7 tips to keep your fluid down on dialysis

[okarol]

 7 tips to keep your fluid down on dialysis

March 2010
Health Tips Vitamin and Supplements Information

As any dialysis patient will tell you, keeping your fluid gain between dialysis sessions in check is not only important to your long term health, it is a major factor in your immediate well-being.

Keeping fluid level gains as low as possible between dialysis treatments will minimize the risk of congestive heart failure, pulmonary oedema, and hypertension. Cramps, headaches and breathing difficulties are short term side-effects of fluid overload, and whilst not as dangerous as the long term effects, these should be heeded as a pointer to fluid overload in dialysis patients.

Whilst every dialysis patient has their own special method of keeping their fluid levels in check, I thought it might be pertinent to explain some of the methods that I have found (relatively) successful.

1/ Buy a bag of ice. I have a large chest freezer in my kitchen, I buy a 5kg (approx 11lb) bag of ice chips from the service (gas) station, place it in the freezer, and suck on ice chips throughout the day. Make sure the freezer is in a convenient place, so you can reach it quickly to grab a few small pieces of ice, so you can avoid the temptation to fill a glass with ice. (In which case you might as well have that mug of coffee you wanted in the first place!)

2/ Get a GOOD set of digital scales. I have a set which measures with an accuracy of 200grams (don't we all wish we could afford the scales at the dialysis unit which measure to 50grams?!?), which is accurate enough to get a good idea of where you are at with your fluid gain. Work out the difference between your dialysis centre scales, and your home scales, so you can get an accurate reflection of your fluid gain. I weigh myself first thing when I get up in the morning (you'd be surprised how much weight you lose over a warm night!), as soon as I get home from work, and whenever I have a drink. This method is great in two ways: 1)You never (well, rarely, anyway!) get a nasty surprise when you arrive at dialysis and jump on the scales. And 2) You don't get the opposite surprise of getting to dialysis with only 1kg of fluid on, thinking: 'Damn, I wish I'd drank more!' (I often find myself in the ridiculous situation of forcing myself to have another cup of coffee before I leave for dialysis, as there's no bank for fluid, once you've had that dialysis, the opportunity to have that drink is gone forever!)

3/ Save up your drinks if you're going to need them. If you know you are going to an event where the temptation to drink more fluid that you should will be strong, save up your drinks beforehand. For example ' if you get off dialysis at lunchtime on Wednesday (meaning that you go back to dialysis on Friday Morning), and you have a function to attend on Thursday night, try to drink as little as possible between Wednesday lunchtime and Thursday evening, telling yourself that your reward will be the fact that you will be able to drink (nearly) as much as a 'normal' person at the function.

4/ Keep yourself busy! Any dialysis patient will tell you that when they're busy, they're not thinking about drinking. It could be a gentle walk, send an email to a friend, jump on the phone, or play with your kids. It doesn't matter, as long as it keeps your mind occupied.

5/ Frozen water. Freeze a bottle of water, containing the amount you have allowed yourself to drink that day, and drink it as it defrosts. This has the benefit of the drink being ice-cold, as well. The down-side of this is that if your bottle melts too quickly, you could find yourself at 3pm, with all your water gone!

6/ Spray bottle. Get yourself a spray bottle, and fill it with water (maybe with a little lemon juice or mint flavouring), and spray it into your mouth when you feel the urge to have a drink. Whilst this won't completely sate your desire for fluids, it may help you wait a little longer before indulging!

7/ Mints and toothpaste. Try sucking a strong mint, or even brushing your teeth. The feeling of a clean, fresh mouth will often lessen the desire to blow your fluid limit. (This method will make you nicer to kiss, too!)

I hope that these suggestion will help you in the dialysis patient's eternal quest to keep their fluid gain under control. But remember, life is for living too, and we, as dialysis patients more than most need to adhere to this edict. So whilst keeping your fluid gain under control is important for both your immediate and long term health, remember that if you've blown your fluid this time, there is always next time, so keep trying!

