Snacks during treatment?

[KarenInWA]

lmunchkin, you couldn't be with J while he did D in center??  My center was not like that at all! They only ask that any and all visitors be respectful to staff and the other patients. They could stay for the whole treatment if they wanted to.

My center also let us eat. In fact, some of the staff encouraged it! Even when a patient ordered pizza delivery, they wouldn't take it away from them. I did see a nurse ask a patient to sit upright instead of eating while reclined, but that was about it. I don't know why my center was so relaxed when it came to food, but I sure did appreciate it! (I never ate a full meal while there, but I would eat snacks)

KarenInWA

[lmunchkin]

Nope, they wouldnt let anybody stay and to this day, I think it is still that way.  He went to 2 different In-centers in the 9 months or so, and neither allowed it. He went to a Fresc & a DCI clinic. You were fortunate KIW and they were right to allow it!

Im sure not all in-centers have those rules. But the majority do.

lmunch

[RichardMEL]

Clearly there are different rules/practices everywhere - heck it might even be that it depends who is working or running the unit from one shift to the next as to what is accepted or not.

I can vouch for Karen's center - I went with her to a few of her treatments and they were totally cool. Of course the big fistula on my arm and strange accent may have helped....

And we ate chowder together while she was on the machine !! mmm chowder.

In my unit yep food was OK and we had sandwiches and tea/coffee delivered as part of the "service" - and guests were always OK - though mostly folks were asked to leave the area when their patient was being put on or off but other than that you could stay as long as you liked, or not. Indeed one long term patient's wife stayed with him almost every single treatment (she was wonderful). By the end she was almost an associate nurse, and getting stuff for other patients, helping around etc. it was sweet.

[fearless]

that is so beautiful.  what a difference!

[JohnJ]

I eat complete meals while I'm dialyzing. The only thing you have to be careful about is a "heavy" meal. When you eat your body redirects a LOT of blood to the digestion process, the stomach and intestines. The dialysis process is already taking a toll on your vascular system, if you now want a large amount of blood to be redirected to your stomach and intestines somethings gotta give...and what happens is the body will lessen the flow of blood there. This can cause SEVERE abdominal cramping because of loss of blood flow to your stomach and intestines. You know those leg cramps...imagine that in your gut....trust me..you don't want this to happen.

I know...it happened to me. It hurts like hell.

John

[The Noob]

we were told that eating while on dialysis directs blood flow to the stomach for digestion, and this blood is then unavailable for dialysizing.

now that we are at home, he eats whatever he wants and labs are perfect, but i believe thats due to longer slower gentler almost daily treatment.