When something as life changing as kidney failure comes along, it is natural to feel anxious, afraid and worried over what the future holds. All of a sudden, there is a big question mark over the life that was planned and an uncertainty over what will replace it.
Loss of renal function and the dependence on dialysis lead to dramatic life changes. Your healthcare team has an important role to play in helping you adjust to life on dialysis.
The aim of your treatment is for you to be able to lead as normal a life as possible. Many patients see dialysis as a necessary inconvenience. They dialyze to live, not live to dialyze.
It is important to understand how your quality of life can be affected by dialysis. The common problems that patients experience include:
Anxiety — this may have a significant impact on your daily functioning. Symptoms include feelings of being unable to predict, control or obtain what you want.
Your heart is often racing during parts of the dialysis treatment or you are anxious about coming to treatment.
Difficulty sleeping — can be due to a variety of factors but anxiety is one of the most common. Difficulty sleeping can be due to poor sleeping and waking habits and to unhealthy lifestyle choices.
Depression — can be mild, moderate or severe. It is a diagnosis that is given to a group of symptoms. These include persistent low mood, lack of interest in activities, changes in sleep and appetite, lack of concentration and fatigue.
It can often be difficult for you to realize that you are having difficulties coping with the life changes you are experiencing and it can often be difficult for you to discuss your feelings with your healthcare team.
If you feel you are having problems coping with a life on dialysis, try not to keep things to yourself. Speak to a member of the healthcare team at the clinic; ask to see someone you feel at ease with. Clinic staff have many years’ experience working with kidney patients and there are few situations they have not seen before. Often with a little bit of information, or with small changes to your treatment, things become easier to understand that help you begin to see things in a better way.
Do not be afraid to share your concerns and we will do our best to help. A problem shared is a problem halved.