According to Clinical Renal Toxicology…

“Chemicals can affect the renal function or structures through a direct toxic action or through various systemic effects, such as intravascular hemolysis, rhabdomyolysis, or cardiac failure.”

Such chemicals include:

• Lead
• Cadmium
• Mercury
• Silica

Certain occupations are far more at risk than others. For instance, individuals that work in brazing or nickel-cadium battery manufacturing are exposed to high levels of Cadium. However, someone working in scrap metal recycling in Los Angeles would also likely be exposed to Cadium in the process of recovering the metal, but not as much as the person working in the manufacturing of nickel-cadium batteries.

Lead is another one you really want to watch out for. Occupations most notorious for causing lead exposure are lead battery manufacturing, soldering, smelting, radio repair, glass & ceramic manufacturing, and also paint stripping (in the case of lead-based paints).

If you are concerned about the health risks associated with your current occupation, especially pertaining to renal health, consult your employer. He or she should have additional details.

Also, check out this in-depth look at occupational renal diseases.

You can choose to learn to make their own hemodialysis treatments at home. When you are the only patient, it may become more frequent dialysis treatments or lasting almost replaced the normal work performed by healthy kidneys. Daytime hemodialysis at home (DHHD for short in English) is performed 5-7 days a week for 2 to 3 hours per session and you organize the schedule. If your health insurance plan would pay more than three treatments, you could be brief treatments during the morning or afternoon. Nocturnal home hemodialysis (NHHD by its acronym in English) is done in 3-6 nights a week while you sleep. Whether you choose the DHHD or NHHD, this will allow food and a normal fluid intake, with fewer blood pressure medications and other health problems. Most programs ask patients to do home hemodialysis have a skilled attendant during treatments. Learning to be hemodialysis is like learning to drive a car: it takes a few weeks and, initially, is alarming but then becomes a routine. The dialysis center provides the equipment and training, and assistance by phone 24 hours if you have any questions or problems. New machines for home dialysis are smaller and easier to use than the equipment used in schools.

You have options of dialysis centers and many cities have more than one site to choose from. You can visit a center to see if there are treatments you want or the time it needs. Some centers allow the use of laptops or cell phones or receive visits, others not. Medicare has a list of all centers in the United States on its Web site at www.medicare.gov / dialysis (in English), which shows the quality ratings of each school. Your health plan may have a list of sites where you can go. If you choose a treatment option in a school, it must be near your home to reduce your travel time. If the treatment is done at home, once you are trained, you should only go to the center once a month. So, the center can be as far as you want to travel once a month.

Possible Complications of Dialysis
Vascular access problems are the most common reason for hospitalization among people receiving hemodialysis. Some common problems include infection, blockage by clotting and poor circulation. These problems may prevent their treatments to succeed. You might have to undergo repeated surgeries to achieve a properly functioning access.

Other problems may be caused by rapid changes in water and chemical balance of your body during treatment. Muscle cramps and hypotension (a sudden drop in blood pressure) are two common side effects. Hypotension can make you feel weak, dizzy or sick to your stomach.

Probably need a few months to adjust to hemodialysis. Side effects can often be dealt with swiftly and easily, so you should inform your doctor and dialysis staff suffered any side effects. You can avoid many side effects if you follow a proper diet, limiting fluid intake and taking medications as directed.

In the beginning stages of renal disease, it is not uncommon for patients to suffer from insomnia due to the body’s toxins invading the bloodstream and vital organs as the kidneys fail to properly process them.

As kidney disease progresses further, patients often experience high blood pressure as a subsequent result of failed kidney function. High blood pressure can put serious strain on the heart which in turn may cause chemicals in the brain to prevent proper rest.

For those patients that undergo dialysis treatments, they may experience trouble sleeping as a result of leg pain and cramps that tend to come at night. They may also feel the need to stretch or kick their legs at night which can disrupt their sleep (as well as the sleep of their partner).

Some kidney patients may be prescribed medication to treat their insomnia. It is critical that those suffering from kidney problems view insomnia as a potentially serious threat and not just an inconvenience.

Other alternatives to treat insomnia include natural sleep aids that can be acquired without a prescription. Consult your physician to determine which treatment option may be best for you.

Both calcium and phosphorus are required for the proper formation of bones. The body cannot utilize calcium whatsoever unless active Vitamin D is present. Because non-functioning kidneys cannot activate Vitamin D, calcium from food eaten by someone with non-functioning kidneys cannot be absorbed adequately. Subsequently, your body’s blood calcium level can drop dramatically.

Phosphorus is known to build up in the bodies of patients with non-functioning kidneys which can result in a decrease in the level of blood calcium present. When calcium levels drop, the parathyroid glands secrete the parathyroid hormone which causes calcium to be released from the bones and then sent back into the bloodstream. This release of calcium from your bones may cause them to become weak or brittle, and if this process continues for a prolonged period of time, bones may break.

A doctor monitors this delicate relationship between phosphorus and calcium and may prescribe a calcium supplement. Foods high in phosphorus should be avoided altogether. Additionally, phosphate binders (like calcium salts) may be prescribed in order to prevent the phosphorus in your food from being absorbed into your body.

Why Do I Need to Restrict My Phosphorus Intake?
Due to the fact that high levels of phosphorus in your bloodstream can result in your bones being deprived of much needed calcium, it is of the utmost importance that phosphorus be restricted from your diet. Also, high levels of phosphorus may potentially combine with calcium and deposit in the soft tissues such as your blood vessels, skin, and lungs. If this occurs, you may experience joint pains, itching, and/or eye irritation.