Rant About Renal Diet!

[Rerun]

I went to Burger King today to get a Junior Whooper with no tomato, cheese, or pickles. (bla)

I walked in and saw the pictures of:  Cheese Cake, Bacon and Cheese Burger, Milk Shakes, Ice Cream, Cookies, French Fries.  I just wanted to grab the clerk and tell her to "JUST GIVE ME 1freaking FRENCH FRY"!!   This diet sucks.  I was going out on a limb eating the Jr. Whooper.  It is just SO unfair!   

[Sara]

That sucks.  Was your meat on a bun at least fairly tasty?

[Epoman]

I went to Burger King today to get a Junior Whooper with no tomato, cheese, or pickles. (bla)

I walked in and saw the pictures of:  Cheese Cake, Bacon and Cheese Burger, Milk Shakes, Ice Cream, Cookies, French Fries.  I just wanted to grab the clerk and tell her to "JUST GIVE ME 1freaking FRENCH FRY"!!   This diet sucks.  I was going out on a limb eating the Jr. Whooper.  It is just SO unfair!   

What? Man, I order my Whopper (NOT Jr.) with EVERYTHING plus a LARGE fry, and Coke. Rerun just take extra binders. It's not going to kill you to cheat on your diet, but you know that already so what are you doing? ENJOY FOOD!!! 

- Epoman

[Rerun]

Even when I'm really good, my Phosphorus is 8.8.  I don't know if that is "really" bad, but my Dietition sounds like I've committed a crime!  So, if I cheat and get away with it, I'll just do it more and more!  I don't do that great when I'm trying!!     I'm scared to eat french fries because of the potassium.  Like after the fourth one my heart will stop or something!  Sometimes I wish there was just "another" pill I could take that would satisfy my nutritional needs and I wouldn't have to eat!

[Epoman]

Even when I'm really good, my Phosphorus is 8.8.  I don't know if that is "really" bad, but my Dietition sounds like I've committed a crime!  So, if I cheat and get away with it, I'll just do it more and more!  I don't do that great when I'm trying!!     I'm scared to eat french fries because of the potassium.  Like after the fourth one my heart will stop or something!  Sometimes I wish there was just "another" pill I could take that would satisfy my nutritional needs and I wouldn't have to eat!

That is one of the saddest things I have ever heard. Damn, I love to eat. I eat a lot of French Fry's (YUM! Chili Fries, Extra Crispy) But I have over done it before and my Potassium can get high. I know my Potassium is high when by Sunday night I have diarrhea. Diarrhea is the body's own natural way of getting rid of excess potassium. Believe me Rerun eating a order of Fries is not going to STOP your heart, if it did I would have been dead years ago. 

- Epoman

[fireguy]

That makes two of us. Numbers be dam, enjoy what you want from time to time. Life too short as it is . If you want fries, enjoy them in moderation , the only thing I avoid as much as I can is salt. All other foods are fair game as long as I do not make a pig of myself.

[kitkatz]

This not a rant, but a plea for help. Maybe it is a rant is a small way.

I fell off the renal diet wagon, I mean fell off, and got run over by the wagon.  So now I am re-researching the renal diet.  I am hunting for tips, hints, rants, raves, anything that will help me.
After six days in the hospital I learned I am not superwoman and need to get my stuff together.  The chest pain has really gotten me to thinking about my mortality.

I am hunting up nutritional values on line.  I will share what I learn.

Katherine

[susie q]

I confess!!!!  I went Easter shopping for my grandkids yesterday and I bought myself some CHOCOLATE MINT easter eggs!!  I've only eaten one so far    it was sooooo good! but I feel guilty.. should I eat the other 2??    ( well, ya know I'm gonna) 

[kitkatz]

And enjoy every  bite!

[hephziba]

I find diet really stinks, Im supposed to servive on low potassium low phosphate, my pottasium is usually around 5.5 which is high allready, the worst it ever got was 9 I was taken into hospital with a line infection and some really clever dr prescribed a POTASSIUM DRIP I warned them but an hour later they rushed me to resuss where my limbs stopped working for about two hours, apparently the effect of potassium overdose on the muscles. SCARY anyhow they later gave me another medication to protect my heart that burnt a hole in my arm resulting in plastic surgery(sorry ranting back to diet)

So my potassiums allways high I pretty much stick to the diet, I cheat occasionally with a cherry tomato, never bannana, occasionally chocalate but not much, how awfull would life be without chocalate. the english stuff !!!! the american stuff has a plastic like preservative to keep it from melting, apparently you have sunshine in your country(Jelous cold englishman)

Phosphate,mine is allways high I take phosphate binders limit my dairy intake, and still get itchy skin and red eyes.

Protein: this kills me, when i got sick I stopped eating everything but toast, that was all I could hold down. Eating meat for me , is still like eating boot leather, or cement, eggs are to rich Im not keen beans, but Im on capd, and my dietician told me I need to increase my protein intake by 9% that means instead of one burgers worth of meat a day 10, the one alone makes me sick......

anyway so cheese is full of protein but high in phosphate as is milk both things I love ?

