Are You Cut Out to Do Home Dialysis?

2020-08-25T23:56:42-04:00April 8th, 2013|Categories: Blog, Home Hemodialysis|

By Dr. Linda Gromko, MD, Guest Blogger Hi my name is Dr. Linda Gromko and I am a Seattle family practice physician who assisted my husband Steve Williams with both hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis for three-and-a-half years before his death in April 2011. In coordination with interior designer Jane C. McClure, I wrote Arranging Your Life When Dialysis Comes Home: “The Underwear Factor’ and two other books about my family’s experience with ESRD. Last month, I discussed the advantages of doing dialysis at home. There’s no doubt that home dialysis – both hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis – offer the opportunity for [...]

Arranging Your Life When Dialysis Comes Home

2020-08-26T00:01:58-04:00February 26th, 2013|Categories: Blog, Home Hemodialysis|

By Linda G, Guest Blogger Hi my name is Linda Gromko and I am a a Seattle family practice physician who served as my husband’s Care Partner in both home hemodialysis and home peritoneal dialysis for several years before his death in 2011. I am a strong advocate of home dialysis, and I have co-authored “Arranging Your Life When Dialysis Comes Home: The Underwear Factor” with Interior Designer Jane C. McClure. I also wrote “Complications: A Doctor’s Love Story,” and “Let Me Go When the Banter Stops: A Doctor’s Fight for the Love of Her Life.” I wanted to share my [...]

What Are My Options If I Have Kidney Failure?

2020-04-27T21:34:49-04:00January 4th, 2013|Categories: eNews, Home Hemodialysis, In-Center Hemodialysis, Kidney Transplant, Peritoneal Dialysis|

While many people learn suddenly that they have kidney failure, or end stage renal disease (ESRD), chronic kidney disease (CKD) happens over time. For those who know they will be facing kidney failure, they have time to learn about the treatment choices, or modalities, available and prepare. Whether a person has months to prepare or needs to make a sudden decision about which modality is right, his or her doctor or nephrologist (doctor specializing in kidney care) will help educate and guide. Dialysis and Kidney Transplantation There are two treatments for kidney failure: dialysis and transplantation. Dialysis is a treatment that [...]

Low Blood Pressure – Intradialytic Hypotension

2024-03-08T15:14:12-05:00January 4th, 2013|Categories: eNews, Fact Sheet, Home Hemodialysis, Peritoneal Dialysis, What Causes Kidney Disease|Tags: |

By Dori Schatell, Medical Education Institute One of the main jobs of dialysis is to remove excess water from your body. Seems pretty simple, right? Like wringing out a wet towel? Of course, your body is more complex than a towel—and taking over a task that healthy kidneys did isn’t really so easy. Removing water can lower your blood pressure at dialysis, which can make you feel wretched during and even after a treatment. We’ll tell you why—and how you can stop it. Fluid in Your Body Maybe you’ve heard that the human body is made mostly of water. It’s [...]

Things to Think About When Evaluating Dialysis Treatment Options

2020-04-27T21:35:39-04:00November 29th, 2012|Categories: eNews, Home Hemodialysis, In-Center Hemodialysis, Peritoneal Dialysis|

There are pros and cons with each dialysis option. Each person is different and they need to work with their family and healthcare team to decide which will work best for them. For many, dialysis at home is more flexible than at a center, but there are also more responsibilities. This chart compares each of the choices: In Center Home Conventional or Nocturnal Conventional, Short Daily, or Nocturnal* CAPD/CCPD (peritoneal dialysis) Portable No Depends on machine Yes Travel possible With advance planning With portable machine Yes Needles used Yes Yes No Training time None 4-6 weeks (depending on system) 1-2 weeks [...]

History and Overview of Home Hemodialysis

2020-04-27T21:35:39-04:00November 29th, 2012|Categories: eNews, Home Hemodialysis, News & Events|Tags: |

History In the 1960's during the early days of home hemodialysis, most treatments were done in the home, primarily because of the lack of hospital or clinic-based facilities. By 1973, 40% of dialysis patients were doing their treatments at home. Decline of Home Hemodialysis The percentage of home hemodialysis patients began to drop after 1973. Today the situation has almost reversed and most people on dialysis (90%) get their treatments at a dialysis center. The drop in home hemodialysis was caused by the following: In 1972, Congress passed legislation that created a Medicare program to pay for dialysis treatment. This program [...]

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