Your kidneys are responsible for processing wastes and other products from your blood. If your kidneys stop working effectively, you will need to undergo dialysis treatments. One thing that your doctor will need to monitor if you are receiving dialysis is the amount of calcium in your blood, as too much or too little can cause serious health problems.
What Is Dialysis?
When your kidneys stop working, your body loses some of its ability to filter out waste products from your blood. Dialysis treatments aim to help replace some of that lost function. There are two different kinds of dialysis: hemodialysis, in which a machine filters through your blood, and peritoneal dialysis, in which a large amount of fluid is injected into your abdomen to help pull out waste products from your blood. Both types of dialysis work well for patients with kidney failure.
Dialysis and Calcium Levels
When you undergo dialysis, the goal is to keep the levels of different minerals, such as calcium, at normal levels. If your calcium levels get too high or too low, it can affect the way that your nervous system and muscles work, including your heart. As a result, your doctor will need to regularly monitor the levels of calcium and other minerals in your blood, such as phosphorus.
Controlling Calcium Levels
One way to control the amount of calcium in your body is to change the calcium levels of the solution used for dialysis. If your calcium levels are too low, other dialysis solutions that have more calcium may be used for your dialysis. You can also alter your blood calcium levels by taking calcium supplements, such as calcium carbonate.
Considerations
You should talk to your doctor if you are concerned about developing either abnormally high or abnormally low calcium levels. Low calcium concentrations in your blood can cause numbness or tingling, muscle spasms and muscle cramping. High calcium levels can cause nausea, vomiting, constipation, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, excessive urination and severe thirst. If abnormally low or high calcium levels are not treated, you can have a seizure or go into a coma, so talk to your doctor if you develop any signs of abnormal calcium levels. Your doctor will be able to test your blood calcium levels and make adjustments to your treatment to normalize the amount of calcium in your blood.
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