Daily Notes for Patients with Hemodialysis

Because of the decrease or loss of kidney function, patients with Uremia can’t discharge the metabolic wastes and water. In order to maintain the body’s normal metabolic activity, we need to depend on hemodialysis to discharge toxins in urine so that symptoms will be relieved to improve quality of life. Generally, hemodialysis can be taken 2 to 3 times in one week and each time can be 4 to 6 hours. If patients can adhere to take reasonable dialysis, many of them can have a more normal life. Some may live more than 20 years. If patients choose appropriate treatments, they may get rid of dialysis slowly.

Patients with hemodialysis should pay attention to following aspects in daily life:

● Control of the intake of water. Patients should record and measure their daily output of urine. Generally, the intake of water is that daily output of urine plus 500ml. Patients who need to take dialysis should pay attention to rice and noodles that they usually eat. In addition, patients shouldn’t eat salty things to avoid thirst.
● Measure body weight everyday. Everyday, patients should measure weight at the fixed time and the same pound. During the two dialysis, weight can’t exceed 2 to 3kg.
● Care of arteriovenous fistula. Patients can’t lift weight with fistula limbs. They shouldn’t wear tight clothes or be bandaged tightly.
● How to take medicines. Various medicines have their own effect. The time and methods are different, so patients should take the medicines in accordance with physician instructions. They should get doctors’ content when they take other prescription medicines. Keep local cleanness to avoid infections. Usually we can touch or use stethoscope to check whether it is smooth or not. There is obvious rustle, sound of water or vibration sense in normal state. If there is no sound, patients should be treated immediately.
● In daily life, patients should prevent infections and develop good health habits. Patients should control diet, avoid the intake of food which contains high potassium and high phosphorus. They should measure and record the blood pressure. Patients should take medicines and other supportive treatment to control the increase of blood pressure and maintain hemoglobin at normal or near normal levels. They should take dialysis at regular time. To avoid the aggravation of the disease, dialysis can’t be suspended arbitrarily. If any emergency situations occur or patients feel uncomfortable, please contact with the dialysis center immediately.
● Finally, patients should pay attention to appropriate activities to avoid fatigue and prevent cold. Besides, they should avoid taking medicines which are harmful to kidney.

As long as patients do what mentioned above, their life quality can improve greatly. Besides it is important for the stability of disease and the reducing of complications.