what binder are you taking?

[jshabanian]

I am having trouble remembering to take my binder with meals. I switched to Phosronol and you have to take while or immediately after eating.  It is a chalky chewable huge pill and ruins my meal.  I keep forgetting to take it!!  I used to take Phoslo but my phosphorus numbers were too high so we switched.  I am thinking of switching back to Phoslo because you can just swallow them and can take them up to 15 mins after eating.  This is so much more flexible

What are you guys on and how are your numbers?

[billybags]

My husband is on Renagel horse pills They also take some getting down.

[cattlekid]

3 generic Phoslo with each meal for me.  I have huge bottles of them in my office and at home and a travel container in my purse.  My last phos number was a little over 6 but that's because I was forgetting to take them and had more cheese than normal over the holidays.  In November, my phos was down to 4.8

[Rerun]

Renvela 800mg pills, and I take 1 or 2 with meals.  I think it works pretty well, my numbers are 4.8 or so.  It comes in pill or they have packets you dump in water and drink, but they are not very convenient unless you are at home.

[Riki]

I take calcium carbonate and renegel.  I don't think they work, though.. I've only had a low phosphorus level when I had a working kidney

[sullidog]

5 800 mg of renvela my phos is around 4.3 to 4.5 accept on holidays, lol.

[bleija]

oh my god, 5 renvela, i take 1 or 2 and i think that a pain tin the a**

[Joe]

I take 8 Calcium Acetate a day; 2 at breakfast, 2 at lunch and 4 at dinner. Hoping that brings my numbers into line.

[Lillupie]

I take 2-4 revella per meal. I am orgianlly suspose to take only 2 per meal, but whenever I cheat I take more. (atleast that is what they told me to do). I hate taking them with the passion because they are soo huge and yes they are horse pills.

I once tried to take the pills that are chewable. They are the worst things i have ever had to take. Those taste like chalk. THe binders and the diet are a reason why I  despise dialysis. I cant believe how much food we are not allowed to have. I usually starve myself to keep from cheating and not take more horse pills.

Lisa

[hubbyhatesdialysis]

My hubby takes Renvela

[ToddB0130]

I take 1 calcium acetate capsule three times daily.  Right now I'm pre-dialysis and am following the renal diet fairly well.  My labs have been unchanged and within range for the most part.  The think I'll be dreading most will be the fluid restriction.  I was supposed to take TWO calcium acetate three times daily,  but .... uhm,   they were a bit ....ahhhh .... too binding,  so for now my neph said one with meals will work.

[Rain]

I take tums (500 mg of calcium carbonate per tablet ) 1 at breakfast, 1 at lunch and 2 at dinner and have never had a problem with phosphorus unless I've been eating cheese or oatmeal. 

[Riki]

I take tums (500 mg of calcium carbonate per tablet ) 1 at breakfast, 1 at lunch and 2 at dinner and have never had a problem with phosphorus unless I've been eating cheese or oatmeal.

I used to take tums, but it got to a point where I was taking 8 of them with every meal, and I'd gag on them.  That's when they started me on the calcium carbonate pills.  I still gag on those, if I have to take more than 2.  I've also found the renegel to have a minty taste to them.  I'm wondering if that's the coating they have.

[ESRD Survivor]

I take Renevela 800 mg, 3 with meals.  However I usually take 2 unless I am eating pizza and coke, then it's 4.  I also take one with snacks depending on the snack.  They are big pills but they are kind of oval and coated, so I don't have too hard of a time swallowing them.  I keep them in my pant pocket and replenish every morning.  I keep a few in my purse in case I forget to refill my pocket.  My phos is between 4.8 and 5.1 depending on how good I am.

[SteveK87]

My wife takes Fosrenol like you do.  She has the 1000mg and I can contest to your statement about it being nasty and chalky.  I asked her doc if I could try one  just so I can see what she has to go through everytime she eats.  Not the best tasting chewable thats for sure.  The best way to remember is to keep a bottle in the kitchen by food or in the cabinet next to the plates.  Keep it somewhere so that when its time to eat you'll stumble across it accidentally.  If you go to work or school always pack it with your lunch.  I'm not sure if yours comes in the box of about 9 bottles llike hers does but if so the best thing to do is scatter them around the house in as many places as possible especially wherever you eat that way it'll be there to remind you.  I believe they last about a year or 2 before they expire.

[Lowilson]

I take phos low. My phosphorous is at7. So I guess I better start taking them religiously. They just described to why! Pretty scary stuff! If I eat food on no no list how many phos low should I take to compensate?

[KraigG]

Started with the PhosLo. Did that for a while, then when the blood results came back, my calcium levels were too high, so I got switched to Renvela. Got a prescription, and my co-pay was nearly $200 per month, WITH Medicare Part D!

The doc and the social worker got sick of sneaking me samples of it, so I'm now on Fosrenol, which supposedly has a better assistance program.

I kinda like the chalky taste!

[brmoore]

     
     I take 3 Renegel 800mg with main meals, and 2 Renegel 400mg for snack time.
                                                                                                Bruce

[brandi1leigh]

When I'm taking Sensipar (which I am extremely sensitive to), I take 2-4 renagels with meals, depending on how badly I'm eating. When I'm not taking sensipar, I have to take at least 6 with each meal. Needless to say, I like my life/diet much better when I'm on Sensipar.

[Gerald Lively]

I take Calcium Acetate, when I take something.  I do have an 8% kidney function, so I get away with a lot.

I was faithful to my prescription until I got suspicious – for no particular reason.  My blood work had all good numbers.  Then I quit taking my binders and my numbers did not change. 

Hmmmm!

gl

[Riki]

I take Calcium Acetate, when I take something.  I do have an 8% kidney function, so I get away with a lot.

I was faithful to my prescription until I got suspicious – for no particular reason.  My blood work had all good numbers.  Then I quit taking my binders and my numbers did not change. 

Hmmmm!

gl

I would not go on that.  I thought that about one of my kidneys.. my numbers were great, then they took a nosedive and I lost the kidney.  It's better to keep taking the meds, even if the numbers are good.  That's a lesson I had to learn the hard way

[Adam_W]

I'm on Renvela and I have to take 6 with meals and three with snacks. I often forget to take them and my phos. is somewhere in the stratosphere!

[KraigG]

My doc told me they no longer were making Renegel. Is that true? Or is Renvela just a more costly version of the same thing?

[Riki]

Renegel was only just made available here in the last year or so, and I heard that they stopped making it just after I started taking it.  I'm not sure if there would be a point to prescribing it if they did not make it anymore

[KraigG]

Maybe your doc didn't know they were discontinuing it?