{"id":2507,"date":"2026-04-04T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-04T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/livingdiabetes.com\/?p=2507"},"modified":"2026-04-04T10:00:00","modified_gmt":"2026-04-04T09:00:00","slug":"dialysis-and-diabetes-what-to-expect-when-kidneys-fail","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/livingdiabetes.com\/ur\/dialysis-and-diabetes-what-to-expect-when-kidneys-fail\/","title":{"rendered":"Dialysis and Diabetes: What to Expect When Kidneys Fail"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"intro-box\">\n<p>For people with end-stage renal disease (ESRD), when the kidneys have lost most of their ability to function, dialysis is a life-sustaining treatment that takes over the job of filtering the blood. While the thought of dialysis can be daunting, understanding the process can help demystify it.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2>What is Dialysis?<\/h2>\n<p>Dialysis is a medical procedure that removes waste products, toxins, and excess fluid from the blood when the kidneys are no longer able to. There are two main types of dialysis.<\/p>\n<h3>1. Hemodialysis (HD)<\/h3>\n<p>This is the most common type of dialysis. During hemodialysis, blood is drawn from your body through a surgically created access point (usually in the arm), circulated through a machine with a special filter called a dialyzer (the &#8216;artificial kidney&#8217;), and then returned to your body.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Where:<\/strong> Hemodialysis is typically done at a specialized dialysis centre, three times a week, with each session lasting about 3-4 hours. Home hemodialysis is also an option for some people.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Access:<\/strong> Requires a vascular access, which can be an AV fistula (a surgical connection between an artery and a vein), an AV graft (a synthetic tube connecting an artery and a vein), or a central venous catheter. Fistulas are considered the gold standard as they last longer and have a lower risk of infection.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>2. Peritoneal Dialysis (PD)<\/h3>\n<p>In peritoneal dialysis, the inside lining of your own abdomen (the peritoneal membrane) acts as the natural filter. A soft plastic tube called a catheter is surgically placed in your abdomen. A sterile cleansing fluid called dialysate is infused into your abdominal cavity through this catheter. The fluid dwells there for a set period, drawing waste products and excess fluid from your blood. The fluid is then drained out and discarded.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Where:<\/strong> PD is a home-based therapy. It offers more flexibility and can be done while you sleep (using a machine called a cycler) or manually through several exchanges during the day.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Benefits:<\/strong> PD is a gentler process and can be a great option for those who want more independence and control over their treatment schedule.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"blue-box\">\n<p><strong>Diabetes Management on Dialysis:<\/strong> Blood sugar control remains important on dialysis, but it can be unpredictable. The dialysis fluid contains glucose, which can affect your blood sugar levels. Many people find they need less insulin, as the kidneys are no longer breaking it down. Close monitoring and working with your healthcare team are essential.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"key-takeaway-box\">\n<h3>Key Takeaway<\/h3>\n<p>Dialysis is not a cure for kidney failure, but it is a life-saving treatment that allows people to live for many years. Both hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis have their own pros and cons. The choice between them depends on your medical condition, lifestyle, and personal preference. It is a decision made in close consultation with your nephrologist and healthcare team.<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>For people with end-stage renal disease (ESRD), when the kidneys have lost most of their ability to function, dialysis is a life-sustaining treatment that takes over the job of filtering the blood. While the thought of dialysis can be daunting, understanding the process can help demystify it. What is Dialysis? Dialysis is a medical procedure&#8230;<\/p>","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2506,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_wpsp_custom_templates":["a:7:{s:8:\"facebook\";a:3:{s:8:\"template\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"profiles\";a:0:{}s:9:\"is_global\";b:0;}s:7:\"twitter\";a:3:{s:8:\"template\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"profiles\";a:0:{}s:9:\"is_global\";b:0;}s:8:\"linkedin\";a:3:{s:8:\"template\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"profiles\";a:0:{}s:9:\"is_global\";b:0;}s:9:\"pinterest\";a:3:{s:8:\"template\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"profiles\";a:0:{}s:9:\"is_global\";b:0;}s:9:\"instagram\";a:3:{s:8:\"template\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"profiles\";a:0:{}s:9:\"is_global\";b:0;}s:6:\"medium\";a:3:{s:8:\"template\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"profiles\";a:0:{}s:9:\"is_global\";b:0;}s:7:\"threads\";a:3:{s:8:\"template\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"profiles\";a:0:{}s:9:\"is_global\";b:0;}}"],"_thumbnail_id":["2506"],"tpg-post-view-count":["10"]},"categories":[1],"tags":[363,366,364,311,365],"class_list":["post-2507","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-type-2-diabetes","tag-dialysis","tag-esrd","tag-hemodialysis","tag-kidney-failure","tag-peritoneal-dialysis"],"rttpg_featured_image_url":{"full":["https:\/\/livingdiabetes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/march22_dialysis.jpg",1200,675,false],"landscape":["https:\/\/livingdiabetes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/march22_dialysis.jpg",1200,675,false],"portraits":["https:\/\/livingdiabetes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/march22_dialysis.jpg",1200,675,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/livingdiabetes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/march22_dialysis-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/livingdiabetes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/march22_dialysis-300x169.jpg",300,169,true],"large":["https:\/\/livingdiabetes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/march22_dialysis-1024x576.jpg",640,360,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/livingdiabetes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/march22_dialysis.jpg",1200,675,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/livingdiabetes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/march22_dialysis.jpg",1200,675,false],"trp-custom-language-flag":["https:\/\/livingdiabetes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/march22_dialysis-18x10.jpg",18,10,true],"post-thumbnail":["https:\/\/livingdiabetes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/march22_dialysis-300x169.jpg",300,169,true],"minimalistblogger-grid":["https:\/\/livingdiabetes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/march22_dialysis-350x230.jpg",350,230,true],"minimalistblogger-slider":["https:\/\/livingdiabetes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/march22_dialysis-850x478.jpg",850,478,true],"minimalistblogger-small":["https:\/\/livingdiabetes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/march22_dialysis-300x180.jpg",300,180,true]},"rttpg_author":{"display_name":"FWA","author_link":"https:\/\/livingdiabetes.com\/ur\/author\/manus\/"},"rttpg_comment":0,"rttpg_category":"<a href=\"https:\/\/livingdiabetes.com\/ur\/category\/type-2-diabetes\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Type 2 diabetes<\/a>","rttpg_excerpt":"For people with end-stage renal disease (ESRD), when the kidneys have lost most of their ability to function, dialysis is a life-sustaining treatment that takes over the job of filtering the blood. While the thought of dialysis can be daunting, understanding the process can help demystify it. What is Dialysis? Dialysis is a medical procedure...","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/livingdiabetes.com\/ur\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2507","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/livingdiabetes.com\/ur\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/livingdiabetes.com\/ur\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/livingdiabetes.com\/ur\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/livingdiabetes.com\/ur\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2507"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/livingdiabetes.com\/ur\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2507\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2974,"href":"https:\/\/livingdiabetes.com\/ur\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2507\/revisions\/2974"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/livingdiabetes.com\/ur\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2506"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/livingdiabetes.com\/ur\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2507"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/livingdiabetes.com\/ur\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2507"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/livingdiabetes.com\/ur\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2507"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}