The Effects of Missed Dialysis Treatments
The holidays are a busy time of year. Your calendar may be full with gatherings, festivities, social events and more. In the rush of the holiday season, you may wonder if missing dialysis treatments is really that harmful. The truth is that missing dialysis treatments can have a negative impact on your nutrition and lifestyle.
What happens if I miss treatment?
Between dialysis treatments, toxins can build up in your blood and make you sick. You can reduce toxin buildup by controlling what you eat and drink and getting dialysis treatment as prescribed by your doctor. What you eat and drink is associated with what your dialysis treatments remove. For example, if you have a very salty meal and drink more, you may have blood pressure fluctuations or cramping during treatment due to the extra fluid being removed.
Some foods can cause toxins to build up quickly between your dialysis sessions. If your blood contains too much waste, your dialysis treatment may not remove them all.
Foods and beverages to limit or avoid include those high in:
- Sodium
- Phosphorus
- Potassium
- Fluid
Another purpose of dialysis is to remove water from the body, since kidney function is impaired. However, dialysis can only remove a limited amount of fluid safely per treatment. If you come to dialysis treatment with too much fluid in your body, it can cause the following symptoms:
- Swelling and weight gain between dialysis sessions
- Belly bloating
- Changes in blood pressure; a sudden drop can cause you to feel dizzy or nauseous
- Enlarged heart, leading to heart failure
- A buildup of fluid in the lungs, making it hard to breathe
- Feeling ill
- Muscle cramping
Every treatment is important
It is very important not to skip treatment. Having toxins removed from your body is essential to help make sure you feel well every day, which is especially important around the holidays. If you are unable to make your scheduled dialysis treatment, please communicate with your DaVita care team to reschedule your treatment.
Your dietitian and doctor can help determine how much liquid you can consume each day to meet your needs. Also speak with your dietitian for more nutrition information on which foods and beverages are right for you to help control fluid, potassium, phosphorus and sodium in your diet.
Resources:
Eating & Nutrition for Hemodialysis. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/kidney-disease/kidney-failure/hemodialysis/eating-nutrition#important. Accessed on 10/3/2022.
Excess Fluid: How It Can Impact Heart Health. DaVita, Inc. Accessed 10/3/2022.
Additional Kidney Diet Resources
Visit DaVita.com and explore these diet and nutrition resources:
DaVita Kidney-Friendly Recipes
This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment. Consult your physician and dietitian regarding your specific diagnosis, treatment, diet and health questions.
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