Hope nobody minds my complaining, Diet stinks, and dieticians treat adults like children, "Hi im the dietician tell me what food you like? mmmmhmm yep no more of that for you Id like you to scrap your entire diet, dont know what to eat ? not my problem, Im the dietician and ps you done it all wrong ha ha ha ha ha, oh yeah and your feeling to sick and tired to cook, well take away is out, its to high in potassium and salt, anyway good to see you, I am off to get lunch I think Ill have the full english breakfast".

[Rerun]

Hephziba, I'm the same way.  This week I'm feeling sick and don't want to eat at all.  So, is it better to not eat, or to eat cheese and milk the only things I half way desire.  I do like the drink "Nepro" that is for dialysis patients.  I think we talked about that here. 
http://ihatedialysis.com/forum/index.php?topic=302.0

[kitkatz]

I have not had problems with eating protein. I love it. I could eat it morning noon and night, and I do.  I crave it sometimes as a matter of fact.  Isn't that weird?  I have higher phosphate but pretty much do okay on everything else.

I eat pretty much what i want, but I do watch the calcium, potassium and phosphorous intake.

Katherine

[Panda_9]

Geez you people are scaring me!! Back when I was on in centre dialysis it would only take me to eat more than a few slices of tomato and I would get a high potassium and sometimes end up in hospital.
At first I didnt really realise the seriousness of it but now Ive had a couple of scary incidents, I now realise that we are put on this diet for a reason. Sure you can cheat a little bit occaisionally, but to ignore it all together then you are asking for trouble.
If your potassiums gets too high, you can have a heart attack, and there is not much chance that you can be revived, as you have no way of getting rid of the postassium. This was enough to scare me into following the diet.
Now Im on nocturnal your diet is pretty much free, but Im not perfect, I have alot of trouble with the fluid restrictions.
So please take care of yourselves!
I have been through the treatment for a high potassium and its not nice! Ever tried drinking a cup of sand?

[kevno]

The last time I was on treatment for high potassium was in the 70's, it was not like sand then. It was like thousands of little beads, that got stuck in your teeth. It was horrible. As children we always ran rates of 6 - 7+.

Now back on dialysis my levels are always around 4 - 5 never more than 5.1. I am very lucky, I do not stick to the renal diet, just very roughly. There is no cheating on the renal diet, just what you can get away with, without harming yourself. Plus making sure your lab results are OK.

Kevno

[Epoman]

Geez you people are scaring me!! Back when I was on in centre dialysis it would only take me to eat more than a few slices of tomato and I would get a high potassium and sometimes end up in hospital.
At first I didnt really realise the seriousness of it but now Ive had a couple of scary incidents, I now realise that we are put on this diet for a reason. Sure you can cheat a little bit occaisionally, but to ignore it all together then you are asking for trouble.
If your potassiums gets too high, you can have a heart attack, and there is not much chance that you can be revived, as you have no way of getting rid of the postassium. This was enough to scare me into following the diet.
Now Im on nocturnal your diet is pretty much free, but Im not perfect, I have alot of trouble with the fluid restrictions.
So please take care of yourselves!
I have been through the treatment for a high potassium and its not nice! Ever tried drinking a cup of sand?

Not sure what your talking about with the cup of sand thing, but where I live they give you two spoonfuls of this liquid that looks like diarrhea. It causes you to have diarrhea to purge the excess potassium. Diarrhea is the body's own natural way of purging potassium. I know when my potassium gets too high because I will have diarrhea by Sunday night sometimes. My potassium is usually in the 5 range which is normal, they start getting worried with 5.5+ mine was as high a 8 one time which is VERY high and dangerous. But like with everything, everyone's body is different and can stand different levels. I eat a lot of bad foods (in moderation) but I don't have a problem with my potassium, usually.

What is sodium polystyrene sulfonate? Name Brand: Kayexalate

Sodium polystyrene sulfonate is an ion-exchange resin. It loses a sodium ion, that is replaced by a potassium ion. This reduces potassium in the blood.

Sodium polystyrene sulfonate is used to treat hyperkalemia (high levels of potassium in the blood).

- Epoman

P.S. aMbEr_79 Please see this thread: http://ihatedialysis.com/forum/index.php?topic=411.0 Other new members this applies to you as well. I need all members to post in that thread with a reply so I know you have read it.

[Rerun]

Are we talking "Kaxolate?" (SP)   When I still had my transplant and was fighting High Blood Pressure, I was on Enapril for it.  Sometimes Enapril produces high potassium.  The Dr. perscribed Kaxolate and my bowel ruptured and I ended up with emergency surgery and 6 inches of my bowel removed and 3 days later they brought me a full meal and I ate it and split the bowel and then ended up with a colostomy for 9 months.  Don't get me started on Kaxolate!!   

