Prepare for dialysis
A new schedule, a new routine, and a lot of support available.
It's okay to feel nervous. Nervous and prepared is a good place to be.
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Overview
Starting dialysis reorganizes the week. Understanding the options — in-center, home hemodialysis, peritoneal — helps you choose a rhythm that fits your life.
What to expect
- Access placement (fistula, graft, or catheter) before starting
- Sessions three times a week for several hours, or daily exchanges at home
- Diet and fluid limits
- A care team including a dietitian and social worker
Questions to ask
What are my options — in-center, home hemodialysis, peritoneal?
What diet and fluid limits apply to me specifically?
How do I protect my access site?
What transportation help is available?
Am I a candidate for a transplant evaluation?
In plain language, what is happening and why is it recommended now?
Plain language is your right. Ask again if the answer is technical.
What are my options, including waiting or doing nothing?
How will this change what I can do day to day, and for how long?
What should I do to prepare?
Who do I call with questions, and what number do I use after hours?
What would make you want to see me sooner?
This turns vague worry into a clear trigger for calling.
Interactive checklists
Check items off as you go. Progress is saved on this device so you can continue later.
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For caregivers and family
What caregivers can expect
- A repeating schedule that reshapes the week
- Good days and hard days in the same cycle
- Fatigue that is physical, not attitude
How caregivers can help
- Share driving with others so it is sustainable
- Track side effects in one place
- Protect rest, fluids, and simple food
Questions caregivers should ask
- Which side effects need a call today rather than at the next visit?
- What is the plan for infection risk?
- What support services are available to us?
Recovery and what happens next
Before the first session
Set up the practical side.
- · Confirm schedule and coverage
- · Ask about side-effect medicines
- · Plan rides and rest days
Each session
A rhythm you will learn quickly.
- · Bring water, snacks, layers, and something to do
- · Report new symptoms before treatment starts
- · Log how you felt afterward
Between sessions
Recovery happens here.
- · Rest and hydrate
- · Watch for fever
- · Keep a symptom diary for your team
Watch for: Fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher — call immediately
Long-term
Survivorship and follow-up.
- · Ask for a written survivorship or maintenance plan
- · Schedule surveillance appointments
- · Address fatigue, mood, and nutrition
Risks and warning signs
Possible risks to ask about
- Every procedure and medicine carries some risk — ask for yours in numbers, not adjectives
- Reactions to medicines, contrast, or anesthesia
- Infection
- Delays or the need for a repeat visit
Warning signs — call your clinician
- · Redness, swelling, or no buzz/thrill at the access site
- · Shortness of breath or rapid weight gain between sessions
- · Severe cramping, dizziness, or confusion
- · Fever
Red flags — seek emergency care
- · Trouble breathing or shortness of breath at rest
- · Chest pain or pressure
- · Heavy bleeding that will not stop
- · Sudden weakness, facial droop, or trouble speaking
- · Signs of sepsis — fever with fast heart rate, confusion, clammy skin, or a feeling that something is very wrong
In an emergency, call 911. Do not wait for a call back.
Follow-up care
- Keep the schedule for labs and imaging between cycles
- Report new symptoms between visits rather than saving them
- Ask for a written summary of what has been given so far
Frequently asked questions
Helpful resources
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Prepare Me is educational preparation support from Phoenix Health Compass. It does not diagnose, recommend treatment, or replace the guidance of your clinician. Checklists and notes stay on this device unless you save or share them yourself.