Weight loss has been a common complication for patients with long-term dialysis, especially after dialysis. In some cases, the condition is also accompanied with leg cramps, shiver, nausea and vomiting. However, why patients lose weight loss after dialysis? Is there any treatments for preventing the condition?

Dialysis, as life-sustaining treatment, can help discharge extra wastes and toxins from blood, prolonging patients’ life time. However, for patients with long-term dialysis, they may suffer from more healthy problems. After all, dialysis cannot repair kidney damage and improve renal function from the root. Any questions, please do feel free to contact our Online Doctor or email to us at renal-disease@hotmail.com and we will do our best to help you.

Causes of weight loss after dialysis:

1. Loss of fluid.

The most common reason is that too much fluid is drained out of the body. Before doing dialysis, doctors need to determine the dry weight for kidney failure patients. Then, the excessive part above dry weight should be eliminated during dialysis treatment, so patients’ weight declines a lot after dialysis if they drink too much fluid during dialysis session.

2. Loss of nutrition

In the process of dialysis, not only the wastes can be discharged out of the body, at the same time, the massive nutrients can be excreted out of the body via fluid, sugar, protein, sodium and so on. Once the body is lack of these useful substances, weight loss may occur.

3. Diet restrictions

There are many dietary restrictions for dialysis patients so as to protect remaining kidney function and keep whole body health.

Well then, how to prevent the condition?

1. Follow a kidney-friendly diet plan.

Generally speaking, extra intake of some substances like protein will increase kidneys’ burden. Therefore, patients are required to have high-quality protein, so as to prevent malnutrition. In addition, patients should consult with the dietitian according to their own illness conditions.

2. Tightly control the fluid intake during dialysis sessions

Most often, doctors will tell kidney failure patients how many fluid to drink during two dialysis sessions. In order to live easier with dialysis and prevent rapid weight loss, patients should follow this advise tightly.