|  | Anemia in Patients on Dialysis Anemia is very common in people who have kidney disease and are on dialysis. This is because people on dialysis often do not have enough red blood cells. Healthy kidneys make a substance (or hormone) called erythropoietin (pronounced e-rith-ro-poy-e-tin), which travels to the bone marrow and “tells” the body to make more red blood cells. Most people who have kidney disease and are on dialysis cannot make enough erythropoietin. Without it, your body does not make enough red blood cells, and you develop anemia (see the graphic below). Red blood cells carry oxygen throughout the entire body, which helps you maintain your energy. When you are anemic, you don’t have enough red blood cells to carry oxygen to all the other cells in your body, so you can feel tired---both mentally and physically. You may also experience shortness of breath, trouble sleeping or exercising, little appetite, sexual problems, dizziness, and other symptoms.
|  |  |
