What is your favourite dialysis-food?

[kristina]

My favourite dialysis-food (for two) is: about 6 medium potatoes cooked the day before and kept overnight in the fridge, are being peeled and cut into little slices into a bowl.
I then add 3-4 sliced (pickled) gherkins and about 8 green olives and then I mix it all with cider vinegar and olive oil.
When the salad has been nicely mixed, I put it into the fridge and when the time comes we travel to the dialysis-centre
and enjoy this salad as our evening meal.
This salad is always very refreshing to eat, as soon as I have been “connected”...
What is your favourite dialysis-food?

[cattlekid]

You'll find that most United States dialysis centers will have all sorts of restrictions on what you can eat in center.  Most centers I had experience with had a blanket "NO" on food during treatment.  I had to fight my center tooth and nail to be able to bring in a protein bar and a bottle of water.  I needed both as I started my sessions three hours after lunch and I would never make it home if I couldn't have a bite to eat. 

When I was on home treatment, I always had to have something sweet.  I had a very specific soft peppermint candy that I loved.  Our local pharmacy carried them and when they stopped, I found out the actual company who manufactured the candy and got a case shipped to my house. 

[kristina]

Hello cattlekid,
I do apologize, but I did not know that most American dialysis-centers have all sorts of restrictions on what a dialysis-patient is allowed to eat
during their dialysis-session and I did not know that many US-dialysis-centers have a blanket "NO" on food during dialysis-treatment.
... All that sounds a bit cruel to me, because my own dialysis-treatment always starts in the evenings which also happens to be the time for my evening meal
and because of that I am naturally hungry at that time and I only eat three meals every day ...
Again, I am sorry for these restrictions in America and I am very glad that you could successfully fight your position at your center....
Best wishes from Kristina.

[Rerun]

I'm on nocturnal shift so the dialysis center lets us bring a snack.  I like my Zone Protein bar and a tiny bag of Cheezits. 

[kristina]

Thank you Rerun for your kind information ...
and hello again cattlekid, now I am a little confused... could there be a genuine reason
for your dialysis-centre not allowing dialysis-patients to bring their own meal or snack?
Thanks again from Kristina.

[frankswife]

Kristina,
I think the reason the centers in the US frown upon eating during dialysis is that your blood flow is then diverted to your stomach to aid digestion and can cause low blood pressure. At least that's what my husband's center told me. Of course the diabetics may need to eat something from time to time, but food is generally discouraged, at lleast in our center.

[cattlekid]

That's what they say.   They also want to prevent bugs, etc. from people bringing in food. 

Personally, I think the real reason is because there isn't enough staffing in the average clinic so they cut everything that would possibly cause a critical situation - even though the patient's individual situation (as mine did) may warrant a small snack being brought into the clinic. 
 

Kristina,
I think the reason the centers in the US frown upon eating during dialysis is that your blood flow is then diverted to your stomach to aid digestion and can cause low blood pressure. At least that's what my husband's center told me. Of course the diabetics may need to eat something from time to time, but food is generally discouraged, at lleast in our center.

[cassandra]

It really is interesting to see those different opinions towards food during HD. In Portugal in Faro hosp (I don't think 1 hospital is representative of any other anymore) gave us sandwiches, tea or coffee. In the Netherlands in Zwolle I got soup, and a whole lunch. These were all daytime sessions.
I don't recall any hypos in those centres. I do recall a lot more staff.

[kristina]

Here is my latest update to this salad :

When I developed problems and my potassium-level-readings becoming a little too high for comfort,
I replaced the potatoes with cooked pasta (Semi-Wholewheat Tortiglioni boiled for 15 minutes) and afterwards "washed" the pasta with cold water. When all this is done,I mix the cold pasta with all the ingredients as described above and enjoy my pasta-salad as an evening meal during dialysis-sessions  ... and my potassium-levels have gone back to normal again.

[Paul]

WRT dialysis centres who do not allow eating during dialysis: I hope that no one with diabetes ever has to use one of these centres, it could cause severe problems!