More than 400,000 people in the United States undergo kidney dialysis. If you or a member of your family are one of them, then the prospect of a regular appointment with a dialysis machine may seem like the end of life itself. But that reaction couldn't be more wrong. In Dialysis Without Fear, psychiatrist and dialysis patient Dr. Daniel Offer joins with his wife, Marjorie Kaiz Offer, and daughter, Susan Offer Szafir, to reveal how life can be lived--and lived well--on dialysis. Drawing on his long medical career and more than seven years of personal experience with dialysis, Dr. Offer dispels many misconceptions surrounding this treatment, explaining how you can adapt to the new diet, travel, work and continue to partake in life's joys and celebrations. But the fears and hardships can be quite real, and Dr. Offer brings his years as a psychiatrist to bear as he provides practical advice on how patients can overcome them. Walking through each step of dialysis, he explains different types of treatment, examines the pros and cons of a transplant, and discusses side effects. Since dialysis affects the entire family, Dr. Offer and his coauthors also provide realistic insights into how relatives can cope and thrive together, sharing the humor, courage, and triumphs of real families who have successfully faced the challenges of dialysis. The result is an inspiring, practical guide that will help you and your family learn to overcome the difficulties of dialysis, live without fear, and enjoy every day.

Offer and his coauthors also provide realistic insights into how relatives can cope and thrive together, sharing the humor, courage, and triumphs of real families who have successfully faced the challenges of dialysis."--BOOK JACKET.

Dialysis can be a life-saving technique for the individual whose kidneys are unable to remove toxic waste and excess water from the blood. But over time, the process can become both physically debilitating and psychologically difficult. To address these issues, kidney specialist Dr. Rich Snyder has written a complete guide to dialysis. This book not only provides answers to common questions about the process, but also offers practical advice and strategies, as well as complementary options that can help you deal successfully with the many aspects of your treatment plan. The book begins with an introduction to dialysis—what it is, how it works, and what types are available. It then goes on to discuss the importance of blood tests, common medications and their complications, and associated disorders. Crucial information is included on natural supplements, lifestyle changes, nutrition, and effective coping tactics. For most people, dialysis is an unplanned and uncharted journey. In this book, Dr. Snyder lights the path ahead by combining compassion with rock-solid information that can make a real difference in your health.

This handbook covers all aspects of dialysis treatment and the care of patients with renal failure in a clear, compact but detailed format.

This book written for the average reader, offers useful information for patients with very mild CKD to those patients who need to plan for dialysis or kidney transplant. It offers scientifically proven ways to slow progression of CKD, including a chapter on a Smart Diet for all CKD patients. This diet not only can slow CKD progression but can also help patients to live longer and better. It offers the best treatments for the medical problems that can come with a diagnosis of CKD. For most patients this book will alleviate concerns about having CKD and for some patients with advanced CKD it offers an approach that can delay the start of dialysis for many months or even years in some cases. It explains why low and very low protein diets, promoted by many kidney books for patients, is usually not beneficial and may even be harmful. It provides the latest recommendations for treatment of CKD that comes from international kidney doctor organizations. The book is organized in a way that provides information for all patients with CKD in the first part of the book and has information in later chapters for patients whose CKD has progressed. For those patients who want to get the "meat" of the book, the final chapter provides a summary of all the book's material. Some patients may want to start here and read the full chapters at their leisure. The book is referenced with current kidney disease publications. It explains situations where kidney disease is reversible and ways to prevent reversible declines in kidney function. It dispels many myths about CKD treatment that have no benefit and, in some cases, may be dangerous. For patients who are wondering about whether dialysis is in their future, the book offers several ways to predict if dialysis is very likely or very unlikely in a CKD patient's future. It lays out pros and cons of the various options for patients who are considering a kidney transplant or dialysis and explains why getting a kidney transplant before dialysis is ever started or choosing home peritoneal dialysis are the two best options for most CKD patients who require a kidney replacement therapy.