What are the treatment options for end-stage kidney disease?

End-Stage kidney disease (ESKD) is famously called end-stage renal disease (ESRD). There is no cure for end-stage kidney disease, but various treatment for kidney failure in India are available that will help to delay the progression of the disease and keep the kidney functioning for as long as possible.

If you have kidney failure as a result of high blood pressure or diabetes, make sure you’re eating a balanced diet and doing other things your doctor recommends to treat diabetes and high blood pressure. The treatment for acute kidney disease in India includes medications, dialysis, and fluids while for chronic kidney disease you’ll have to read the complete article. 

End-stage renal failure symptoms before death:

Kidney failure occurs as a result of end-stage kidney disease. 

End-stage kidney failure symptoms can be life-threatening if not treated at the right time. Some of the symptoms include the following:

  • Extreme tiredness
  • Skin irritation
  • Drowsiness
  • Muscle cramps
  • Shortness of breath
  • Pain
  • Depression and anxiety
  • Nausea
  • Loss of appetite
  • Insomnia
  • Sensation in the legs
  • Passing a small amount of urine or no urine at all
  • Swelling of the feet and legs

Diet:

Simple dietary and lifestyle changes can help delay the progression of kidney disease. End-stage renal disease treatment includes taking medicines on time and eating a healthy diet. Also, eating less protein can be beneficial for your kidney in providing some relief because food such as protein excrete a lot of waste for your kidneys to clean up. 

Medication:

Your doctor can prescribe medications to help relieve the symptoms of kidney disease, as well as medications to help control the causes of chronic renal disease.

Medications that can help relieve the symptoms of end-stage kidney disease include the following:

  • Diuretics may assist in the reduction of swelling.
  • Medicines that help in treating anemia can reduce fatigue.
  • Calcium and vitamin D supplements will help keep the bones healthy.

Medicines that can help in controlling the causes of chronic or end-stage kidney disease include the following:

  • Medicines for high blood pressure.
  • Medicines that can improve the body’s cholesterol levels. 

Treatment of end-stage kidney disease in India:

There is only two treatment option for kidney disease namely:

  • Dialysis:

This procedure involves using a machine to remove waste, chemicals, and excess water from your blood, restore electrolyte levels, and help regulate your blood pressure, effectively removing many of your kidney’s functions. Dialysis is a treatment in which the kidney can no longer operate on its own and dialysis takes over that function.

There are two kinds of dialysis:

  • Hemodialysis:

Here, the blood is sent to the tube through a machine that cleans the blood by removing the harmful wastes, salt, and toxins that your normal kidney would do. You need to visit every week regularly for dialysis at the treatment center where hemodialysis is performed.

  • Peritoneal Dialysis:

Here, some fluid is put in your abdomen. This fluid is strong enough to absorb all the chemicals, wastes, and extra fluid that your kidney will usually remove. After a while, this extra fluid will drain out of your body through urine. In a period of time, you will learn to perform peritoneal dialysis on your own without the need for medical help or assistance. This is a secure care choice that you can do from the comfort of your own home.

To get the best out of dialysis, you’ll need to make a few lifestyle changes and eat a balanced diet.

Supportive Care:

Your symptoms can be managed with compassionate treatment to help you feel better. To delay the progression of end-stage renal disease, you can use supportive care alone or in conjunction with other therapies.

Kidney transplant :

A kidney transplant is a medical process in which a healthy kidney from someone else is used to replace a dead kidney. It is kidney failure treatment without dialysis. Kidneys are usually donated by deceased people through an organ donation program. 

Did you know? One kidney is enough for a person to live a healthy normal life hence, a kidney donation from a living person donor is also possible. A kidney transplant can take some time because the procedure entails finding a living or deceased donor whose kidney is the best fit for your own. The operation then entails replacing the damaged kidney with a new healthy kidney from a donor in your lower abdomen, as well as connecting the blood vessel and ureter to the bladder so that the new kidney works properly.

You need to spend several days after the operation in the hospital until you recover and no side effects are experienced. You need to visit the hospital at regular intervals for follow-up. You need to take several immunosuppressants drugs to fight infection and prevent rejection of the new kidney. 

A healthy kidney usually comes from close family and friends or relatives. It can also come from a stranger whose blood type is the same as the recipient through the kidney donor registry. Kidney donors are a blessing in disguise as they give another chance at life to the patient. 

After the successful transplantation, you’ll no longer be required to undertake dialysis and your new kidney will filter your blood and perform functions properly. 

 

What needs to be done after treatment options for kidney failure?

End-stage kidney disease is very common in Nigeria because of hypertension, sickle cell disease, urinary tract, diabetes, and other types of diseases in people of Nigeria.

If you’re diagnosed with an end-stage kidney, you’ll either need to receive a kidney transplant or undergo dialysis on a regular interval. Without any of these two treatments, the life expectancy is only several months for end-stage kidney disease individuals. 

If you’re undergoing a kidney transplant, you might take several months to recover. You’ll still need to take immunosuppressant (anti-rejection) pills to help prevent the new kidney from being rejected.

Summary:

End-stage kidney disease is also called end-stage renal disease. It can be life-threatening because the kidney stops functioning meaning it fails to cleanse out the toxins and wastes from the body and other vital functions which can take a toll on one’s health. When all other treatment options are ruled out, the only two vital options to treat end-stage kidney disease are dialysis and kidney transplant. Dialysis is where the machine filter out wastes from the body that is it performs the functions of the kidney. While a kidney transplant is the replacement of the diseased kidney with a new kidney from a living or deceased donor.

shilpijain: A head consultant and a medical professional having 11 years+ of experience in the field of medicines.