1. < Kidney & Bladder
Mentor

Chemotherapy and Dialysis: Looking for others who have had both

Posted by Ginger, Volunteer Mentor @gingerw, Aug 11, 2021

Have you been diagnosed with a condition that requires chemotherapy (oral or infusion) ? Do you have chronic kidney disease that also requires dialysis?

What is your story, please? I will be starting chemotherapy [oral only at this time], and am also facing the real possibility of starting dialysis. My current eGFR is 18%. I would prefer to do peritoneal dialysis.

Looking for others with this combination of treatments.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Kidney & Bladder Support Group.

Mentor
Ginger, Volunteer Mentor | @gingerw | 5 days ago
In reply to @mmmartin "Oh I’m so grateful for the response. I feel very alone in this. He has had..." + (show)
@mmmartin

Oh I’m so grateful for the response. I feel very alone in this. He has had CKD for a decade at least. So did my grandmother. I am not sure we really know why. The cancer was found incidentally last month when he was admitted to the hospital for a UTI. His baseline eGFR has been in the mid to low 20s for a long time. But the UTI plunged him to a 9. They released him when it got to 20, but it isn’t holding steady. So I am unsure what to do between now and the oncology appointment.

Jump to this post

@mmmartin Have him watch his fluid intake so he doesn't overtax his kidneys. Also, watch his intake of salt, phosphorous, potassium, calcium, and protein. The goal is to not stress the kidneys as they try to do the job they are supposed to do.

If he is on medications, can you get a review by a pharmacist to see if there are any he should be wary of, that may be causing side effects either alone or in combination with others?
Ginger

REPLY
2 replies
mmmartin | @mmmartin | 4 days ago
In reply to @gingerw "@mmmartin Have him watch his fluid intake so he doesn't overtax his kidneys. Also, watch his..." + (show)
@gingerw

@mmmartin Have him watch his fluid intake so he doesn't overtax his kidneys. Also, watch his intake of salt, phosphorous, potassium, calcium, and protein. The goal is to not stress the kidneys as they try to do the job they are supposed to do.

If he is on medications, can you get a review by a pharmacist to see if there are any he should be wary of, that may be causing side effects either alone or in combination with others?
Ginger

Jump to this post

Thank you for being so generous with your time and knowledge.

REPLY
mmmartin | @mmmartin | 2 days ago
In reply to @gingerw "@mmmartin Have him watch his fluid intake so he doesn't overtax his kidneys. Also, watch his..." + (show)
@gingerw

@mmmartin Have him watch his fluid intake so he doesn't overtax his kidneys. Also, watch his intake of salt, phosphorous, potassium, calcium, and protein. The goal is to not stress the kidneys as they try to do the job they are supposed to do.

If he is on medications, can you get a review by a pharmacist to see if there are any he should be wary of, that may be causing side effects either alone or in combination with others?
Ginger

Jump to this post

We have pushed fluids with him because we thought that was good for the kidneys. Is that the wrong thing??

REPLY
1 reply
Mentor
Ginger, Volunteer Mentor | @gingerw | 1 day ago
In reply to @mmmartin "We have pushed fluids with him because we thought that was good for the kidneys. Is..." + (show)
@mmmartin

We have pushed fluids with him because we thought that was good for the kidneys. Is that the wrong thing??

Jump to this post

@mmmartin The general rule of thought is 8 glasses of fluids a day, totalling about 64 ounces. Sometimes as kidney patients we need to reduce that somewhat, but not enough to get dehydrated. Do you know how much your husband gets in a day, for fluids?
Ginger

REPLY
1 reply
mmmartin | @mmmartin | 1 day ago
In reply to @gingerw "@mmmartin The general rule of thought is 8 glasses of fluids a day, totalling about 64..." + (show)
@gingerw

@mmmartin The general rule of thought is 8 glasses of fluids a day, totalling about 64 ounces. Sometimes as kidney patients we need to reduce that somewhat, but not enough to get dehydrated. Do you know how much your husband gets in a day, for fluids?
Ginger

Jump to this post

We try for the 64 ounces. He works outside a lot so sometimes more in summer. It’s my dad. I might have said my husband. My dad was diagnosed with kidney cancer in April and my husband was diagnosed with colon cancer 2 weeks later. So I am all over the place.

REPLY
View MoreView Less
Please sign in or register to post a reply.