Part of your commitment to dialysis treatment includes your carefully keeping on a regular schedule for your treatment sessions. To maintain your quality of life and ensure a successful treatment plan, both the frequency and duration of your sessions are vitally important.
Patients who miss dialysis, or shorten their treatement, often must deal with unnecessary health complications and sometimes face severe consequences.
Here are good reasons for making a careful plan to maintain your regular schedule of treatment sessions.
- Hemodialysis can only replace a very small part (15%) of what normal kidneys do. If you do not get enough dialysis, your body will retain the waste products and extra fluid that cause you to feel tired and sick.
- If you are not getting enough dialysis, you may experience symptoms such as weakness, weight loss, poor appetite, disturbed sleep, feeling depressed, trouble breathing, nausea, or a bad taste in your mouth.
- If you are receiving enough dialysis, you will experience greater energy, improved appetite, improved sleep, better overall health, and a longer life.