Given the sweeping advances in the Chronic Kidney Disease Community as it relates to improving Dialysis and making the treatment "more manageable" for patients, many may think that more Dialysis patients choose to conduct treatments until better options present themselves such as a Kidney Transplant or technological breakthrough. However, newly released findings suggest that the opposite is true, and in fact, "early withdrawal rates more than tripled," reported Renal & Urology News.
To clarify, the "withdrawal of Dialysis" means the discontinuation of Dialysis Treatments. For Chronic Kidney Disease patients with full Kidney Failure (Stage 5), refusing Dialysis without having a functioning Kidney Transplant is ultimately a death sentence because deadly toxins build-up in the body. Death typically takes a matter of days or weeks for End Stage Renal Disease patients. Why would someone choose to end Dialysis Treatments? Researchers noted that, "voluntary withdrawal from Dialysis often occurs when a patient perceives that Dialysis has become unduly burdensome."
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While the research explored early Dialysis withdrawal, patients who have been on Dialysis for many years also give up on treatments. Long-time Dialysis patient, Adrienne Pace, made the difficult decision of stopping Dialysis Treatments last year. Her choice became very controversial once major media outlets such as KidneyBuzz.com began reporting.
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For some Chronic Kidney Disease patients, the thought of ending Dialysis may be far-fetched or unthinkable. They will likely be surprised to learn that, "Discontinuation of Dialysis is a common cause of death in End-stage Renal Disease patients in North America and the UK...," according to Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation: Oxford Journals.
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As most patients may image, stopping Dialysis is painful. "The most frequent symptoms following withdrawal were confusion, agitation, pain and dyspnea (difficult or labored breathing)," studies have suggested. Can you imagine?
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Are YOU having a very tough time on Dialysis and considering stopping? Well, patients who have also weighed the decision quitting Dialysis mentioned, "It gets better." Share your struggle at the KidneyBuzz.com Facebook Fan Page. Many of our over 30,900 friends would love to connect and share how they got through similar difficulties.
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If you are tired of "just waiting" on the Kidney Transplant List, be sure to sign up for the Find A Kidney Donor Campaign to see if KidneyBuzz.com can assist in sharing your story and your need for an altruistic Living Kidney Donor. If you are ineligible for a Kidney Transplant then remember that there is a lot of hope to be had with future Dialysis Alternatives such as the Artificial Implantable Kidney which are rapidly growing closer to market launch.
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