The short answer is no, but you should be aware that not having dialysis when your kidneys are no longer working will result in death. If you have other health issues that will not be cured and that affect your quality of life, it may be that adding dialysis into the mix adds too much of a burden. Choosing not to have dialysis when your kidneys don’t work means that you will die from kidney failure – depending on what stage you are at now, that could be many months away and for some people, being able to spend time with family and friends without the constraints of dialysis outweighs the burden of turning up for dialysis along with the fluid and diet restrictions associated with being on dialysis treatment.

Our unit has many people you can talk to about this with a qualified renal psychologist available to help you work through these tough decisions. It is important to seek help early – remember we are here to help you and have assisted many people through these difficult times. Read more about choosing not to dialyse here.

The kidneys don’t just make urine, they also make hormones and control the balance of things in the blood stream to make sure your body runs smoothly. When they don’t work properly, these things in the blood can reach dangerous levels.

One way to try and help the kidneys keep control of these things in the blood is to cut down certain foods in the diet. Protein, Potassium and salt are some of the major things that may change in your diet, you can read about them and others here. Fluid can build up quite quickly in the body when the kidneys aren’t getting rid of it by urine so you’ll need to keep your fluid intake down to about a litre a day. Your doctor and dietician will work out an individual plan for you so it’s important you follow their advice.

You are not alone in your fear of needles and it is quite understandable. There are three main treatments for kidney disease – the one you have heard about is called haemodialysis – read more about it here.

Another form of dialysis treatment is called peritoneal dialysis. This treatment is done at home by yourself or dialysis partner and can be done during the day, or overnight while you sleep. It doesn’t involve any needles, but you’ll need to have an operation to put a tube in your lower stomach. You can read more about it here.

The last form of treatment for kidney disease is a kidney transplant. Not everyone is suitable for a kidney transplant. Some people get a kidney from a person who has donated their organs after their death, others have a friend or family member who has offered to donate one of their own kidneys. People who donate one of their own kidneys can quite happily live with one kidney, and we do many tests before the transplant to make sure that their health will not be affected if they do donate. Unfortunately kidney transplants don’t last forever and you may need to return to dialysis in the future. You can click here to find out more information about kidney transplants.

Starting dialysis is a very individual thing and is based not just on blood results but also on how you are feeling within yourself. As a general guide, most people start dialysis when their kidney function has dropped to between 10 – 15% but there are many people who fall outside this general range. Your kidney doctor will discuss this with you at your clinic appointment so it important you bring along any test results with you. We encourage you to bring along a friend or relative to your appointments, often they will remember things that you may have forgotten.

Try and write down any questions you may have before your appointment – we understand that it is sometimes overwhelming trying to make sense of what you are being told, particularly when you are not feeling well. Keeping  a record of your medications, changes in your appetite, weight and blood pressure will give your doctor useful  information relating to your condition.