Dialysis
Dialysis, understood before your first session.
Two reliable options — haemodialysis and peritoneal — and a clear picture of what each costs, how each fits a working life, and what your insurance will and will not cover.
The two methods
Haemodialysis
Your blood is pumped through a filter that removes waste and excess fluid, then returned to your body. Sessions are usually three times a week at a dialysis unit, each lasting about four hours. Access is through a fistula in your arm, a graft, or temporarily through a catheter.
Peritoneal dialysis
The lining of your abdomen (peritoneum) acts as the filter. Fluid is run in through a catheter, left to collect waste, and drained. CAPD uses gravity with several exchanges a day; APD uses a machine overnight. Both happen at home after training — attractive for working professionals.
Life around a schedule
- Most people continue working, with schedules planned around sessions.
- A renal dietitian sets fluid, salt, potassium and phosphorus targets — fluid control is the discipline that protects your heart.
- Watch for symptoms between sessions — swelling, breathlessness, cramping — and report them at your next visit without waiting.
- Quality matters: units with repeatable hygiene and infection protocols protect against the infections that end dialysis careers early.
Cost and coverage
Dialysis costs vary widely across Indian cities and depend on the method, frequency and whether you are treated at a private unit or through a scheme. The reliable approach is the same in every city: get a written monthly estimate, then confirm your coverage explicitly — our insurance guide explains CGHS, ECHS, corporate TPA and Ayushman Bharat for dialysis, including the empanelment checks that protect you from surprise bills.
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Questions about dialysis
How often does haemodialysis happen?+
Typically three sessions a week, each lasting around four hours, at a dialysis unit. The exact schedule depends on your kidney function, heart status and fluid balance — your nephrologist sets it individually.
Can I travel while on dialysis?+
Yes, but it needs planning: book sessions at a unit that shares your records, carry a medical summary and prescriptions, and inform your unit in advance. Peritoneal dialysis is often easier for travellers, using portable equipment and overnight exchanges.
Does peritoneal dialysis need a machine?+
Mostly no. CAPD uses gravity to drain and refill fluid through a catheter in your abdomen, usually with four exchanges a day. Automated PD (APD) uses a cycler overnight. Both are done at home after training.
What should I watch in my diet on dialysis?+
Fluid, salt, potassium and phosphorus are the usual limits. Your renal dietitian will give exact targets — fluid management is the part most patients underestimate, because it directly affects your heart.
Does insurance cover dialysis?+
Many private plans cover dialysis up to plan-specific limits, sometimes only when tied to hospitalisation. CGHS, ECHS and corporate TPA plans have their own rates and empanelment rules. Verify your exact cover before assuming.
Is dialysis a permanent treatment or a bridge?+
Both. For some patients it is the destination treatment; for others it bridges the wait until a transplant becomes possible. Which role it plays depends on your eligibility and donor access — a decision your nephrologist walks through with you.