Binders

[jbeany]

When you say chalky taste, is it medicine taste? Then again you mentioned it was the size of a quarter. The smaller the better and less nasty tasting the better. However Tums in fruit flavors is ok, but those caused some sort of problems I can't remember years ago.

No, no mediciny aftertaste.  They are just bland and have this awful texture when you chew them.  Tums are high in calcium, so if you have to take too many, that may cause other problems.  Fosrenol has no calcium in it.

[twirl]

I do not have to take binders anymore b/c of that parathyroid surgery
I'd rather still be on binders
I have not felt good since the surgery
calcium is low

[flip]

Tums will actually raise your calcium.

[G-Ma]

On a side note.......I have been on Fosrenol for about six weeks and I finally made a connection I think.  My tongue burns as if I don't know but constantly just burns and I think it is since the Fosrenol started...I take it after a meal and very seldom anything for quite a while after.  Does anyone else have this problem?
Ann

[aharris2]

Rolando uses Fosrenal and Renagel. He sometimes forgets to take them, but not very often. I usually set out what he should take all day first thing in the morning. He usually remembers. If not I ask why there's so many still left. We are usually out when we forget them.

For all of you who are unhappy with the taste and consistency of Fosrenal, try our recipe. It's posted elsewhere, but here it is:
Crush up the Fosrenal and mash it together with a little bit of banana and chocolate syrup - Chocobanana Fosrenal goes down easy. Fosrenal is very effective for Rolando so it's worth the greater effort (he cannot take it dry without choking).

G-ma, if the burning tongue is an effect from direct contact with the Fosrenal particles that seem to take forever to clear from your mouth, our recipe goes down quick and the particles are contained.

Alene

[lola]

Otto also has been really bad and his labs went up he's at 7.1 but no one told him to take them also with snacks.

[TynyWonder]

So what are all the binders available? I know theres:
1. Phoslo     3. Renagel
2. Tums     4. Caltrate? (trying to remember from post above)

I was taking Phoslo until about 3 weeks ago and I noticed it was making my nausea to the point where I would eventually throw up.  For a while, I just ignored it thinking it was something I ate but it was happening everytime I ate.  So, I talked to the dietician and she switched me to something called, Renvela 800 mg and it has worked great for me so far.   So, that is one that I have not heard anyone mention.  Has anyone else heard of it though? 

[pelagia]

there's a recent thread on Renvela:

http://ihatedialysis.com/forum/index.php?topic=9497.0

[G-Ma]

Thanks Alene, I am going to try your choco banana treat and see if it works.
Ann

[thegrammalady]

I do not have to take binders anymore b/c of that parathyroid surgery
I'd rather still be on binders
I have not felt good since the surgery
calcium is low

i don't understand twirl, binders are for phosphors and parathyroids have nothing to do with phosphors.

[Wallyz]

Parathyroid hormone regulates calcium and phosphorus , so I imagine that she can't uptake much phosphorus anymore.

[Zach]

According to EndocrineWeb.com:

The sole purpose of the parathyroid glands is to control calcium within the blood in a very tight range between 8.5 and 10.5. In doing so, parathyroid glands also control how much calcium is in the bones, and therefore, how strong and dense the bones are.




http://www.endocrineweb.com/function.html

[pelagia]

Of all the things about helping my husband navigate life when he was on dialysis, I found the calcium, phosphorus, vitamin D, PTH interactions to be the most confusing.  I just tracked this down and it seems pretty readable:

Calcium, Phosphate and Vitamin D Balance to Maintain Bone Health

"The kidneys play an important role in maintaining healthy bone mass and structure because one of their functions is to balance calcium and phosphorus levels in the blood.

Calcium is a mineral that is mainly stored in bones. It helps to build and strengthen bones. Phosphorous is also a mineral, which is important for healthy bones. It usually presents as phosphate salt in the body. Both calcium and phosphorus must be in balance in the blood to maintain bone health. Healthy kidneys remove  excess phosphorus from the blood. When the kidneys do not work normally, phosphorus levels in the blood can become too high, leading to lower levels of calcium in the blood.

If calcium levels in the blood become too low, the body’s parathyroid glands release a hormone called parathyroid hormone (PTH). This hormone draws calcium from the bones to raise blood calcium levels. Too much PTH in the blood will remove too much calcium from the bones and eventually this weakens the bones.

Healthy kidneys produce an active form of vitamin D to help the body absorb dietary calcium into the blood and the bones. Vitamin D and PTH work together to keep calcium balance normal and bones healthy. If active vitamin D levels drop too low, PTH levels increase, and calcium is removed from the bones. In a patient with  kidney failure, the kidneys stop making active vitamin D. The body then cannot absorb calcium from food and starts removing it from the bones."

http://www.msn.org.my/pdf/ENGLISH_PHOSPHATE%20GUIDE.PDF  (see page 7.  This is a food guide put together by the Malaysian Society of Nephrology, and includes a bunch of very interesting looking foods)  I wonder if our Malaysian IHD member has seen this...

[Wallyz]

According to EndocrineWeb.com:

The sole purpose of the parathyroid glands is to control calcium within the blood in a very tight range between 8.5 and 10.5. In doing so, parathyroid glands also control how much calcium is in the bones, and therefore, how strong and dense the bones are.




http://www.endocrineweb.com/function.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parathyroid_hormone

PTH reduces the reabsorption of phosphate from the proximal tubule of the kidney[6] which means more phosphate is excreted through the urine.

However, PTH enhances the uptake of phosphate from the intestine and bones into the blood. In the bone, slightly more calcium than phosphate is released from the breakdown of bone. In the intestines, which is mediated by an increase in activated vitamin D, the absorption of phosphate is not as dependent on vitamin D as is that of calcium. The end result is a small net drop in the serum concentration of phosphate.