For a person with Diabetes, his blood sugar levels are too high. Over time,
this can lead to damage to the blood vessels in the kidneys. If this happens,
the kidneys are not able to clean the blood adequately. The body will retain
more fluid and sodium that it should remove, which can lead to weight gain and
ankle swelling. Also, waste products will accumulate in the blood. When the
kidneys fail to support a normal life, dialysis is needed.
Definition
Kidney dialysis is a life-saving treatment given to people whose kidneys are
failing. There are two mainly two forms:
Hemodialysis. A dialysis machine filters the blood and infuses it back into
the body. This is a three- to four- hour process that must be done 2~3 times a
week.
Peritoneal dialysis. It requires a high level of commitment, as this must be
done every day.
While a person is on dialysis, he may experience problems. The following
gives some of the common ones:
Nausea and vomiting
These conditions may occur during routine dialysis treatments. In most cases,
the cause is low blood pressure. Medications may be given if these problems
persist.
Fluid overload
Fluid may collect in the system between the treatment process with decreased
urine output. Weight gain occurs which may vary from case to case. The intake of
fluid should be restricted, as excess drinking will result in quite ill
condition.
Some problems include elevated blood pressure, swollen hands, arms, and face,
shortness of breath. In severe cases, congestive heart failure can be
caused.
Muscle cramping
Muscle cramping of the hands, feet, and legs is very common among people on
hemodialysis. Conditions that may lead to this problem are hypotension, being
below dry weight, and use of low sodium dialysis solution.
Nowadays, a new natural therapy for Diabetes with kidney disease is available
in China, which is known as Immunotherapy. This is a holistic treatment with no
side effects.