[Epoman]

Are we talking "Kaxolate?" (SP)   When I still had my transplant and was fighting High Blood Pressure, I was on Enapril for it.  Sometimes Enapril produces high potassium.  The Dr. perscribed Kaxolate and my bowel ruptured and I ended up with emergency surgery and 6 inches of my bowel removed and 3 days later they brought me a full meal and I ate it and split the bowel and then ended up with a colostomy for 9 months.  Don't get me started on Kaxolate!!   

 

[meadowlandsnj]

I don't smoke.  I don't drink. I don't take drugs.  I live with my parents.  I don't have sex. (Well not in a long time)  If I want a peice of chocolate dammit I'm having it!!    I really try to keep to the diet but sometimes I allow myself something not on the diet.  Thank God I have a great dietician who I can speak honestly to.  She always tells me stay away from the obvious stuff but everything in moderation.  We have a whole booklet they give us with do's and don'ts and diet tips.  I work with what I can have and sometimes I have chocolate, tomato, ect but I never over do it.  Life is too short to be too worried about every little thing you're putting n your mouth.  My bloodwork has been good and I find that that's the true barometer of how I'm eating.  I am a member of another e-mail group for dialysis people and I put together a bunch of recipes for the other people on the list. I'm thinking of making a booklet of dialysis recipes and pointers.  Have it published maybe and have the proceeds go to various kidney charities.  Maybe I can be the Rachel Ray of dialysis cooking!  (For those of you who don't know and live out of the USA she's famous for her 30 miutes meals and she's a chef on the Food Channel)  

[Panda_9]

Im not sure what the sand stuff is called, but its a powder they mix into a cup of water. But it doesnt really dissolve. It is very simmilar to sand LOL Plus I had stuff through the IV as well. I cant remember what it was as I was pretty out of it. My potassium was 6.8. My body must be one of those that doesnt tolerate potassium very well. Im fine on nocturnal, its been good. And I can finally have tomato, bananas, avocado, juice, and chocolate!!! So if any of you are offered the chance to do nocturnal dialysis, its worth it just for the food part! Your diet is pretty much unrestricted, but obviously you cant go and eat 10 bananas in one hit lol
It took alot of convincing to get me to go onto nocturnal, but now Ive been on it, I will never go back to conventional dialysis. It makes you feel better in yourself, and eventually is supposed to make you feel virtually back to normal. My bloods have been good, you dont have to take any binders/horse tablets, and that little thing called your sex drive creeps back 
Sorry I have ranted on a bit, but I like to encourage people any way I can.

[meadowlandsnj]

Do you do in center hemo?  My kidney doc told me they're thinking of starting a program where you do in center overnight hemo for 6-8 hours a night while you sleep there.  I don't like the way he asked me, though.  He came up to me and said "you're not married, no kids so this is perfect for you. You have nothing at home at night."  WHAT?? Oh, okay.  I don't have a life because I'm not married and don't have kids?  I have nothing at home?  Made me feel even more like a freak........

[hyperlite]

yeah overnight hemo sounds cool at first glance, but i think in actuality it would suck! 1) i like my own bed...2) id have to always sleep there...so no going anywhere friday night and 3) well heres a little scenario: "you wanna come to my place, or yours?"  -"umm well actually i have to go to the hospital...youre welcome to come"   hahaha wouldnt that be interesting!

yeah doc could i get a double bed tonight? wink wink nudge nudge hahaha

[Panda_9]

Gee you would think the doctor could of told you the benefits of it at least.

[Panda_9]

A few things about overnight/nocturnal that you may not know....

1. You can go out at night, you are not on the machine every night, YOU choose your nights
2. Here we do 8-10 hours per treatment, so basically its no different to going to bed at night any other day
3. If you want to stay somewhere over night, you can plan around it. You can even occaisionally have a night off.
4. You can eat whatever you want
5. Your bloods come close to normal or come to normal.
6. It reduces or eliminates alot of the horrible things like itching, tiredness, nausea
7. You dont have to take binders, and often wont need BP meds

 

[Epoman]

yeah overnight hemo sounds cool at first glance, but i think in actuality it would suck! 1) i like my own bed...2) id have to always sleep there...so no going anywhere friday night and 3) well heres a little scenario: "you wanna come to my place, or yours?"  -"umm well actually i have to go to the hospital...youre welcome to come"   hahaha wouldnt that be interesting!

yeah doc could i get a double bed tonight? wink wink nudge nudge hahaha

Well you can take a nite off (on nocturnal) for bumping uglies.  but yeah, nocturnal is not ideal for a young single.

- Epoman

[Panda_9]

Ewww that saying bumping uglies is wrong lol
I dont think any sort of dialysis is suited for single life, unless you meet someone who is very understanding. I met my fiance prior to dialysis, but at the time I knew I would end up on it. I explained it to him as best I could, I dont think I went into great detail, and he hung around. I really dont think he thought it was anything like it is.
If anyone here on dialysis has the energy to go out and party (and try to pick up in your case), well whats your secret, because I really would like to know!