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My friend could use some help

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Kidney Diseases & Disorders
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Posted 4/16/2014 1:38 AM (GMT 0)
I have a friend who's kidney is failing. It's now 38% lost of function. He's gain alot of water weight and can even bent over to put on socks. He said he's heading for dialyses..3x a week for 4 hours. He's very depressed and worries about the dialyses causing seizures and having his driver's license taken away. He also said he knew someone on dialyses and he shot himself in the head!

There's got to be some positives about dialysis. Unfortunately he has no internet and can't do any research or connect in these support groups. He lives in Hatfield PA, near Philly. Are there any support groups out that way that may benefit him?
Posted 4/18/2014 7:55 PM (GMT 0)
Why don't you/your friend contact his doctor, the local hospital, or the dialysis place to see if they know of any support groups? Maybe your friend could also schedule an appointment with his doc, a nurse, or other medical provider to learn more about his condition and what to expect. I know very little about this stuff, but it sounds like your friend has heard only the worst case scenario kind of things.

Good luck and take care!
Posted 4/30/2014 10:19 PM (GMT 0)
I agree that the friend should contact the doctor he is working with to see what sort of support is out there. Or could you google it for him, and see if there are support groups close to where he lives?
Posted 5/17/2014 6:00 AM (GMT 0)
Hello
How are you doing? and how is ur friend's condition now ? I 'm Dr .frank graduating from Harvard medical school and reasearch kidney diseases for so many years .At the same time ,i m from china ,now ,i 'm workig for a specialized ,authoritative,famous hospital only researching and treating kidney disease.
according to what u submitted on line about ur friend's kidney disease .His swelling on his legs ,38% lost of his kidney function show that he is in stage 2 of CKD and because no detail examination paper ,so i cant tell ur friend's disease apart,since there are so many kinds of kidney diseases , different disease ,different theropy .so i wanna know about that did ur firend get confirmed ?what kind of disease he got ?u know what level of ur firend's creatinine and creatinine and GFR?
so , only in this way can i help u friend. I dont know if u know about chinese medicine .and we keep researching kidney disease for so many years with combining chinese medicine and western medcine .
As for ur friend's condition about blood dialysis.In fact it is no need to worry about side effect .In fact ,in the theory of chinese medicine ,we can absolutely reduce the rate of diaysis,gradually he can live without dialysis .

i hope we can have a good talk about ur friend's condition ,at the same time i hope i can get better and better as soon as possible .

Post Edited By Moderator (opnwhl4) : 5/25/2014 9:27:14 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 8/5/2014 11:45 AM (GMT 0)
 

Unfortunately, there is nothing positive about dialysis. It is painful, and even when you aren't in pain it's an extreme strain on your body and head, and it's exhausting. Usually, all you can do afterwards is sleep, and it's often not a very comfortable sleep. It keeps you alive, yes, but at a massive cost to the life you knew before.

 

I have been on dialysis for two and a half years, and I have considered taking my life many times, just to put an end to the pain. So I understand your friend's depression. It's physically and emotionally draining to go through. I began the process for a kidney transplant last March, and it's very slow going. Dialysis is no way for a person to live, I feel, so your friend should begin the transplant process right away. He'll need a lot of support and help with that from the people around him. He'll need his friends and family fighting for him, because the truth is that doctors don't take patients themselves very seriously.

 

In the meantime, he needs things to occupy what time he has the energy to spend. Simple projects to work on, and things to do with family. I don't know if his driver's license will be taken, but it's not a good idea for him to drive at this time. Dialysis is such a strain on your body that you find yourself becoming weak and idzzy at unexpected times. I can't say for seizures, either. I haven't had them, but I'm relatively healthy for my condition. Still, I get exhausted all the time.

 

TRIO (Transplant Recipients International Organization) is a good support group. I'm trying to find out where they might have meetings near Philadelphia. If he can find a TRIO group, they'll be able to help in some way.

Posted 9/21/2015 11:17 PM (GMT 0)
Hello Peace&Harmony,

Firstly,I feel for your friend and what he's going through.

I'm diabetic and my kidneys failed july 23rd of this year.two weeks before i went on dialysis my legs swelled and I was short of breathe.I knew months ago i was going on dialysis.I put it off until I couldn't anymore.When I ended up in the hospital with fluid build up in my lungs and legs the crap got real(excuse my language).If I hadn't gone on dialysis I would have live 6-8 weeks.I was there 7 days and the day after I was released I was on dialysis in the center 3 times a week 4 hours a day.

It's not pleasant,but it is tolerable.Thankfully I have family and friends for support and a great staff and new friends at the center.I do have a reality bites moment everyday thinking and knowing that I will be on dialysis until I leave this earth.The alternative is worse.

If he has to go on dialysis his doctor will get him set up with classes and information on dialysis options.Also I did a lot of research on-line about dialysis and support groups.It's not all gloom and doom..It is a daily process.Helps to have something positive to look forward to while dialyzing.Thank god my center has cable tv,internet,music,heated/vibrating recliners.Everything one needs to get through 4 hours of dialysis.LOL.

I wish you and your friend Good Luck and Well Wishes.
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