The Cause of the Itch

When I started my dialysis journey, I was what my medical team called “the perfect candidate” for peritoneal dialysis. My overall experience with peritoneal dialysis was pleasant until I had to switch modalities. I would then immediately start hemodialysis.

This process in itself really challenged my faith and would change the trajectory of my life. I remember being scared, sad, and so disappointed. This was taking place at the peak of COVID and I didn't know if I could physically manage what was coming of my life. After speaking to a friend who was currently doing hemodialysis and showing up everyday as the strong woman she is, she spoke faith into me that I was lacking. Little does she know, she saved my life.

My skin started to itch

For me, hemodialysis was my big beast. The thing I feared to do that I was now facing and conquering. After a month on dialysis, I realized I would itch. It was winter time when the water can be harsh where I am living. Specifically, I was itchy on my legs. I figured I just had dry skin so I moisturized. While this did help, it was always short lived.

The discomfort would interrupt my sleep which I was already having difficulty with. I then realized that after I had dialysis, I was no longer itching. I brought this concern to my dialysis team and they then explained my levels and reason for the itch: high phosphorus levels.

Learning about the itch

I was in disbelief. But I was also very uneducated on the process of hemodialysis and how different it would be from peritoneal. I have and always abide to a conscious diet. I am a chef and I was never big on the out, so I figured I was doing everything within my power to be well. I valued and carried proudly that I was once called the perfect candidate. On hemodialysis there were things that I had to learn quickly being that switching different modalities changed the ability for my body to do certain things naturally. With also losing the ability to urinate regularly like I use to. I learned that now ridding of phosphorous was now a challenge for my body. I would need to use phosphorus binders and tighten up on my diet. I thought I was doing so well with eating but I realized there were things I could do better.

So why the itch? Our kidneys filter out phosphorus naturally and is a mineral our body needs. When you have failing kidneys, it becomes one of their biggest struggles to get rid of phosphorus. On dialysis this is a level that is checked regularly, however here are some symptoms one may experience: muscle cramps, joint pain, itchiness, tingles in the body, brittle nails, and dry skin.

Talk to your doctor about options

If you’re struggling with high phosphorus levels and looking for ways to help naturally, I have found that my diet is the first place to start besides medication. In fact I made the decision to use nothing in a box or can completely. My dietitian educated me that most processed food had a substantial amount of phosphorus including animal protein. As challenging it was, eliminating a lot of foods definitely helped. I was shocked at how many things contained phosphorus in them, but this lead me to get a new understanding and passion for taking better care of myself.

Any symptom that you are experiencing that is different from your norm, please reach out to your medical team. While there are natural things to assist, your medical team will guide you best to help keep your symptoms under control.