Answers: I am glad to receive your email. Firstly, you should know that stage 5 is the advanced stage of kidney disease. The kidney function has severely damaged when the disease develops into this stage. Feet edema is a result of kidney disorder. Whether you should start dialysis or not depends on the illness condition and your health condition. If you have severe primary disease, like high blood pressure or diabetes, you can start dialysis, for timely dialysis can control the primary disease and relieve symptoms, like edema.

Do you have any other symptoms except edema? If you are troubled by obvious symptoms, like nausea, vomit, heart failure, sleepiness or muscle cramps, you should start dialysis.

Besides, what is your potassium level in blood? The potassium level is an important factor to evaluate whether you should have dialysis or not. If the potassium level is higher than 6.5mmol/l, you are suggested to do dialysis immediately to prevent severe consequence.

To give you a precise answer, I have to get a better known about your condition now. You can send your medical report to renal-disease@hotmail.com , I will give you an detailed reply. Best wishes to you!

Topic: Live Doctor