Bottle of Water after kidney transplant?

[st789]

I am curious about the quality of water that we shoudl drink after kidney transplant since we do not want to be dehydrate.  I myself drink a lot of water and in constant need great amount of liquid.  I like to see some inputs from members.  Obviously, it would be great if we can afford to buy bottle of water.

[Jill D.]

After my transplant, while I was still in the hospital, one of the nurses suggested I always order extra bottled water when placing my meal orders. She felt that transplant patients should drink bottled water, at least initially.

At home, we have some of the best water there is (I believe it is always rated high nationally for"city water") so I usually fill a water bottle right from the tap. However, when I travel I always drink bottled water and I always keep bottled water in the trunk of my car.

[okarol]

Jenna's surgeon strongly recommended she drink 2 liters of water per day, in addition to any other beverages she has.
We are still getting her bottled water, or the filtered water from our refrigerator.

[Rerun]

If you can't afford bottled water you might save up for a Brita Water Filter pitcher.  Those are great the the water tastes so good.

[Wattle]

If you can't afford bottled water you might save up for a Brita Water Filter pitcher.  Those are great the the water tastes so good.

I agree. I have the large box with a tap that stays in the fridge at all times. I use this water for everything. Tea, coffee, cooking and drinking ect. They are not very expensive. You just have to change the filters every two months.

http://www.brita.com.au/britaproducts       

[Sara]

What stuff in the water would they be concerned about?  For the most part we don't have to worry about the water like a lot of other countries do.   

[st789]

Although I have water filter at home, I have more trust water from vendor machine.  I heard some people say that water can play a factor in the logevity of the graft.  Then why some people can keep their graft for a long time and some for just a few years.  Wow, we actually have to drink 2 liters of water per day, then I am not drinking enough then, especially when you are at work.  Thanks everyone for the input.  Appreciate it.

[Bajanne]

In the British Virgin Islands you do not drink water from the tap, so bottled water is the norm here.  Generally, every home has two water sources - coming from the government and water from cisterns built into the houses.   Cistern water is rain water collected.
I do have a Brita filter and I love it.

[goofynina]

The one thing i want to add to this thread is that if you are drinking bottled water, check the bottom of the bottle, the little recycle sign, if there is a 3 in that triangle of arrows, that water may not be safe to drink,  I believe Sheryl Crow said Target sells water bottles with this # on it.  Something about the plastic may cause a form of cancer.  She also said if you are going to reuse the plastic water bottles, do not let it sit in your car and get warm.  Just passin on what i seen and heard.   

[Sluff]

The one thing i want to add to this thread is that if you are drinking bottled water, check the bottom of the bottle, the little recycle sign, if there is a 3 in that triangle of arrows, that water may not be safe to drink,  I believe Sheryl Crow said Target sells water bottles with this # on it.  Something about the plastic may cause a form of cancer.  She also said if you are going to reuse the plastic water bottles, do not let it sit in your car and get warm.  Just passin on what i seen and heard.   

Not only are about the sweetest person.. but smart too! 

[goofynina]

Aww, thank you Sluff,  just telling the facts Sir, just the facts

[st789]

Very good info. everyone, especially goofynina.  Drink..............whenever I get a chance.

[Falkenbach]

I have a "pura tap" filter, apparently it removes all heavy metals, chemicals etc, but leaves the flouride in place. Good for teeth! Most bottled water has no flouride, I've been led to believe, so keep your dental care intensive, if using bottled water.

After transplant, do people generally drink no alcohol at all, or is it okay to have one or two drinks say, once a week or fortnight? I've always enjoyed a drink (not in the out-of-control alcoholic sense lol), but am afraid my drinking days are over.

