make a person's life pretty unbearable. What does your husband's nephrologist say about his health and what, if anything (diabetes, dialysis adequacy, medication side-effects, treatment at the nursing home, lack of exercise to promote circulation, etc.) could be contributing to his symptoms and deteriorating health? 2) Has your husband said that he wants to continue treatment or does he say he wants to stop treatment knowing that he will die? 3) Has a psychiatrist evaluated your husband's mental status, lab values, and medications in light of the symptoms you report. If so, is there nothing that could be changed to improve his physical and mental status? Has he/she said that your husband is competent to make healthcare decisions? If so, the decision is your husband's to make no matter whether you think his health and quality of life are poor. Studies have shown that healthcare providers and even family members underestimate a patient's quality of life. 4) If your husband cannot express his wishes, does he have a durable power of attorney for healthcare decisions (also called a healthcare proxy) that names someone to act in his behalf? If so, what does that person think that your husband would say if he could express his wishes. 5) If your husband cannot express his wishes or a psychiatrist believes he is not competent to make his own decision and he hasn't named a healthcare proxy, you may need to get a court order naming you as the person to make any healthcare decisions -- including whether to continue or stop his dialysis. If you are the one who is entrusted to make this very important decision, it's likely you will find it a difficult one to make. Talk with other family members to be sure that you don't face negative fallout from them for whatever decision you make. A counselor or support group could be a big help now and in the future. |
| Beth Witten | Re: Ending Dialysis (Currently 0 replies) Posted At 20:20:14 05/13/2003 There are several questions that need to be asked and answered to know what you should do: 1) Have you talked with your husband's nephrologist about what, if anything, can be done to manage your husband's pain? As I'm sure you know, pain can make a person's life pretty unbearable. What does your husband's nephrologist say about his health and what, if anything (diabetes, dialysis adequacy, medication side-effects, treatment at the nursing home, lack of exercise to promote circulation, etc.) could be contributing to his symptoms and deteriorating health? 2) Has your husband said that he wants to continue treatment or does he say he wants to stop treatment knowing that he will die? 3) Has a psychiatrist evaluated your husband's mental status, lab values, and medications in light of the symptoms you report. If so, is there nothing that could be changed to improve his physical and mental status? Has he/she said that your husband is competent to make healthcare decisions? If so, the decision is your husband's to make no matter whether you think his health and quality of life are poor. Studies have shown that healthcare providers and even family members underestimate a patient's quality of life. 4) If your husband cannot express his wishes, does he have a durable power of attorney for healthcare decisions (also called a healthcare proxy) that names someone to act in his behalf? If so, what does that person think that your husband would say if he could express his wishes. 5) If your husband cannot express his wishes or a psychiatrist believes he is not competent to make his own decision and he hasn't named a healthcare proxy, you may need to get a court order naming you as the person to make any healthcare decisions -- including whether to continue or stop his dialysis. If you are the one who is entrusted to make this very important decision, it's likely you will find it a difficult one to make. Talk with other family members to be sure that you don't face negative fallout from them for whatever decision you make. A counselor or support group could be a big help now and in the future. |
| pavani chari | Re: Ending Dialysis (Currently 0 replies) Posted At 12:52:19 08/01/2003 my father has stopped dialysis on 25th of july he had actually started dialysis 2 months back and since then he has become very weak he went in to coma 15 days back and he now on his bed and cannot move he has now continuous motions and we have to change diapers frequently the doctor says because his both kidneys have failed gradually all his body parts will also stop funtioning i want to know how long will he live and is the continous motions a symptom of end what are also other symptoms please answer as soon as possible thankyou |
| Beth Witten | Re: Ending Dialysis (Currently 0 replies) Posted At 23:16:12 08/03/2003 Like your father's doctor said, when kidneys aren't working and someone isn't getting dialysis, wastes build up in the body and eventually other organs stop functioning. You've already seen your father go into a coma and lose control of his bladder and bowels, and have muscle twitching. You may also see him have difficulty breathing and you could see a "frost" on his skin from toxins coming through the pores. Most people who stop dialysis live a few days to a couple of weeks. How long someone lives depends on how much kidney function they have left and whether or not they are eating and drinking. The National Kidney Foundation has an excellent booklet on stopping dialysis at http://www.kidney.org/general/atoz/content/dialysisstop.html. Ask your father's doctor how long he/she estimates your father might live. Also, if your father is uncomfortable, his doctor may be able to prescribe medication to make him as comfortable as possible. Finally, it's important to take care of yourself. What you are going through is emotionally draining and there are people who can help you go through it, including friends, family, and professional counselors. |