Who can eat at your clinic while dialyzing?

[zazenboy]

Dude, I gotta eat during dialysis cuz I'm hypoglycemic. Even when I travel to other dialysis units I bring some kind of food. I got sh*t for it at a Davita unit, & I merely told them its this or you can call 911 and have me carted away to the ER 2/3rds of the way through...  That shut them up, and you would have thought they read the med charts sent by my social worker beforehand.  I tend to agree that units that allow food are not as clean as the ones that don't, but if you are generally discreet about it they will leave you alone.  Half the time, if you know what you are about those RNs and techs will leave you alone.  The other half you have to shout, and they will really leave you alone after that! LOL.

[jpearce]

jp, would the NB Kidney Foundation buy an ice machine for your unit?  Just wondering?

 No they contacted the unit and the unit said due to infectious control issues and space they could not keep ice for the patients. I bring my own now. The NB Kidney Foundation was very helpful.

[lizabee]

The center I go to is pretty laid back.  I can bring my breakfast with me and if my Husband is off work and comes with me, they allow him to eat with me as well.

[sullidog]

We are aloud a snack, but I eat very lite as I get nauseated.
Troy

[twirl]

after 5 years at this clinic I was told I could not eat---so I was going to leave --- I am a "hipper" -- meaning I have good insurance -- so the director gave me permission to eat --- I "sneak" eat --- other patients who used to eat healthy foods now sneak candy --- one day the unit made popcorn and we could smell it --- that was very rude ---- the staff said, "what? we can't eat in the break room?" that was not the point --- plus Divita game us bags for carrying food in for Christmas --- you know, the insulated bags? I get hooked up before 6am and by 10 I am straving -- so I eat a snack ---

[caringpct]

We allow eating at my unit. However if you have an issue with low bp eating can lower it even more. I encourage hard candy and a light snack to make it through treatments. But remember the dietitian is always watching.

[P8tience]

I used to think Davita was so great, after all I only saw the web site till we moved.  But the unit my hubby goes to, doesnt alow you anything but ice or icewater in little tiny dixie cups only 2 of them!.  if you bring in food you are spoken to by the Facilities director and the dietician.  its like catholic school, ssmack em on the nuckles with a ruler!

[pinkrose]

What do diabetic do if they have a 5 hour run time? Is an exception made for them so they can eat if needed?

[monrein]

What do diabetic do if they have a 5 hour run time? Is an exception made for them so they can eat if needed?

I don't know really, since here in Toronto Canada any units I've been in allow you to eat whatever you want.  Of course if bloodwork is whacked out then they'll talk to you and if BP is an issue they'll advise against eating on the machine except maybe a light snack. 

[kitkatz]

We have one patient who eats his entire Yoshinoya dinner while hooked up. It smells good. However he farts all night long too.  I will bring asnack, but usually do not even touch it nowadays.  When I was four hour runs I needed a snack.

[mikey07840]

My new center is DaVita, I do nocturnal which is 8 hours on the machine. We are allowed to bring in anything we want to eat or drink. I bring a bottle of water and a couple of snacks. Some patients bring little coolers with meals in them. The only rule is that they don't have anything to give you to eat or drink, you need to bring it in yourself.

[Henry P Snicklesnorter]

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[lola]

There is a girl at O's center who has MCdonalds EVERY session with the SUPER size pop, well she knocks them over alot and the other day she did it just as she was getting started and had the balls to not only let staff know they needed to mop up but also could they go get her another drink. WTF!!!!!  I'm surprised they have not banned her from bringing stuff in since they have to clean up so much after her. The staff is soooooooo great when ever I go visit they are always caring for there pt's not just hanging out at the desk like I have seen before.

[RichardMEL]

There is a girl at O's center who has MCdonalds EVERY session with the SUPER size pop, well she knocks them over alot and the other day she did it just as she was getting started and had the balls to not only let staff know they needed to mop up but also could they go get her another drink. WTF!!!!!  I'm surprised they have not banned her from bringing stuff in since they have to clean up so much after her. The staff is soooooooo great when ever I go visit they are always caring for there pt's not just hanging out at the desk like I have seen before.

what the... super size... how much is that? like 500ml??? that's insane....

guess she isn't on fluid restrictions?

and if it's coke, even tho you're on the machine, shouldn't there be an attempt to educate her about the dangers of fluid AND phosphates in soda???

[Des]

We get served a toasted cheese and ham sandwich while on the machine with tea or coffee.

Some people bring food from home as one sandwich is not a meal for some seeing that we are on from 5 till 9 in the evening.

[murf]

I have dialyzed in four hospitals/centers in my home state (Western Australia) and in all cases they provide food and drink. In fact, it is the highlight of the day.

[M3Riddler]

Just wondering how many people here can eat while they are dialyzing. This is a prickly issue with me. My clinic is strictly anti-eat, anti-hard candy, anti-gum. I'm not talking about eating a 3 course dinner. I'd just luv to be able to chew a little gum or suck on a root beer barrell.