[Hawkeye]

The water in my area is already a really good quality, but I still have a water filter.  I have a 2 duel carbon cartride filters mounted under my sink with its own tap on the counter.  Bought it from Home Depot and installed it myself in about 20 min.  You can even get R.O. units for your home if you are really serious about it, but that is a big waste in my opinion to clean all the water in your house to such a high level when drinking and cooking water is all we really need to worry about.  Your flushing half of it down the toliet anyway.  Also, if you buy bottled water you should check into that brand.  Most that claim to be from some crystal spring are just lake water that has been run through an R.O. in a factory.  Though I would have to double check to be sure it's true I remember reading Ice Mountain brand bottled water is just Lake Michigan water that has been cleaned and run though an R.O. in a factory.

[angela515]

I drink almost 3-4 litres a day. My urine is completely clear basically.. lol. I drink bottled water and at home I drink water from the water softener.

[Hawkeye]

The one thing i want to add to this thread is that if you are drinking bottled water, check the bottom of the bottle, the little recycle sign, if there is a 3 in that triangle of arrows, that water may not be safe to drink,  I believe Sheryl Crow said Target sells water bottles with this # on it.  Something about the plastic may cause a form of cancer.  She also said if you are going to reuse the plastic water bottles, do not let it sit in your car and get warm.  Just passin on what i seen and heard.   

Sorry to say it, but just like Captain Kangaroo and Mister Rodgers you have been had.

Once again I can't seem to copy and paste from the website, but here is the link below.

www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/petbottles.asp

[goofynina]

This was said by Sheryl Crow, a breast cancer survivor, on the Oprah Show with another gentleman who also did the study on it,  so if i was fooled, i wasnt the only one.   

[thegrammalady]

i haven't had a transplant, but we drink filtered water. we have two 3 gallon dispensers we fill at a place called "water to go" they have a special filter system that fills whatever container you bring in. it is 45 cents a gallon which is much cheaper than bottled water. the containers are designed especially for water. as far as i know "water to go" is a national franchise. there is nothing wrong with the tap water in denver, i just think it has a funny taste.

[Jill D.]

After transplant, do people generally drink no alcohol at all, or is it okay to have one or two drinks say, once a week or fortnight? I've always enjoyed a drink (not in the out-of-control alcoholic sense lol), but am afraid my drinking days are over.

Good question...when my transplant nurse was going over my meds after my transplant, I noticed that on a couple of my medications it mentioned "no alcohol". I asked her if that meant absolutely no alcohol, because there was no way I would risk it if alcohol would interfere with my meds and possibly cause rejection. However, like you, I enjoy an occasional cocktail or two, mostly when I'm with my girlfriends. I was told that drinking alcohol in moderation was OK, but to drink lots of water too, to help flush the alcohol through (which I do anyway!) Just to be sure, I asked the same thing to my transplant coordinator and my transplant nephrologist, and they all gave me the same answer. Rather surprising, but I guess if a person gets to the point of getting a transplant, he or she has been screened and tested so much that it must be obvious if someone really has a drinking problem.

It's not so much about the alcohol for me, but more about living a "normal" life!

[kidney4traci]

A reply re: flouride in water.  I read from www.mercola.com often and know from this site and my husband that floride is bad for you.  I took this from that site:

Fluoridation is unsafe because:

1) It accumulates in our bones and makes them more brittle and prone to fracture. The weight of evidence from animal studies, clinical studies and epidemiological studies on this is overwhelming. Lifetime exposure to fluoride will contribute to higher rates of hip fracture in the elderly.

2) It accumulates in our pineal gland, possibly lowering the production of melatonin, a very important regulatory hormone (Luke, 1997, 2001).

3) It damages the enamel (dental fluorosis) of a high percentage of children. Between 30 percent and 50 percent of children have dental fluorosis on at least two teeth in optimally fluoridated communities (Heller et al, 1997 and McDonagh et al, 2000).

4) There are serious, but yet unproven, concerns about a connection between fluoridation and osteosarcoma in young men (Cohn, 1992), as well as fluoridation and the current epidemics of both arthritis and hypothyroidism.

