Phosphate Binders

[goofynina]

SpeedFlex,  may i ask what binders you are on?  and nextly,  do you have trouble with constipation with all those pills?  (sorry, just wondering)

[cayleighrose]

WOW deej, I think I'm moving to Brazil! I wish we could get our meds free. 

My hubby takes 5 Renagel with each meal, but our insurance will only cover 100 pills a month at $101.27.

 So, sometimes the dietitian at the clinic will give him a couple of bottles to get him through, but she can't always do that. She did give him a bunch of Fosrenal but I can't get him to chew them up. He says they are gross. He is also on Sensipar, but until Rerun said they were to shut down the parathyroid I didn't know for sure what they were for.

[goofynina]

Hi Cayleighrose,  Have you tried smashing the pills (i know they are big) i am on them also, but if you smash them good enough and put them in some applesauce, maybe he can take the fosrenol that way?  just a thought

[cayleighrose]

Thanks bajanne, I will try that. He loves applesauce. 

[SpeedFleX]

SpeedFlex,  may i ask what binders you are on?  and nextly,  do you have trouble with constipation with all those pills?  (sorry, just wondering)

No I have never had constipation cuz of my pills, maybe I'm just lucky.

Anyways they're called Calciumacetat ProRenal.

[Bajanne]

Thanks bajanne, I will try that. He loves applesauce. 

Can't claim it - it was Goofynina not me, who suggested that.

[Panda_9]

Do the pills have to be chewed cayleighrose? I dont blame him for not wanting to chew them up ickkk lol
When I was younger I was on titrilac (horrid $%#$% things), and I used a pill cutter to cut them into quarters as if I even attempted to swallow a whole or even half a tablet, they would come straight back up. I also found it easier swalling them (and any pills) with milk, it seemed to push them down easier than water. These days I throw the whole pile down in one go lol But thankfully those icky pills arent part of the pile. This time round on dialysis I was put on caltrate and alutabs which thankfully have a coating, so they slide down easy. I think the chalky texture of some pills makes them difficult to swallow, especially prednisone!

[goofynina]

Does anyone know how many is too many binders.  For instance:  If i were to go to dinner and have 3 binders with my meal and then went to the movies right after that and had some, yummmm, chocolate, and had 2 more binders with the chocolate, is that too many?  i have never been told exactly how many is too many.

[anja]

Hello GN~
   My Neph. prescribed 2 Phoslo with meals and 1 with snacks and my labs have been great.  Good luck to you!    Anja

[SpeedFleX]

my doc said max. 24 pills a day

[angieskidney]

WOW deej, I think I'm moving to Brazil! I wish we could get our meds free. 

My hubby takes 5 Renagel with each meal, but our insurance will only cover 100 pills a month at $101.27.

They are free where I live as well! I have only had to pay at most $2 per medication.

Does anyone know how many is too many binders.  For instance:  If i were to go to dinner and have 3 binders with my meal and then went to the movies right after that and had some, yummmm, chocolate, and had 2 more binders with the chocolate, is that too many?  i have never been told exactly how many is too many.

It all depends oh what binder you are on. I know there ARE limits to the Tums for sure! I can't speak for the others but ALWAYS check with either your dietician or pharmacist or BOTH!!

[Panda_9]

Definitely get advice as to how many tablets for what meal or snack. I was on 2 caltrate with meals and 1 with snacks if they had cheese, milk etc. If you are having an apple and a glass of water you dont need a binder.

[deej]

SpeedFlex, I like your doc´s "formula" for your binders. Are you allowed coke and pizza? Everytime I eat pizza, my blood exams go bananas! But do you take all 7 while you´re eating the pizza? Why do you take them with coke? What about taking your binders with a normal meal?

[angieskidney]

SpeedFlex, I like your doc´s "formula" for your binders. Are you allowed coke and pizza? Everytime I eat pizza, my blood exams go bananas! But do you take all 7 while you´re eating the pizza? Why do you take them with coke? What about taking your binders with a normal meal?

the cheese and sauce on pizza both have a lot of phosphate and both coke and pepsi are high in phophate.

I have pizza once in awhile and even though I could eat a whole one (if it is the thin kind) I can't because of the phosphate content. I have 3 tums with a pizza but take one at the beginning and one in the middle and one at the end.  But since I am only allowed 3 tums with each meal = 9 a day (even tho max is supposed to be 3/day it says on the bottle ..) I must plan my meals around what snacks I will have since I must take 1 binder with snacks too.  I usually only need 1 or 2 binders for breakfast / lunch anyway so it works out for me... especially since I don't always eat breakfast when I should

[Panda_9]

Angie do you have trouble with potassium if you have pizza?

[SpeedFleX]

I always take them and that's where the trick is, I don't eat pizza everyday either maybe once every 3 weeks but when I take the binders I usually take them in between and not before or after so it can mix up with the food real good.


But I always take binders no matter what because everything has phosphate.

[Panda_9]

SpeedFleX, as long as you know that the binders dont have any effect on the potassium in foods.

[angieskidney]

SpeedFleX, as long as you know that the binders dont have any effect on the potassium in foods.

What..?? You mean some binders have an effect on the pottasium in foods?? 

[SpeedFleX]

yeah that is new to me too, my potassium is fine through

[Panda_9]

Nooo I meant they DONT affect the potassium lol
Sorry I think I got the wrong idea, just ignore me 

[SpeedFleX]

oh I get it now^^ Yeah I know Phosphate binders have nothing to do with Potassium

[angieskidney]

oh I get it now^^ Yeah I know Phosphate binders have nothing to do with Potassium

That's what I thought! That is why I had to ask! lol Thanks for clarifying

[Bajanne]

I was just doing some research and I found that in double-blind tests, Phoslo was shown to be more effective than Renagel.
http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=100445&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=470316&highlight=
The study shows it to be better than calcium carbonate based binders like Tums, etc.
Just thought I would add this in.

[angieskidney]

what is a double-blind test? I only take Tums because from years have having severe tonsilitis I have developed a fear of swallowing big pills  .. that is why I take tums instead of Renegel whichis offered in my city.

[jlerner]

Hello all.  Renagel has worked well for me.  I take 4 800mg tabs with meals.