CHF on Dialysis

Is it wise to put a CHF patient who had a stroke, 2 heart attacks, triple bi-pass and valve repair on dialysis?
His kidney numbers are very high and not functioning, but can the dialysis cuase the heart to stop?

[Encephalomalcia]

Kidney dialysis can lower the blood pressure causing problems with the heart.  If the blood pressure drops too far, the liver shuts down due to the heart not pumping properly.  If the kidney dialysis is not started, the failing kidneys will make the heart worse.  If the kidney dialysis is started, it could prove fatal.  Kidney dialysis can do done in hope that it will not drop the blood pressure down too far.  If the kidney dialysis is not done, the heart will suffer.  People needing kidney dialysis long-term will usually live 6 months to a year according to the kidney specialist my mom had.  For our family members, we risked the kidney dialysis and went ahead with it.  It did not save their lives.  The kidney dialysis caused my grandfather to have a fatal massive heart attack. The kidney dialysis helped my mom, but ultimately her heart did not work and she passed away last September.  She had kidney dialysis once.  The kidney dialysis that my grandfather's sister had helped her to live an additional 6 months.  They all had severe CHF.  Hope this helps.  It's a hard decision to make.  

[brittanylynnsonnier]

My grandfather has congestive heart failure and is in his early 60's he's already had a quad bypass and the doctors are saying if he takes the stronger medicine to stop the fluid build-up then his kidneys will die completely and he will need dialysis.  He is refusing dialysis what can i tell her to reassure him that it will be worth it to go through dialysis???
PLEASE HELP

[gmachris518]

I am a stage 4 heart failure patient with stage 5 kidney failure.  I started dialysis on July 6th, 2010, and I'm doing real well.  I did have a few bumps in the road when I first started diaylsis, such as heart pain that was caused by inflamation (inflammation) of my pericardium(sac surrounding the heart).  However, I highly reccomend dialysis, as I truly believe in this case that the benefits outweigh the risks.

Diaylsis can do two things for someone with CHF and kidney failure.  It can rid the body of all of the toxins, which makes the load for the entire body lighter.  It can also rid the body of the excess fluid build up, caused by the CHF, making it easier to breathe, as well as get up and move around without shortness of breath.

The downside of diaylsis is that it is usally done 6 days a week for kidney failure/ heart failure patients.  However, if someone can be trained within the family to perform home hemodiaylsis, then the patient can have it done at home, at their and their tech's convenience.  My husband went through the training, and it takes 3-4weeks to complete, and the patient has to be in the class daily as well.  Usually the patient is taught to insert their own needles each day, but the tech can receive that training instead if the patient isn't able to.  There are weekly shots that the patient is taught to administer to themselves, and two daily shots at the access sites for pain control.  

Also, backing up to the beginning, there is usually a fistula surgery that has to be done to form an access artery for inserting the needles.  The fistula actually makes it much easier to insert the needles, once it's healed and ready for use, which can take up to 6 months.  However, they can insert an access into the main artery in the neck to use until the fistuala is ready.

So, I have a fist full of pills to take each day, and daily dialysis for about 3 hours, and I have to give myself two shots, 6 days a week, and 3 on Saturday.  Once a month we do a blood draw at home and send it into a lab, where the results are sent to my kidney center, as well as my kidney specialist, and I have to go see the kidney specialist, and my kidney team, (which includes specilized nurses, dietician, case worker etc.)  but the rest of the time, I'm able to LIVE my life, and it's great!

Three years ago I thought I was dying, and yes I'm still terminal, but the life I have now, is lightyears ahead of what I had in the beginning, and I highly reccomend dialysis.

I hope this helps........