5) In animal studies fluoride at 1 ppm in drinking water increases the uptake of aluminum into the brain (Varner et al, 1998).

6) Counties with 3 ppm or more of fluoride in their water have lower fertility rates (Freni, 1994).

7) In human studies the fluoridating agents most commonly used in the U.S. not only increase the uptake of lead into children's blood (Masters and Coplan, 1999, 2000) but are also associated with an increase in violent behavior.

The margin of safety between the so-called therapeutic benefit of reducing dental decay and many of these end points is either nonexistent or precariously low.

[carson]

First, regarding charcol filter such as brita: Once the water has filtered through a couple of times it creates a path of least resistance which the water will then follow and won't get filtered at all.

Second, regarding plastic bottles and cancer: I listened to a show on the radio with a couple of doctor/research scientists who claimed that water bottles, Gatorade bottles, plastic storage containers and plastic wrap are made up of polymer that, when heated, release toxic carcinogenic molecules into the moisture that's in contact with the plastic, which you then go on to consume. It's a known fact that you should not use margarine containers or other plastics to heat your food in the microwave. Instead food should be put on a plate and covered with something like papertowel or a bowl. Water bottles should not be reused, especially if the water has gotten warm in your car for example.

So, Hawkeye, I think you need to do a little more digging before you tell someone they've been had!!

[Hawkeye]

Second, regarding plastic bottles and cancer: I listened to a show on the radio with a couple of doctor/research scientists who claimed that water bottles, Gatorade bottles, plastic storage containers and plastic wrap are made up of polymer that, when heated, release toxic carcinogenic molecules into the moisture that's in contact with the plastic, which you then go on to consume. It's a known fact that you should not use margarine containers or other plastics to heat your food in the microwave. Instead food should be put on a plate and covered with something like papertowel or a bowl. Water bottles should not be reused, especially if the water has gotten warm in your car for example.

So, Hawkeye, I think you need to do a little more digging before you tell someone they've been had!!

Ok, I took your advice and did some more research and it appears we are all correct on this one.  The plastic that Goofynina and you refer to is a recycling number 3 and will cause problems.  This type of plastic which is no different than the plastic pipes you see as drains in your home is apparently used in some water bottles and other food packaging.  The majority of plastic bottles used for water, pop and juice is a recycling number 1 and does not pose cancer risks.  So I sit corrected, and the warning posted by Goofynina is quite valid.  Here is the information I found for the plastic you both are referring to.

Polyvinyl chloride (V or Vinyl or PVC) – Used in toys, clear food and non-food packaging (e.g., cling wrap),  some squeeze bottles, shampoo bottles, cooking oil and peanut butter jars, detergent and window cleaner bottles, shower curtains, medical tubing, and numerous construction products (e.g., pipes, siding).  PVC has been described as one of the most hazardous consumer products ever created.  Leaches di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) or butyl benzyl phthalate (BBzP), depending on which is used as the plasticizer or softener (usually DEHP).  DEHP and BBzP are endocrine disruptors mimicking the female hormone estrogen; have been strongly linked to asthma and allergic symptoms in children; may cause certain types of cancer; linked to negative effects on the liver, kidney, spleen, bone formation and body weight.  In Europe, DEHP and BBzP and other dangerous pthalates have been banned from use in plastic toys for children under three since 1999.  Not so elsewhere, including Canada.  There is currently a similar NDP Private Members Bill (C-307) before the House of Commons, but the chances of it passing appear slim.

[carson]

Thanks, Hawkeye, for doing to research I was too lazy to do!!

I think the info you posted is very important....

[Hawkeye]

Thanks, Hawkeye, for doing to research I was too lazy to do!!

I think the info you posted is very important....

Your welcome.  You both seemed quite sure about this so I figured I should look a little deeper as you suggested.

[goofynina]

Thank you Carson and thank you Hawkeye,  see peoples, another perfect example why this site is DA BOMB   Luv ya guys