Drinking water after Dialysis

[Gerald Lively]

Today, the Nurse told me something about drinking water right after a session of dialysis.  I didn’t understand.

I have a partially functioning kidney (8 – 10%).  At each dialysis session they take me down to my dry weight.  Today the nurse (a dude weighing about 300 lbs) said drinking water after dialysis may not be good for me.  I’m not on water restriction.

Has anyone heard anything similar to this?  And if you have, can you explain it to me? 

[monrein]

Sounds a tad suspect.  If a medical person tells me something but has no reasonable medical explanation for said advice I'd get a second or third opinion.  She may have been applying the old cookie cutter approach and thinking that you should be watching fluid intake and not starting to immediately drink.

[Riverwhispering]

Gerald how come you're not on a water restriction?  I thought everyone once doing in center dialysis has to watch how much fluid they take in between dialysis.   I'm not there yet so I'm still learning.

River

[Gerald Lively]

I am not on water restriction because I still urinate in volume.  And, I have a partially working kidney in there (8%).

gl

[Restorer]

I've never heard that. I drink before, during, and after dialysis. No one has ever said anything. If I don't sip something during and after dialysis, I get a bad taste and feeling in my mouth.

[HILINE]

I see dummies drinking coke during dialysis's all the  time

[big777bill]

 I'm with Restorer, if I don't get some water while on dialysis I get an awful taste in my mouth.

[Cordelia]

What happens if you drink something really bad during dialysis? Like coke? Does it get 'flushed' out immediately from the D? Just wondering.....I've never done it myself but I'm just wondering cuz I see one person who does it at my unit.

[ESRD Survivor]

When I first stared D and still had kidney function, my phos was low, so I drank Pepsi and was not on a fluid restriction.  That was almost 2 years ago, now I have no kidney function left...so now I do have restrictions.  I am training for home hemo, so it isn't as bad as in center for restrictions.

[Restorer]

Potassium will be flushed out if you eat or drink it just before or in the first hour of dialysis. It takes time to absorb into your bloodstream so it can be removed. Phosphorus isn't removed as easily, so dialysis won't "cancel out" eating or drinking something high in phosphorus right before or during. Binders are still the most effective thing, aside from not consuming the phosphorus in the first place.

[cassandra]

Dear Gerald, I'm sure you are old and wise enough to know that you don't have to believe anything a nurse (especially one of 300 lbs) says which doesn't sound logical, or sounds informed.

[Gerald Lively]

I raise my beer in salute to you.

[glitter]

Dear Gerald, I'm sure you are old and wise enough to know that you don't have to believe anything a nurse (especially one of 300 lbs) says which doesn't sound logical, or sounds informed.

No doubt about it, it always surprises me when some of the nurses do not take all factors into account, and cookie cutter their directions to one size fits all- dieticians are especially troublesome when it comes to useful instructions. Coming to IHD taught us one thing for certain, if there is a doubt that it sounds correct- seek more knowledge. (which you did ) Have you read LifeOnHold's thread about the dumbest things said to dialysizors and Kidney patients? 50% of dumb things at least are ill-informed hospital and clinic staffs remarks!!

I am troubled by the remark from Cassandra about a 300 lb nurse being less bright, then say a 120 lb nurse- being overweight  is not indicative of how well a nurse knows their job.  Plenty of skinny stupid people out there too.

[cassandra]

I know dear Glitter that a 300 lb nurse can be just as stupid as a say 150 lb baby, howeve I found the writing of Gerald who mentioned specifically the 300 lbs dude a funny one, and meant it really as a joke. I am sorry for troubling you, that is and was really not intended. I won't do that again, I think. Sorry? 300 lb does sound funny though

[Gerald Lively]

He is so big, I have to believe him. He is so tall that he is bald from scrapping his head on ceilings.

[cassandra]

the scraping of the head thing does really not sound like a bright thing to do now. does it?

[galvo]

I delight in collecting various contradictory statements from nursing/medical/ancillary staff.

[cassandra]

you must be a very happy bunny

[galvo]

I am a peach!

[amanda100wilson]

Thing is , a 300 lb nurse is at rik for health problems themselves and you think that working in healthcare would make them heed health advice and take action to improve thei own health. 

Dieticians.  I remember when I did not need to limit potassium being given the one diet fits all diet sheet.

[Gerald Lively]

Actually the Big Guy is quite informative, although this time he seemed to have gone somewhat suspect on the water issue.  The Dietician is seldom seen.  I do get a periodic report card from her.  So far I’m getting all “A’s”.  Strange, I don’t follow any diet guidelines.  I just eat. 

gerald

[Whamo]

My wife is a nurse supervisor for a cardiac ward, and she's heavy.  She loves to eat and watch television.  She's also very smart.  She's also been a Chairman for the local American Heart Association and got an award for going above and beyond the call of duty by her hospital.  I wish she'd eat healthier and exercise, but she's more stubborn than a mule.  I'm afraid she'll just keel over from a heart attack, especially since she's in her 50's.  You would think healthcare professionals would be healthy, and many are, but a few aren't.  She's had to fire nurses, for example, that took the drugs that they were supposed to be giving to patients. 

[thegrammalady]

there is less phos in 12 oz of coke/pepsi than in 3 oz of chicken. the problem with coke is people tend to drink it in the middle of the day and they don't take any binders. the center often wants me to drink something right after dialysis to bring my blood pressure up. that i  can't do, it upsets my stomach. walking outside to my car does wonders. cold air. by the time i get to the gas station on the corner i can drink anything. i often have a cup of tea when i get home, about 30 min after leaving center.

[Whamo]

I have a tendency to cramp, so I usually drink water right after I weigh-in, so I won't get completely dry and cramp at the end.  But I don't drink much, probably 4-6 ounces at the max.  I always have a bottle of water available after dialysis in case I cramp on the way home.  Water usually fixes the problem, although not without a few minutes of pain. 

[fearless]

here's my idea, but I have no medical knowledge to back it up.  When dialysis pulls fluid from the body it pulls it from the blood.  The blood then pulls it from the surrounding tissues (that are swollen from too many hours without dialysis).  If you drink fluid while on dialysis, or immediately afterwards, the blood will pull fluid from the intestines and will therefore not pull it from other tissues.  If you're not outputting any urine it might be best (as much as possible) to wait until your body has had time to reach "homeostasis" before resuming fluid intake.  (again, this is my guess)

But, if you're still outputting enough urine that you're not suffering from fluid retention, then i don't know why you would have to not drink at anytime at all!