My husband has been on hemo about 3 years. He is 68 yrs old. He has these real small black spots coming on/in his skin. Lots of them. What could this be? Anyone else have this problem and no anything to do for it? Thanks in advance for reply. jlc

I saw black spots on my tounge one week that scared me half to death! I had a feeling they were from the iron pills I used to take, although that is just a guess. These spots were very definite, but thankfully in a few days they vanished. I never found out what caused them and I've never heard anyone else say they got them.

Hi:

During dialysis - and after my transplant - I get occasional red spots on my arms and legs. I think it has something to do with salt levels and never last very long.

Where are these black spots apprearing and what are your doctors saying? I�d be very interested in hearing.

In the end, I think renal failure patients can expect lots of unusual physical reactions. Do other readers have other examples?

Best,
Mike

Thanks Mike and PHG for your replies. These spots are like tiny moles, not raised, and all over my husband. The kidney doc's had no answer. I feel we will make an appt. with a skin specialist and I will let you know what he says.They do not hurt or itch but really bother my husband just because they are there. If anyone else knows info on these let us know. They are not in mouth but on arms, legs, back, and a few on face. jlc

The only black spots I can think of are not related to dialysis, and they are what is referred to as liver or age spots. Liver just refers to the color, it doesn't mean the liver is causing them!
As for strange things due to dialysis Michael, I have one for you. My vision became increasingly worse as I neared dialysis. I was told I needed glasses. I was told I needed eye drops (dry eye). The whites were yellow, and bloodshot. My liver tests were normal! I had blurry vision, and sometimes double vision. My neph. was at a loss, and said he had never heard of any eye problems due to uremia. He also said it was not due to my meds. which were epo, iron, and Norvasc for bp.
Well, the week I started dialysis the vision problems left. I now know it was because I needed dialysis because recently went to a wedding on a weekend, and didn't get back to center as soon as I usually do and the whites of my eyes turned yellow, and vision was blurry. It cleared the day after treatment.

I presume that those responsible have reviewed your labs. Please be sure that your phosphorus and your CaXphos product aren't way too high and been that way for awhile. Always the chance of it being phosphorus crystal deposits. Just check it out. I'd be very glad to hear it isn't the problem.

I remember white spots and rather nasty complexion on my face (BUMPY). Regretfully i never brought it up to my doctor. Thank fully it dissappeared after my transplant.

The doctor does not know what they are. They look like small black freckles. We went to the skin specialist and he had no idea what they were. Said something definitely to do with pigment. He didn't feel like they were harmful or dangerous and asked my husband to come back in a year. His phosphorous was us some last monthly labs. 7.something. We are watching his diet to get that back to normal where it usually is. There seem to be so many things with dialysis patients that no one, not even doctors, have the answer to. Thanks for all responses.

I have always suspected i was losing pigment while on dialysis.

I believe pigment is made in the same area of the bone marrow that blood is manufactured. Maybe this is related.