When is PD right for you?

• If you are experiencing a change of lifestyle (like moving, traveling, starting to work or doing more activities outside of the home)
• If you have access problems (like clotting, pain with needles or repeated infections)
• If you have challenges during and after dialysis (like heart/blood pressure issues, post-dialysis exhaustion or cramping during treatment) 
• If you have problems managing the dialysis diet
• If you have trouble getting to the clinic, worry about transportation or don't want to get caught in bad weather 

There are many potential benefits to switching to PD 

• PD gives you more control over your treatments 
• Nighttime PD frees up your days
• May give you more energy for the activities you enjoy³
• Less medications²
• Acts more like natural kidneys
• You can do dialysis more frequently
• Easier to travel for vacations or visits to friends and relatives
• Your dietitian might be able to adjust some elements of your diet³

How do I switch?

To make the switch to PD, start by calling your doctor, nurse or social worker. They can tell you whether Peritoneal Dialysis is appropriate for you. You will have to have outpatient surgery to have a catheter placed in your abdomen. You'll also need training and you'll have to find space in your home to store your supplies. A small closet usually works fine. And if PD turns out to not be right for you, you have options and can switch back to In-center Hemodialysis (ICHD), or you may try Home Hemodialysis (HHD). But for most people who switch, PD offers them a degree of personal freedom they couldn’t get from In-center Hemodialysis. It offers them a way to get back to living the life they enjoy.

Is PD right for you?

Several conditions may prevent your doctor from prescribing PD, including previous abdominal surgeries or the presence of intestinal diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease or diverticulitis. Risks of PD include peritonitis or exit-site infections. Glucose found in the PD solution may lead to high blood sugar in patients with diabetes. Every patient is different, so it is important to talk to your doctor, nurse or social worker to determine if there are other reasons why PD may not be right for you.

^1. Internal Data, Baxter Healthcare Corporation. 2009
^2. USRDS 2009 Annual Data Report: Atlas of End-Stage Renal Disease in the United States, Vol. 3, 2009; 733-751, U.S. Renal Data System.
^3. Juergensen E, Wuerth D, Finkelstein D, et al. "Hemodialysis and Peritoneal Dialysis: Patients’ assessment of their satisfaction with therapy and the impact of the therapy on their lives." American Society of Nephrology 2006;1191-1196