Paranoid about binders and other medication

[flipperfun]

Hello everyone, I find I am getting more and more confused, and, a little paranoid too since my binder calcichew was withdrawn last year.  I have been told that it is no longer recommended because it can increase the calcium levels too much.  I am now on Renvela powder once a day.  The tablets were too large for me to swallow and have a normal binder 3 times a day.

I thought I had read somewhere, or am I going crazy, that binders also bind other medication if you take it at the same time or too near.  This sort of implies that binders could make other medication less effective, especially antibiotics.  I am now in a silly situation where I wait about 3 hours between taking my normal medication and eating my main meal with my Renvela powder mixed with water.

Can anyone shed any light on this or have I really got it all wrong!  Does other medication have to be taken at different times from a binder?

Any thoughts would be most welcome.

[Joe]

Hi there FlipperFun! I was taking a huge dose of binders while I was on dialysis, and my team never said anything about them binding or causing any issues with any of the other meds I was taking. If you are concerned, definitely ask your team, they will give you the best advice. And best of luck on this path we walk.

[flipperfun]

Thank you Joe, I will ask today at the unit.  Have a good day everyone.

[kristina]

Hello flipperfun,
Whilst I was pre-dialysis, I was  being put on "Calcichew" and after a little while it calcified my body-system very much...
... to such an extend, that it "inspired" my "ending up" with "a spot of cancer" which had to be operated straight away...
... 23 sessions of radiotherapies later, it was medically suggested to me that I should stop the Calcichew straight away
and I began to feel better. again  ...  I have not touched Calcichew ever since...
Sometimes it is hard to find the right medication which harmonizes better with our body-system ...
... and mistakes can easily happen on the way ...
Good luck and best wishes from Kristina.

[Karlise13]

I learned about a product called Renagum at a conference recently. It's chewing gum that you chew for 20 minutes after each meal...........it has a non-calcium component in it to help bind phosphorous in food, so it does not add to your calcium intake. I think it's chitosan. It can help you take fewer binders and I have some patients on it who do really well. It's not covered by insurance, unfortunately, but that may change. I think it will cost you about a dollar a day to use the gum. You can google Renagum to find it. Or if you're having trouble, let me know and I can provide info on it.

[kristina]

Hello Karlise13
Thank you very much for your kind thoughts.
Fortunately, I have not been prescribed binders, even though I have started with dialysis on 13th December 2014,
but if I have to take binders in the future, I shall come back straight away to your suggestion...
(I have already noted "Renagum" in my dialysis-diary...)
Thanks again from Kristina.

[Charlie B53]

Dr recently doubled my binder.  Since my meal times do not near match my pill times, I often forget to take them at all.  Dietician says it is critical to take them WITH each meal.

I may have to come up with a small 'pocket-size' bottle so I will always have them with me.

Now just have to REMEMBER!

Difficult to remember anything, sometimes I swear I'm fried.

[Athena]

I learned about a product called Renagum at a conference recently. It's chewing gum that you chew for 20 minutes after each meal...........it has a non-calcium component in it to help bind phosphorous in food, so it does not add to your calcium intake. I think it's chitosan. It can help you take fewer binders and I have some patients on it who do really well. It's not covered by insurance, unfortunately, but that may change. I think it will cost you about a dollar a day to use the gum. You can google Renagum to find it. Or if you're having trouble, let me know and I can provide info on it.

Dear Karlise13,
Thank you so much for the info on Renagum. I've just had a discussion with my Neph about taking binders. He can't approve any phosphate binders for me because my serum phosphate levels are normal. This still might be a good safe way to naturally reduce phosphate levels for all those times we eat a high phosphorous meals.

[noahvale]

^

[Riki]

I use the chewy tums when I'm out.  I keep them in a resealable bag in my purse, and they are all individually wrapped as well, which is actually a pain in the butt for me because I keep my nails short for guitar playing and sometimes have a hard time getting the wrapper off. *L*  But I find these are great for when you are out and may be eating on the run.