About the author: About the author: Stuart Drew is a 34 year old dialysis patient from Adelaide, Australia. He is a part time web geek, and runs the website therenalunit.com - a news service for all issues relating to kidney disease and dialysis. He can be contacted at stuart@stuartdrew.com
Author: Stuart Drew

http://www.1st-tipsonhealth.info/897595-7-tips-to-keep-your-fluid-down-on-dialysis.html

[cassandra]

thank you Okarol, I can also suggest to drink in little cups so you can fill them up to the rim, as it seems to trick my brain into thinking it is a full cup. love Cas

[Rerun]

Now I'm thirsty!

                                   

[Zach]

One of the most important tips is to cut back on your salt intake.
Watch out for any food that is processed or packaged.

[jbeany]

I got rid of all my big glasses.  It was easier to stop at the right amount if a full glass only held a quarter of a cup of fluid in the first place.

[sullidog]

Luckily no restrictions for me yet, but these are some good tips if I ever need them!
Troy

[-Lady Noir-]

One of the most important tips is to cut back on your salt intake.
Watch out for any food that is processed or packaged.

Thank-you, i was thinking the same thing.

Mike finds excersize to be quite helpful too 

[Bill Peckham]

One of the most important tips is to cut back on your salt intake.
Watch out for any food that is processed or packaged.

 

exactly
How could you have a list of seven tips and not mention sodium?

Avoid sodium should be the first three tips. Pay particular attention to sodium given during dialysis - say no to sodium modeling, say no to dialysate with sodium over 138, avoid large doses of saline.

In the grocery store avoid any "fresh" meat that has been enhanced.

[Stacy Without An E]

I'd have to disagree with the ice cubes part.  I used to chew ice all the time when I still had kidney function.  It kept me from snacking all day.

When I first started Dialysis, I continued to chew on ice.  I found when I didn't put ice in my beverages, I was 1-2 kilos lighter.

This list certainly wasn't created by a patient. was it?

[okarol]

I'd have to disagree with the ice cubes part.  I used to chew ice all the time when I still had kidney function.  It kept me from snacking all day.

When I first started Dialysis, I continued to chew on ice.  I found when I didn't put ice in my beverages, I was 1-2 kilos lighter.

This list certainly wasn't created by a patient. was it?

It says: About the author: Stuart Drew is a 34 year old dialysis patient from Adelaide, Australia. He is a part time web geek, and runs the website therenalunit.com - a news service for all issues relating to kidney disease and dialysis. He can be contacted at stuart@stuartdrew.com

[Stacy Without An E]

Duh, I'm an idiot.  Maybe if I followed more of the seven rules, I wouldn't feel so awful and my reading skills would be more concentrated.

[murf]

Would like to make two suggestions to this rather excellent list. I use chewing gum as it creates saliva and tricks the brain in thinking that you have been drinking. I also aerate my ice cubes by twisting the ice cube rack as It freezes. It produces a larger sized cube and cracks in your mouth as you suck on it. Lovely!

[Stu]

This list certainly wasn't created by a patient. was it?

Yeah, it was actually 

That list was written about six years ago, at which time I'd been back doing my second stint of haemo for around 2 years (3 years after I wrote that I was the fortunate recipient of my 2nd transplant, which is still functioning).

That was written from my experience, and what worked for me as a young male living through hot Australian summers and mates who drank heavily.

So yeah, that stuff worked for me.

[okarol]

Yay! Good to see you Stu! 

[Stu]

Yay! Good to see you Stu! 

LOL, thanks mate.

I haven't been around for a loooooooong time it seems, really appreciate the warm welcome. I couldn't resist sticking my head back in when the email came in mentioning the article.

I guess I just kinda drifted away from as much of the renal stuff as possible what with the functioning transplant and all. Just want to spend the time I have with it working doing as much as I can spending time with the kids and wife, building the business so that when the inevitable happens I'll be able to support myself etc.

It seems you guys are going from strength to strength here, which is awesome. You provide an amazing service to people in real need and a great community of support. (That sounds condescending, but seriously, it's not!)

Seems I should pop my head in here a little more often 

[RichardMEL]

G'day Stu... very cool to have the actual author come in and make some comments!!!

I'm so happy you have your second transplant and hope it works out very well for you for years to come!!!!!

 

[jessshar]

What works for my Dad is Gum. He loves trident layers. He chews it all day long and it helps ward off a dry mouth. Since he started chewing it his fluid gains have been great! The only down side is that he likes to save it and we find gum all over the house that has been chewed. YUK!