THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The blistering heat has affected different people in different ways. For dialysis patients, most of whom have been medically advised not to drink more than half a litre of water daily, it has been particularly bad.
S Lallu, a senior associate editor with News 18 television channel, recently shared his plight on Facebook. In his post, the 42-year-old, who has stage-5 chronic kidney disease (CKD), said he undergoes dialysis thrice a week, with each session lasting nearly four hours. He was diagnosed with renal disease two years ago.
A passionate journalist, Lallu hates idling around. So, he starts two of his weekly dialysis sessions at 6 am and the third on Saturday night after office hours, so that he can rest the next day. Despite being a foodie, the disease has forced him to cut down on his food intake and above all, fluids.
Lallu’s nephrologist has advised him against taking foods that contain coconut and fruit. “I am on a strict diet, without which the level of electrolytes in my body -- sodium and potassium -- would go up. I used to drink lots of fluids.But this summer, I can hardly take 500-800ml of water. This also includes tea and other beverages, as well as water content in the food. I ensure that I do not exert myself. I do not pass urine more than twice a day,” Lallu told TNIE.
Hailing from Paravoor, Kollam, Lallu has completed nearly 80% of the medical tests to register for a cadaver kidney under the state government’s Mrithasanjeevani organ donation programme. He requires Rs 50,000 a month for dialysis, medicines and injections.
There are several thousand renal patients who are in the same boat as Lallu. A 28-year-old woman, who is not keen to reveal her identity, has had a harrowing time this summer. The Kochi native who works for a private firm in Thiruvananthapuram said she finds it difficult to quench her thirst. “It’s been six months since I was diagnosed with renal failure and I currently undergo dialysis thrice a week. I’m yet to come to terms with the fact that I can’t drink over 600ml of water a day. In fact, I watch food channel videos on social media to overcome my craving for fluids,” she says, describing her hapless situation.
A senior Congress leader’s son who had undergone kidney transplantation two years ago is currently leading a normal life. Since it was his mother who donated one of her kidneys, the youth was allowed to drink water after two days of the surgery. According to doctors, when a cadaver kidney is transplanted, the patient will have to wait for a while before normal fluid intake. Until a patient’s urea and creatinine levels normalise, they are administered fluids intravenously.
Dr Jayant Thomas Mathew, senior consultant nephrologist at Lisie Hospital, Kochi, admits that this summer has been particularly bad for dialysis patients.
“When easing water intake curbs for dialysis patients during the summer, we take into account urine output and fluid status. I ask some of my patients to chew gum, which helps them develop saliva. I also urge them to carry ice cubes to lower their thirst. I have been relentlessly asking patients to avoid strenuous exercise,” Dr Jayant pointed out.
However, some patients who suffer from oedema and those who have more urine output have been lucky to an extent as Dr Jayant advises them to have 1,500ml of water a day.
With over 17 years’ of experience in the health sector, Anoop S Nair, a PRO with NIMS Hospital Neyyattinkara, knows most of the doctors in Thiruvananthapuram. In 2020, a year before the Covid outbreak, his wife, Gayatri, developed a urinary infection. The couple were shocked when doctors asked her to undergo kidney transplantation. As the 33-year-old was advised emergency surgery, her mother, Sunitha decided to donate one of her kidneys. The transplantation went well and she recovered fast. Later, after she contracted Covid-19, Gayatri was advised by a doctor to take an immunoglobulin injection, which cost Rs 50,000, recounts Anoop.
“We wanted to enhance her immunity. Moreover, we did it on the advice of her doctor. Recently, her donor kidney stopped functioning, which dealt a huge blow to us. Now, Gayatri is again undergoing dialysis. She is having a tough time. Honestly, I don’t know how she is managing. Gayatri drinks tea twice a day and sometimes takes ice cubes. She holds ice water in her mouth for a while and drinks it slowly,” said Anoop.
Gayatri’s treatment was moved to Kochi after doctors in the state capital gave her a wrong diagnosis when her donor kidney got rejected. She was scheduled to undergo immunotherapy cancer treatment when a doctor, who Anoop knows personally, said it’s the wrong diagnosis. Anoop recalls that if she had undergone cancer treatment, Gayatri would have collapsed. A mural artist, the renal disease has pushed her passion to the sidelines.
“She now undergoes dialysis thrice a week at a private hospital near Pattom. For renal treatment, we regularly travel to Kochi,” adds Anoop.
DONOR DATA
No. of kidney donors from Kerala between August 2012 to January 2023, as per Kerala Network for Organ Sharing -- the Mrithasanjeevani Programme (deceased donor transplant data).
2,279 Kidney patients awaiting transplantation surgery, as of May 12, 2024