I Always Feel Tired And Fatigued After Dialysis. What Should I Do?

More than 1 million patients with end-stage renal disease in China need dialysis treatment to maintain their lives. Postdialysis fatigue is a common symptom in hemodialysis patients, which is characterized by patients feeling tired and craving for rest after receiving hemodialysis treatment. The high incidence of post-dialysis fatigue seriously affects patients' treatment compliance and life well-being, and has a significant impact on their treatment effects and quality of life.

Click to Cistanche for kidney disease

1 Factors influencing fatigue after dialysis

1 Hemodialysis complications: anemia

For example, patients with hypertension, hyperglycemia, coronary heart disease, and musculoskeletal diseases are more likely to aggravate the fatigue of maintenance hemodialysis patients. Anemia is an important factor causing fatigue in hemodialysis patients. It may be that anemia can easily cause the patient's oxygen-carrying capacity to decrease and aggravate fatigue. A large number of foreign studies have shown that anemia and malnutrition in maintenance hemodialysis patients increase the patient's chance of infection, which may aggravate the patient's fatigue due to the release of large amounts of interleukin 1,6, tumors, necrosis factor α, etc. during the inflammatory reaction.

2 Decline in physical function

One of the reasons for post-dialysis fatigue in hemodialysis patients is a decrease in physical function, resulting in a reduction in activity. Some patients believe that exercise should not be performed during uremia. For elderly patients, the decline in physical function can lead to higher levels of fatigue and consequent reduction in activity. In addition, the incidence and severity of patients with impairments in daily living abilities are significantly higher than those in patients with normal daily living abilities. Therefore, patients should be encouraged to exercise as much as possible to enhance their physical fitness.

3. Sleep pattern disorder

A large number of studies have shown that 65% of maintenance hemodialysis patients have sleep disorders, the incidence of insomnia is 49%, sleep apnea accounts for 32%, restless leg syndrome accounts for 15%, etc. Some studies believe that there is insufficient sleep time at night. It can easily cause the cerebral cortex to enter a state of inhibition, leading to memory loss, dizziness, inattention, and physical fatigue; sleep deprivation can easily cause sleep disorders at night, fatigue drowsiness during the day, etc.

4 factors of hemodialysis ultrafiltration

The occurrence of fatigue after dialysis is related to excessive ultrafiltration capacity and low blood pressure after dialysis. Excessive ultrafiltration capacity is caused by improper weight management and excessive drinking of water in patients during the interdialytic period. The patient's body weight increase between dialysis treatments should not exceed 5% of the dry body weight. Excessive ultrafiltration capacity will lead to insufficient plasma reperfusion and reduced intravascular blood volume, which will in turn lead to a decrease in post-dialysis blood pressure and post-dialysis fatigue. . For the safety of the patient, if the patient's weight increases beyond the limit, excess extracellular fluid can only remain in the body, aggravating post-dialysis fatigue. People with elevated laboratory indicator C-reactive protein are more susceptible to the disease. This is mainly because inflammatory factors directly act on the hypothalamus, central nervous system and other parts of the body, worsening the body's nutritional status, affecting the pituitary gland, hypothalamus and other parts of the body, inducing Fatigue after dialysis. Elevated triglyceride levels tend to cause arteriosclerosis and are more common in patients with cardiovascular disease. Low dialysate sodium concentrations can lead to cerebral edema with associated symptoms such as headache, restlessness, muscle cramps, and fatigue.

2 Interventions for post-dialysis fatigue

1. Health Education

Health education can help patients and family members understand knowledge about dialysis fatigue, including controlling water and body weight between dialysis periods, factors influencing post-dialysis fatigue, etc. Medical staff can conduct health education through videos, brochures, oral expressions, etc., and use social media platforms to provide personalized health education programs for better symptom management.

2. Exercise therapy

Exercise can improve patients' physical fitness, improve aerobic metabolism, and reduce fatigue. Patients can perform aerobic exercise such as walking, and jogging, resistance training such as dumbbell lifting, stationary exercise, and flexibility training such as yoga and Tai Chi. Medical staff can instruct patients to exercise before or during treatment, and to pay attention to warming up and stretching.

3. Traditional Chinese Medicine

TCM therapies can be used to relieve patients' symptoms of fatigue. Current research shows that traditional Chinese medicine can use moxibustion, acupoint massage, ear-point seed burial, five-element music therapy and aromatherapy to relieve symptoms, and the results are good. For example, moxibustion and massage (selecting acupuncture points related to the kidneys, such as Zusanli) can strengthen the body, nourish the spleen and stomach, etc. Medical staff should choose appropriate TCM health care methods based on the patient's condition to improve the patient's physical fitness and relieve their symptoms.

