What are my treatment options?
When your kidneys fail, you must decide on a treatment to replace kidney function. Each treatment choice has advantages and disadvantages. You may also choose to forego treatment.
Treatment options include:
DialysisHemodialysis
Peritoneal Dialysis
Kidney Transplant
By learning about your choices, you can better decide what's best for you.
Choosing a Treatment That's Right for You
This booklet provides information on how to choose the best treatment option for YOU.
View ResourceChoosing a Treatment That's Right for You - Spanish
The Spanish language version of this booklet provides information on how to choose the best treatment option for YOU.
View ResourceDialysis Schedules: Tips for Patients and Staff
Scheduling issues are a common source of frustration for dialysis patients and staff.This document addresses what you can do to help keep your dialysis schedule running as on time as possible.
View ResourceFixing Paco: Kidney Transplant as a Treatment Option, Living Donation, and the Importance of Proactive Patient Involvement
Fixing Paco is a website dedicated to educating the public about the leading causes of kidney disease, how to prevent it, kidney transplant as a treatment option, the need for living organ donors, and the importance of proactive patient involvement in care.
There are two components to the website:
- A public service announcement (PSA) campaign that carries a strong call to action.
- Get the Facts (0:30)
- Get the facts! Get Checked! Get Help! (0.60)
- A web series that tells the "story of family, big decisions and second chances."
Follow Patients as They Talk About Home Dialysis
Learn more about home dialysis and how it might work for you with a new video, Dialysis: How I Took the Road Home.
Follow patients with end stage renal disease (ESRD) as they share their personal journeys with home dialysis. From discovering needle-free modalities like peritoneal dialysis (PD) to enjoying the flexibility to travel, patients are finding a better quality of life.
Imagine life with:
- More energy
- Flexible treatment schedules
- Fewer diet and fluid restrictions
- Less travel to the clinic
If you are a facility, use the Discover the Benefits of Home Dialysis flyer and poster to promote the Dialysis: How I took the Road Home video.
Talk to your healthcare team to learn about whether home dialysis could be right for you.
View ResourceGet the Facts: Kidney Transplant
Learn the facts about getting a kidney transplant and how it might affect you, before you make decisions about your treatment.
View ResourceHome Dialysis Central
Home Dialysis Central is an online source of up-to-date, unbiased information about home dialysis for people with kidney disease, their families, and the healthcare professionals who provide kidney disease care.
View ResourceKeep Comfortable on Dialysis
This one page document for patients provides some ideas to help promote comfort and ease patients' pain that can be tried before moving to medication.
View ResourceLiving Donor Assistance
The National Living Donor Assistance Center (NLDAC) provides greater access to transplantation for persons who want to donate, but cannot otherwise afford the travel and subsistence expenses associated with donation.
View ResourceMEI: My Life, My Dialysis Choice
This interactive website, available in English and Spanish, guides patients through the many treatment options available for kidney patients, helping them choose the right treatment for their lifestyle.
View ResourceModalities to Treat ESRD
The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases provides information and education regarding ESRD treatment.
View ResourceModalities to Treat ESRD - Spanish Version
The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases provides information and education regarding ESRD treatment options in Spanish.
View ResourceMy Choices: Hemodialysis
Know Your Options flyer explaining the different hemodialysis treatment options for ESRD, including advantages and disadvantages.
View ResourceMy Choices: Hemodialysis - Spanish
Know Your Options Spanish language flyer explaining the different hemodialysis treatment options for ESRD, including advantages and disadvantages.
View ResourceMy Choices: Kidney Transplant
Know Your Options flyer explaining the treatment option of kidney transplantation, including advantages and disadvantages.
View ResourceMy Choices: Kidney Transplant - Spanish
Know Your Options Spanish language flyer explaining the treatment option of kidney transplantation, including advantages and disadvantages.
View ResourceMy Choices: Peritoneal Dialysis
Know Your Options flyer explaining the different peritoneal dialysis treatment options for ESRD, including advantages and disadvantages.
View ResourceMy Choices: Peritoneal Dialysis - Spanish
Spanish language Know Your Options flyer explaining the different peritoneal dialysis treatment options for ESRD, including advantages and disadvantages.
View ResourceNational Kidney Foundation: Become and Organ Donor
This website explains the need for people to consider being organ donors.
View ResourcePartnering with Your Transplant Team
This is a comprehensive guide book to undergoing and managing your kidney transplant.
View ResourcePartnering with Your Transplant Team - Spanish
This is a Spanish language comprehensive guide book to undergoing and managing your kidney transplant.
View ResourcePeritoneal Dialysis
This page provides a list of English and Spanish language educational resources for patients on peritoneal dialysis.
View ResourceTransplant Patient Brochures - English and Spanish
These patient brochures in English and Spanish include information about organ transplantation, living donation, financial strategies, and partnering with your care team.
View ResourceTransWeb.org
TransWeb.org provides transplant patients and their families with information specifically dealing with transplant-related issues and concerns.
View ResourceTreatment Methods: Peritoneal Dialysis
This guide discusses peritoneal dialysis treatment methods.
View ResourceUnderstanding Hemodialysis
This guide discusses how hemodialysis works when your kidneys fail.
View ResourceUnderstanding Peritoneal Dialysis
This guide explains how peritoneal dialysis works when your kidneys fail.
View ResourceWho Do I Talk to if I Want to Change My Treatment Options (English)
Know Your Options flyer that provides information on who to talk to if you want to try a different treatment for ESRD.
View ResourceWho Do I Talk to if I Want to Change My Treatment Options (Spanish)
Know Your Options Spanish language flyer that provides information on who to talk to if you want to try a different treatment for ESRD.
View ResourceWhy Am I Cold? Brochure
This tri-fold brochure explains the reasons why a dialysis patient might feel cold and ways to keep warm while on dialysis.
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