Thankyou so much for all your positive comments , we are new to all this. I must admit there is alot of fear , but since reading all of your comments we are not so scared any more.It helps the two of us meaning myself and my husband have a total different outlook on it.He just found out he is in stage 4 , kidney specialist is talking about a av fistula access with us and possibly dialysis within a year or so …Thankyou so much for all of your input , its really appreciated more than you will ever know,May God bless each and every one of you …He just turned 50 and im looking forward to a long life ahead for my husband and myself…
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Thanks I needed to see this-my stepfather is 82 and has been on dialysis for a little over a year-the doc told him maybe only a couple of years when he was diagnosised…nice to know maybe longer[QUOTE=Daughter of Patient;19417]I know this post is old, but I wanted to inform ya’ll that my Dad started Dialysis at age 77. He was told this was his only option as he was too old to qualify for a transplant. He is now 83 and still on Dialysis. He has no other health problems other than this.
Maybe this will give you an example of what can be done with prayer and will to live. Good luck to all who are on Dialysis.[/QUOTE]
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My dad is 87 with only one kidney post nephrectomy 12 years ago. Now his remaining kidney is starting to fail him and he has fluid buildup in his lungs and feet. He’s on oxygen and doesn’t want dialysis for fear that it’s “a death sentence” his exact words. But at this rate hes like to die from respiratory arrest. How can I convince him to do dialysis ? Thank you John.
The truth is kidney failure is a death sentence without treatment. Dialysis and kidney transplant allow those with kidney failure who would die otherwise to live. Here’s a booklet from the National Kidney Foundation about what will happen if you choose not to do dialysis:
I suspect your father may have mistaken beliefs about dialysis based on how the media presents dialysis when highlighting the need for more donated kidneys for transplant. I’d encourage your father to learn all he can about ALL options for treatment before making any decision. For example, many people think that hemodialysis in a clinic 3 times a week is the only option. For many, that feels too limiting. Patients who don’t want to be that limited choose to do one of the types of home dialysis. Home dialysis offers more scheduling flexibility, usually a more liberal diet and fluid limit, and patients who do home peritoneal or hemodialysis often feel better. Most patients who live alone can learn to do peritoneal dialysis without help. If your father lives with someone else or has someone to help, he and his helper could learn to do hemodialysis at home. Home training nurses are excellent at explaining different home options. You can find a short video, info about each of the home dialysis options, and chart that compares each of the home dialysis treatments with in-center dialysis here:
Here’s a fact sheet dispelling myths about dialysis:
You might also want to show him the patient stories here http://homedialysis.org/types/patient_stories or suggest that he ask his doctor if he can speak to other dialysis patients who have chosen various treatments.
If your father chooses to do dialysis and if he finds later that the burdens outweigh the benefits, he will have the option to discontinue dialysis and let natural death occur. Here’s information from NKF on stopping dialysis:
My mother in law is 92yrs old and has been on dialysis for 15 yrs.
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When I began Dialysis I had approx 5% kidney function and was ill only twice, once I began the treatments I was sick quiet a few times because the techs were unable to find my correct withdrawl rates and dry weight, once these items were found my treatments have been uneventful, I have never been to the hospital and no longer get ill, I have treatments 3 days per week for 4.5 hrs each treatment, I have been going to the center for 1.5 years and so far have not been interested in a transplant, I look forward to many more years of life…something you should all remember, don’t miss a single treatment and don’t cut your treatments short.
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It’s great that you’re getting 4.5 hours of treatment, Guest. Four hours is the least someone should get, and more is better. 
Thanks to all who took the time to post here. 48 years old and diagnosed with ESR failure. Still has a lot of energy in me, used to travel a lot in my job. Kind of lost where to go from here and worry over treatment cost. Just dropping a few lines while lying on the hospital bed.
I’ve read everything from beginning till end. How’s everybody doing here? Can you tell us about what’s going on your life now? This forum is from 2005, now it’s already 2017 how are you now? Is everybody doing fine?
Sharing my story. My father is taking dialysis for 3 months now and it’s hard seeing your loveone suffer from this kind of illness, Since its so sudden, youre ok and suddenly youre not. My father, Sometimes he’s happy but mostly depress like he think he’s a burden to us but actually no. For other patient taking dialysis don’t think you are burden to your family coz its not. For me as his daughter i advise him to enjoy life but dont force his body to the limit since youre taking medication right now. There are other great stuff to do like singing, cooking, reading or even sharing experience like this that might inspire others. Dont loose hope. Always remember that everything happens for a reason. Everything has a purpose. Always be positive. Enjoy life. I know some of us thought of giving up but pls dont. Divert your thoughts from others things. I know its painful but i know you can fight it. Have a great years ahead for all of us. Looking forward to read updated stories here.
