Whether it is dialysis or kidney transplant, both are the medical treatments for severe kidney failure. Kidney failure occurs at stage 5 at the end of kidney disease or renal disease. There are two types of dialysis, these are hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. You may have heard that a kidney transplant is one of the better options than kidney dialysis. This is because a kidney transplant gives you a longer life. In case, you or anyone you know is going through the underlying symptoms of kidney failure, you can consult a doctor at Fortis Hospital Mulund.
Kidney failure and the related facts –
- When the kidneys are no longer working properly, waste products and electrolytes start building up in the blood. This may impact the quality of the bloodstream of your body.
- Dialysis helps a little bit with the failing kidneys by removing the fluid and waste products from the bloodstream.
- On the other hand, a kidney transplant helps to take over the function of a failing kidney.
- It depends on your discussion and the chances of matching that which you choose best for you.
When is the time to get a kidney transplant or kidney dialysis?
With the change in the functioning of the kidneys, the kidneys start losing the ability to filter the fluid, waste products, and electrolytes. These waste products start accumulating into the bloodstream. A kidney transplant or dialysis is performed when the function of kidneys occurs with the majority of complications. The treatment may take at least a month or even years in certain rare cases. Sometimes, the doctor may even fail to detect whether or not kidney failure is creating health issues. You can discuss these things with your doctor in case you think that the symptoms belong to kidney failure.
- Having either dialysis or kidney transplant in the time of need can be a lifesaver.
- If you have underlying symptoms of kidney disease, you can go for dialysis. It is one of the best options for kidney disease even if you have mild symptoms and possess the chances of failure within a few months or years.
- In the case of severe kidney disease, you may have persistent symptoms like nausea, loss of appetite, loss of energy, vomiting, concentration problems, and others.
- You can connect with your doctor and discuss things to understand which option is best for you.
- For this, your doctor may require you to have your urine test to check the quality of urine or the level of impurity in your urine. This will give the best sign whether you need a kidney transplant or simply dialysis.
- However, in most rare cases where you have kidney failure and are completely unable to perform normal routine activities, you can go for a kidney transplant. This is because a kidney transplant is one of the better options than kidney dialysis and may help you increase your lifespan.
What do you need to know about kidney transplants?
A kidney transplant is considered the best choice for many people with severe or chronic kidney disease. The process is accepted in those cases where you have impacted lifestyle and the survival may get impacted if you do not have a kidney transplant. However, because of the shortage of kidney donors, your doctor may recommend kidney dialysis. Many people who may require kidney transplantation do not often get the right donor. They are enlisted on the waiting list until the perfect match is available to them.
- You can have a kidney transplant from any relative or unrelated person like your spouse or any friend.
- You can also have your kidney transplant from a dead person who may choose to donate the kidneys after their death.
- In general organ transplant from a living person works better and possess a longer lifespan than those from deceased persons.
- Some people with kidney failure can not bear the pain of a kidney transplant. This is because age impacts their life span. The older you get, the more are the chances of developing heart disease and other vascular diseases.
- You can save your life span with kidney dialysis also. This means in case you are not compatible with a kidney transplant, you can choose another option for saving your life.
Other complications that may interfere with your kidney transplant process are:
- Recent cancer treatment
- A chronic illness that may lead to death if you have any transplantation process
- Dementia
- Mental illness that is unable to control or may have developed because of stress, drinking alcohol, smoking using tobacco products, and any kind of drug addiction
- Severe obesity
- Medical conditions that have impacted the mental health
- Use of drug or alcohol abuse
- History of poor dialysis treatments of kidney failure
- No health insurance
You may require a follow-up after having a kidney transplant. This may include frequent medications and a few tests to check the quality of your blood.
Why do doctors consider that a kidney transplant is one of the better options than kidney dialysis?
This is because people who get kidney transplants may have a better option of increasing their life span. For example, an adult who is in his 30s can live rarely for 15 years with dialysis. However, a kidney transplant can help him/her to jump with a life span of 30-40 years. People not only tend to live longer with kidney transplant over the choice of dialysis, but they also tend to have:
- Better quality of life: if they are spending hours on getting their dialysis done, it is likely to lower their life expectancy. It may create problems while going back to normal life.
- A certain limit to the choice of food but not severely affected
- You may get lower chances of long-term health issues
- May tend to have more energy
Dialysis can lower your energy. It can create the chances of anemia and may decrease the quality of RBC, and may also increase heart diseases. But, the most common problem with kidney transplants is having the right donor. Until or unless you get the matched donor, you can pursue kidney dialysis and can work on the relatable symptoms.