Please give me some input here.

EDITED: Topic moved to proper section "Dialysis: Centers" - Epoman, Admin/Owner

Many centers do not like you to eat while on treatment due to nothing more than "dirty" people. I was at a center where they tried to disallow eating while on treatment because some of the people would treat the center like they treat thier homes and leave their garbage at the machine after their treatment leaving it up to the staff to cleanup after them. I have seen some really dirty people with their garbage everywhere. Mcdonalds bags, half eatin sandwhiches in the chair, crumbs everywhere, food on the floor etc.....
Another reason is that the crumbs, etc... can attract insects..
Even though the center had rules, this did not stop people from eating while on treatment including myself when I was in center. I used to dialyze on the evening shift after work, and this was the only time i could eat dinner as when i got home, it would be almost 10:00 at night.
Different centers have different rules...

[murf]

I forgot to add: There is one patient who orders delivery. Should see the look on the Pizza boy's face as he hands over the food to a patient hooked up to a machine. At Xmas time, we always have a glass of bubbly or two and we often bring in cakes to share for birthdays or transplants. I think that I am lucky to live in Australia.

[okarol]

I forgot to add: There is one patient who orders delivery. Should see the look on the Pizza boy's face as he hands over the food to a patient hooked up to a machine. At Xmas time, we always have a glass of bubbly or two and we often bring in cakes to share for birthdays or transplants. I think that I am lucky to live in Australia.

It sounds great! 

[RichardMEL]

Like Murf we also have bubbly on new year's eve (I bring in the french champers and share a glass with the staff when everyone's finished for the day) and on birthdays we're encouraged to bring in a cake - so I am naughty half the time and bring in chocolate !!! (luckily it's OK to have during the first hour they claim as the K will be leached out during the session). Sometimes a member of staff may bring in some food they made and share it. I had a nurse who would make me Sri Lankan food every so often and give me a fresh serve to take home for dinner (mmm her chicken curry was awesome). Truly spoiled.

[AIRon]

I am told there are no food or drink allowed passed the big doors leading into the treatment area, but I do see a few people pulling snacks out of their bags and some even have water bottles. I don't have the nerve to ask if I could have something, water would be nice but do to the fact that that is what they are trying to get rid of while I am here I am not going to subject myself to a ridiculous stare from a dialysis nurse right now. I think thats wild Richard, that you get cake and champagne its too bad i will not be here at my center for new years or Christmas since I am switching to PD.

[RichardMEL]

well let me clarify that I buy and bring the bubbly - I share it with a few of the nurses who are working. My way of celebrating the new year with them - as friends, not nurses (and like I said, we wait till everyone is off before having any bubbles so it's all above board). With the cake it's a bit of a tradition that if it's your birthday on the day you're having D then cake it is. Sometimes they even bring cake for us themselves. It's a pretty neat community in my unit it must be said.

On Saturday afternoons when it's a bit slower and more relaxed (ie: the managers are not around) we sometimes buy coffee for the staff and patients (as in someone will go down to the cafe and get real barista coffee, not instant). This last weekend one of the patients shouted the coffee run because he had a new granddaughter to celebrate.

[dialysismomma]

Ok here is the clinical reason why you are not suppose to eat on treatment. When you eat the blood rushes to your stomach to aid in digestion. When you are on treatment you already have blood missing from your body which drops your blood pressure. So eating drops it even more which could make you pass out and choke. Now I would always allow my patients to eat a small snack even a sandwhich and have a drink because most of the people on dialysis are diabetics and cant go that long with out eating. The way i saw it is you have to drive to the clinic and if you got transported then they drop you off and sometimes it is way early, then you have your treatment which is usually 4 hours, then you either have to drive home or wait on transportation to pick you up and then get home. So if you add that up it is usually between 5 - 6 and even some times even more that you would go without eating. I know as a health person I could not go that long with out eating so why would I expect you to go with out eating. I also kept nutrigrain bars in my locker just in case some one got hungry so that I could get them something in their belly

[Beth35]

It never occured to me that some clinics do not allow eating on dialysis.  I was on dialysis for five years my first time around and went to a total of three clinics.  All of them allowed food.  Gosh, I don't think I could have made it without food and drink.  Whenever I had a treatment, I would get this HORRIBLE taste in my mouth.  I had to something to eat and drink to help me get rid of that taste.  I was so dry that I needed something.  I can't imagine not being allowed to have anything.

I start dialysis at another unit soon and I will be sure to ask about that.  I won't want to go to a clinic that does not allow food.

[kitkatz]

As I have said I always bring some sort of snack to dialysis.  Now if often is not even eaten, but i know it is there if I feel peckish in the middle of the night.  I usually take an apple and a small bag of ice animal cookies. It used to be a bag of Capt Crunch cereal or such.  Plus a glass of ice.