Shared Decision Making
Dialysis for People Who Are Seriously Ill: Stay On or Stop?
This decision aid is for people who are on dialysis for kidney failure. It is not for people waiting for a kidney transplant.
About Kidney Dialysis: Dialysis cleans your blood when your kidneys can no longer do it. It may be done at a special center or in your home.
| Patient Questions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What does the option involve? | You will stay on or stop dialysis. You will likely come to this decision by talking to your healthcare team, family members, and others. | |||
| How will it change my life if I stop dialysis? | You will no longer spend time having dialysis. You can eat foods that you might have avoided when on dialysis. Before stopping, think about your will and your wishes when seriously ill. | |||
| How long will I live? |
Stay On Dialysis This is very hard to know. It depends on your age, health, and how long you have been on dialysis. Most people live for many months, and some for much longer. |
Stop Dialysis This depends on many things and is hard to know. Kidney failure is a serious illness. Without dialysis, death may happen within a few weeks. |
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| How will I feel? | Stay On Dialysis It is often difficult to know which problems are caused by dialysis or by kidney failure. Being unable to think clearly and feeling sad are common. Out of 100 people, about:
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Stop Dialysis Being unable to think clearly and feeling sad are common with kidney failure. Out of 100 people in their last few weeks of kidney failure, about:
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| Is stopping dialysis the same as suicide? | No. Dialysis is a treatment that may help you live longer and that you can choose to stop. Without dialysis, death will happen from kidney failure. | |||
| What else can I do? | Getting palliative care can help you with your symptoms. You may be able to get care at your home. | |||
See the cost of this procedure |
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| Take a brief survey about this tool | ||||
The EBSCO Health Option Grid ™ decision aids are not intended to be medical advice, diagnosis or treatment and are intended to provide information to help people engage in shared decision making with health professionals.
What does the option involve?
You will stay on or stop dialysis. You will likely come to this decision by talking to your healthcare team, family members, and others.
How will it change my life if I stop dialysis?
You will no longer spend time having dialysis. You can eat foods that you might have avoided when on dialysis. Before stopping, think about your will and your wishes when seriously ill.
How long will I live?
This is very hard to know. It depends on your age, health, and how long you have been on dialysis. Most people live for many months, and some for much longer.
This depends on many things and is hard to know. Kidney failure is a serious illness. Without dialysis, death may happen within a few weeks.
How will I feel?
It is often difficult to know which problems are caused by dialysis or by kidney failure. Being unable to think clearly and feeling sad are common. Out of 100 people, about:
- 71 (71%) feel tired.
- 37 (37%) have shortness of breath.
- 47 (47%) have pain.
Being unable to think clearly and feeling sad are common with kidney failure. Out of 100 people in their last few weeks of kidney failure, about:
- 69 (69%) feel tired.
- 53 (53%) have shortness of breath.
- 41 (41%) have pain.
Is stopping dialysis the same as suicide?
No. Dialysis is a treatment that may help you live longer and that you can choose to stop. Without dialysis, death will happen from kidney failure.
What else can I do?
Getting palliative care can help you with your symptoms. You may be able to get care at your home.
See the cost of this procedure
The EBSCO Health Option Grid ™ decision aids are not intended to be medical advice, diagnosis or treatment and are intended to provide information to help people engage in shared decision making with health professionals.
