Diabetes, dialysis, & prognosis - chelation?

[Michigan Mama]

Hey mamas,

A family friend has had diabetes for quite a while and they've recently told him they want him to start dialysis. While I have a medical background, I don't know that much about it and haven't personally known anyone who has gone through this. Any of you know what the typical life expectancy is at this point? I'm guessing maybe a couple years?

Also, at the homeopathic doctors office that I go to, I've seen that they offer chelation treatment as a way to delay dialysis. I'm having a hard time finding info on this, but wondered if it is a viable treatment option?

My friend's family is in a tight financial position and their insurance wouldn't cover this doctor or the chelation treatment but we are considering helping them with it financially if it seems like a good option for them. But I sort of want to know if it's even worthwhile to bring it up???

Any of you wise mamas have any knowledge on this?

[WuWei]

I'd definitely look into homeopathy. And read about sodium bicarbonate prescription medication. I've read it can extend the life of dialysis patients. Here is the article I ran across: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/ar...#ixzz0LW2zbjUG

Here it is in a medical journal. I'd print this out and send it with your friend to the nephrologist. http://jasn.asnjournals.org/cgi/cont...urcetype=HWCIT

Here is a dialysis forum. I'm sure there are others. But, they discuss life expectancy and one could live years and years on dialysis, as many as 30 years, even. Depends upon a lot of health issues.

http://forums.homedialysis.org/showt...alysis-patient


Pat

[WuWei]

Btw, look into Black seed oil (nigella sativa). It is very beneficial for diabetics and with renal failure. http://ndt.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/co...bstract/gfm953


Pat

[Michigan Mama]

Thanks, Pat. I'll investigate!

[not now]

I see tons of diabetic/renal patients at work and I can say that I don't think I could choose chronic dialysis for myself. Temporary dialysis if it's acute renal failure but for chronic renal failure I wouldn't.

You can live for decades with dialysis. It's fine in the beginning but after a while the kidneys are so bad that you aren't making any urine at all and missing one appt (three times a week, three hours each) will seriously harm you. Fistulas/shunts not working, permcaths clotting off, hyperkalemia with the associated arrhythmia's, swelling, pulmonary edema, ect. It's a miserable way to live in my opinion.

[WuWei]

Originally Posted by not now

I see tons of diabetic/renal patients at work and I can say that I don't think I could choose chronic dialysis for myself. Temporary dialysis if it's acute renal failure but for chronic renal failure I wouldn't.

You can live for decades with dialysis. It's fine in the beginning but after a while the kidneys are so bad that you aren't making any urine at all and missing one appt (three times a week, three hours each) will seriously harm you. Fistulas/shunts not working, permcaths clotting off, hyperkalemia with the associated arrhythmia's, swelling, pulmonary edema, ect. It's a miserable way to live in my opinion.

As a former ICU nurse, this would be my opinion for myself also. I understand your experience. Having been out of the hospital environment for 10 years now, I also see that my experience was intensely the "worst case scenario" and not representative of the whole renal patients' life. We didn't get to see the moments of joy when new grandbabies were born, or weddings which were enjoyed, the *moments* of living. In hospital, we just see the suffering parts, ime.

Pat

[Michigan Mama]

Sounds like they have some good set-ups now - my friend will have the dialysis at home, at night. Sounds like 10 hours, 3x/wk, so maybe the at home machine takes a little longer. But at least he can do it at home - seems like it would make it easier on the family.

Thanks for the feedback. I know they have a hard road ahead of them, which is why I'm interested in any other things that may be of help in any way.