Conservative Treatment to Avoid Side Effects of Dialysis

Dialysis treatment is often prescribed to help men and women who have end-stage renal disease eliminate the wastes in the blood, health care experts say, but it also has several complications associated to long-term use. Conservative treatment without dialysis is one of the possible options for people with irreversible kidney damage, according to the Renal Resource Centre (RRC). If the patient refuses to have dialysis or a new kidney, he or she might still be able to live the same as those who are receiving dialysis treatment. The recent consolidation of GranuFlo lawsuits in Massachusetts state court has even added to the fears of some elderly individuals to undergo dialysis treatment.


Knowing that one has end-stage renal disease (the kidney has already incurred irreversible damages) may seem overwhelming but it is important to choose the treatment before the symptoms start to show. Family members are often included in the decision because they need to assist patients in their choices. For men and women over the age of 60 who are frail, dialysis treatment may not be effective because of the comorbidities of this type of treatment. An average of life expectancy of four years is possible for older adults with ages over 75 years old who are under dialysis treatment, according to the National Health Services in the United Kingdom.


Conservative treatment for end-stage kidney disease may focus more on treating the symptoms of the disease. Rather than preventing the disease, it allows the disease to run its natural course but will help the patient be more comfortable by treating the pressing symptoms. Drug and diet management are the combination that is used to alleviate the symptoms of renal failure. Most of the symptoms experienced by those who are undergoing conservative treatment are also experienced by those who are under dialysis treatment. The symptoms that are being managed are lack of energy, loss of appetite, fluid retention and ankle swelling, bruising, pins and needles in the hands or feet, itch, nausea and shortness of breath


Kidney functions are still being preserved through this type of medical management but it does not replace the functions of the kidney. However, patients and family members need to be aware that this course of decision might eventually lead to death. This possibility is often discussed by health care providers to patients before they undergo the treatment. There are some family members who have filed a   GranuFlo and NaturaLyte lawsuit after a family member died of heart attack related to their dialysis treatment.

 

URL References:
renalresource.com/pdf/IntroCCACKD.pdf
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18029376
cjasn.asnjournals.org/content/4/10/1611.abstract