4. Psychological intervention

In view of the common depression problems among patients due to treatment costs, diet control, time consumption, etc., medical staff can use psychological intervention to help them maintain a healthy mental state. Commonly used intervention methods include cognitive behavioral therapy, gratitude intervention, mindfulness therapy, and hope therapy.

5. Change dialysis mode

Patients on long-term dialysis often feel weak, lonely, and experience increased fatigue. Home hemodialysis is a method to help patients maintain a normal life as much as possible, but it places higher demands on patients and their families in terms of dialysis care knowledge, equipment, and space. Nocturnal hemodialysis is performed when the patient is sleeping at night, 6 times a week, each time lasting 8 to 10 hours. The dialysis time is long, the ultrafiltration speed is slow, and the solute control effect is better.

3 Summary of this article

Hemodialysis is one of the main means to replace kidney function and treat uremia. Post-dialysis fatigue is mainly related to factors such as the patient's own quality, sleep status, psychological state, ultrafiltration settings during dialysis, changes in ion levels, etc. However, the cause and pathogenesis of fatigue are still unclear. Previous studies on non-drug interventions for fatigue symptoms include health education, exercise therapy, traditional Chinese medicine, psychological intervention and changing dialysis modes, but more high-quality research is needed to promote them. Future research is needed to clarify methods of assessing and grading fatigue and to develop more targeted interventions to improve the quality of life of patients with fatigue.

How Does Cistanche Treat Kidney Disease?

Cistanche is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine used for centuries to treat various health conditions, including kidney disease. It is derived from the dried stems of Cistanche deserticola, a plant native to the deserts of China and Mongolia. The main active components of cistanche are phenylethanoid glycosides, echinacoside, and acteoside, which have been found to have beneficial effects on kidney health.

Kidney disease, also known as renal disease, refers to a condition in which the kidneys are not functioning properly. This can result in a buildup of waste products and toxins in the body, leading to various symptoms and complications. Cistanche may help treat kidney disease ase through several mechanisms.

Firstly, cistanche has been found to have diuretic properties, meaning it can increase urine production and help eliminate waste products from the body. This can help relieve the burden on the kidneys and prevent the buildup of toxins. By promoting diuresis, cistanche may also help Reduce high blood pressure, a common complication of kidney disease.

Moreover, cistanche has been shown to have antioxidant effects. Oxidative stress, caused by an imbalance between the production of free radicals and the body's antioxidant defenses, plays a key role in the progression of kidney disease. ies help neutralize free radicals and reduce Oxidative stress, thereby protecting the kidneys from damage. The phenylethanoid glycosides found in cistanche have been particularly effective in scavenging free radicals and inhibiting lipid peroxidation.

Additionally, cistanche has been found to have anti-inflammatory effects. Inflammation is another key factor in the development and progression of kidney disease. Cistanche's anti-inflammatory properties help reduce the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and inhibit the activation of inflammation mandatory pathways, thus alleviating inflammation in the kidneys.

Furthermore, cistanche has been shown to have immunomodulatory effects. In kidney disease, the immune system can be dysregulated, leading to excessive inflammation and tissue damage. Cistanche helps regulate the immune response by modulating the production and activity of immune cells, such as T cells and macrophages. This immune regulation helps reduce inflammation and prevent further damage to the kidneys.

Moreover, cistanche has been found to improve renal function by promoting the regeneration of renal tubes with cells. Renal tubular epithelial cells play a crucial role in the filtration and reabsorption of waste products and electrolytes. In kidney disease, these cells can be damaged, leading to damaged renal function. Cistanche's ability to promote the regeneration of these cells helps restore proper renal function and improve overall kidney health.

In addition to these direct effects on the kidneys, cistanche has been found to have beneficial effects on other organs and systems in the body. This holistic approach to health is particularly important in kidney disease, as the condition often affects multiple organs and systems. che has been shown to have protective effects on the liver, heart, and blood vessels, which are commonly affected by kidney disease. By promoting the health of these organs, cistanche helps improve overall kidney function and prevent further complications.

In conclusion, cistanche is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine used for centuries to treat kidney disease. Its active components have diuretic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and regenerative effects, which help improve renal function and protect the kidneys from further damage. , cistanche has beneficial effects on other organs and systems, making it a holistic approach to treating kidney disease.