There is a lot of misinformation floating around among dialysis patients and their families. Often we patients are told by so-called well-wishers that we don’t need that much dialysis. Some even go to the extent of suggesting that if we do too much dialysis, the kidneys do not have a chance to work. “If all the water is removed by dialysis, what will be left to pass as urine?!”

Dialysis patients must never go by this logic. Remember, dialysis barely achieves 5-10% of what kidneys do. No amount of dialysis can remove all the toxins and fluid in a perfect manner. There is no question of dialysis removing all the water and leaving nothing for the kidneys to do.

Kidneys function 24X7X365. Without a break! Dialysis is done mostly thrice a week for four hours each time. So, even assuming that the dialysis that happens during the session is 100% of kidney function (which it isn’t, its not even close!) the number of hours for which this is happening is only 12 per week compared to 168 for the normal kidneys!

So, dialysis patients must never skip a session. As it is, we are getting much less than what we need. If we reduce even this, the effects can only be deleterious. In the short term, toxins and fluid would start building leading to discomfort, breathlessness and nausea. In the long term, it could lead to other, more severe problems.

So, dialysis patients must realize this and try not to miss sessions. It would benefit us greatly.

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