Smile
Your father and your family may be interested in reading the information in Kidney School. There are modules on Living Successfully with Kidney Disease, Coping with Kidney Disease, Staying Active with Kidney Disease and more. Check out http://www.kidneyschool.org/mods/.
I’m still doing it one treatment at a time.
Was in London in February 
After 21 years working through the union I retired just about exactly a year ago.
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Thank you … I am 77… I hope all is well with your Dad.
‘exhaustion’, yes! Have kind of readjusted myself around it. Before i was put on IHD, i would work 10-12 hours (even 16 some times). Now, that’s reduced to a max. 6hrs (4-5 hrs/day average). Now, when i’m exhausted, i’m done. But, by God’s Grace, after i’ve taken the rest i need, i’m up & at it again!
Have gone past a 10 yr ‘grace’-period undergoing Hemodialysis at four different centres; abandoning myself & the situation into Hands that have asked that i simply ‘trust in Him’. Have seen ‘faithful Providence’ all these years when i was out of options to provide for the huge related expenses. Now, whether its the time on this side or that which awaits in the next, i know which Way i got to keep walking…
I hope that i be found ‘preparing’…
I hope that i be found growing in ‘trust’
I hope by then, to have grown humble & loving…
I hope that there will be at least little differences that i might’ve made to at least a few lives…
I hope that at least a few lives would remember at least a few things & b able to thank the One that’s placed me here for the time.
But, i really hope most that i be found growing in ‘trust’
I hope by then, to have grown humble & loving…
Gus
You are amazing! Whenever I read posts by yourself, Bill or Pierre I feel this old world of ours isn’t so big and bad after all!
Even though I live on the other side of the world it is great to know people support each other and give out such strength.
Cheers 
perawatankulitkinclong
Please do tell me if the PD is worth doing in elderly people? If you have any experience… I am the starter and can’t figure out which form of the dialysis to choose… It is kind of dilemma for me… Thank you in advance 
In the last report of data on how many patients are on different type of dialysis, almost 17% of the patients on peritoneal dialysis are over 75. A terrific tool that may help you choose how to treat kidney failure is the decision aid called My Kidney Life Plan that was developed by Medical Education Institute that administers this message board. it asks you to choose a few things you care most about and tells you how different dialysis treatments and transplant as well as comfort care without dialysis fit with those things you value. Check it out at https://mykidneylifeplan.org/.
You might also want to join the Home Dialysis Central Facebook group where there are peritoneal dialysis and home hemodialysis patients and their care partners. If you ask this question there, you are likely to get more responses since it has almost 7,000 members. Since there are members from all over the world and some early risers and night owls, someone is posting 24/7. This is a closed members-only group, and you have to answer 4 simple questions to join. You can find it at Home Dialysis Central Discussion Group | Facebook.
Hello I’m new on here and I was just wondering how do people get 2,3 or even 4 transplants. God bless you all for that I pray for continued health and long life. My husband has to wait 6-7 years for a transplant and I was wondering how can I push up for a closer year
There are several strategies to get a transplant more quickly. One is to actively seek a living donor. Some folks have done billboards, bumper stickers or car window clings, social media requests, etc. Asking for someone to “be my hero.” Never ASK someone for a kidney–but you and your husband can share his story. Another strategy that can speed things up considerably is if you or another family member or friend donate a kidney, even if you are not a match for your husband. With a “paired donation,” he would then get a kidney from someone who matches him–but not their own loved one. Third, telling the transplant program that he is willing to receive a hepatitis C positive kidney can make a big difference in the wait time. Now that there are medicines to cure Hep C, this keeps good kidneys from being thrown away–these kidneys work just as well and just as long as those that don’t have Hep C. In the meantime, while your husband waits, it is vital for him to stay healthy and out of the hospital. He may want to consider a treatment option that will give him the best chance to get a transplant. Here is a tool that can help him to see which options those might be. https://www.mykidneylifeplan.org.
Do you know that the wait time at all the programs in your area is 6-7 years. That may be true for one transplant program, but not another. Some programs have long wait lists while others have shorter ones. You can compare whether waiting times are average, better or worse than average and how long kidneys last at different transplant programs within a set distance (default is 50 miles) from your zip code at this site. At the bottom of the page, choose kidney and type in your zip code to get this comparison.
https://www.srtr.org/reports/program-specific-reports/
If you have family or friends who you could turn to for support in another area of the country that you and your husband could get to quickly enough, you might want to check out that area as well.