Dietian

[Sandi1313]

This week,I had a disagreement with the dietian that works at my dialysis center.She was giving me a hard time about drinking fluids during my dialysis session.I simply inform her that drinking fluids has HELP me to PREVENT those dang muscle cramps.All I did was let her talk about "how wrong I was" for drinking fluids during my session.I'm doing what WORKS for me.To help me to PREVENT those dang muscle cramps.Another thing she wastrying to tell me that the doctor & the surgeon that I saw 2 weeks ago,did not know their job.I told her that they tried to REPAIR my fistula for an hour.I think she can't accept the FACT that I've a neck catheter in my neck for awhile.I know & realize that I could have said some mean things to her.I kept my COOL while she did alot of talking.Has anyone else run into a dietian that think they know it all?

[cattlekid]

I had an awful dietitian at my old center. She had no concept of the words reality or moderation. I caught her withholding information for me and told her that she was never to speak to me again and that I would get all of the information I needed from my doctor or other credible sources, and I no longer considered her credible.

[SteveK87]

Sandi, about how much fluid do you drink during your session?

[Jean]

Good for both of you, speaking out and taking care of yourselves, instead of letting the dietician push you around.

[kitkatz]

I think most dietitians think they know everything.  The one before the one I have now was a know it all. I saw one dietitian take someone's french fries from them and throw them out.  I was aghast.

[Lillupie]

ok, I usually dont like dietictans either.

There was a guy on here about my age, who was blind (not sure what happened to him), and his dietiction actually told him to hire a cook!

But on the other hand you are somewhat lucky about YOUR center allowing you to drink something on the machine. When I was on hemo for my hernia repair the center I was at did not allow you to eat or drink on the machine, no matter how much you cramped. What you could do if they are giving you a hard time, eat sometihng before hand, before treatment. Or watch your treatment. Make sure they are not taking too much fluid off at one time. Know your dry fluid and dont let them take off more then that, maybe even a little less.
Yeah they really dont unerstand.

Lisa

[thegrammalady]

the first year of dialysis the dietitian brought a list around of what we couldn't eat for thanksgiving. needless to say it was everything most people have for dinner on thanksgiving. her plan was not even one bite. i was a good girl and didn't throw the list away til her back was turned. my doctor laughed and told me i could eat anything i wanted for that day.  i once heard a dietitian tell a new patients wife that if he ever ate any cheese his phos would never go down. i stopped talking to dietitians years ago. the current one is very nice, but then we talk about children and camping. most dietitians have a basic knowledge anything specific they go to the internet and google it! you can do the same thing. if you cramp everytime you run they are probably taking off too much fluid. as for lab results i get mine from the nurse the treatment after they are run. it's the same report the doctor gets. your doctor can explain anything you don't understand. you will probably find there are a lot of things listed your doctor doesn't use.

[Whamo]

I think it's important to listen to your body.  If you labs show you need to cut back, do so.  As for fluids, if you are cramping it's time to take on saline and/or fluids.  At my center almost everybody has a bottle with them for just that reason.   When I first got on dialysis I would ask for water, and they would say no.   It helps to exercise and fast the day of dialysis.  You go in at a lighter weight so they take off less.  If you go in heavy it's hard on your heart.  The lab nurses are under pressure from doctors to pull off the fluid.   That's why they are slow to react sometimes. 

[RightSide]

the first year of dialysis the dietitian brought a list around of what we couldn't eat for thanksgiving. needless to say it was everything most people have for dinner on thanksgiving. her plan was not even one bite. i was a good girl and didn't throw the list away til her back was turned. my doctor laughed and told me i could eat anything i wanted for that day.

The hospital dietitian when I started dialysis was very much like yours.

I nicknamed her "Herr Kommandant" because of her imperious no-nonsense strict attitude:  "Cola drinks are forbidden!...."

[MommyChick]

I know your suppose to follow the "renal diet" which I do for the most part but I figure splurging now & then if it doesn't hurt your numbers isn't bad. Now there are some higher phosphorus & potassium foods I try to stay away from. I never ever took a snack or drink to dialysis for years. I was always so good about it. Then when I got prego I was always trying to eat or drink something. Since then I still always have to have a snack & that was almost 2 years ago. Lemonade & Cheetos today...no one said anything to me about it. 

To eat a strict renal diet as long as Iv been on dialysis.. well that just seems crazy!
I have actually been lucky though, I haven't had any dietitians like you are all talking about. My dietitian now is very helpful whenever I have a problem or question.
Good Luck Everyone !

[AnnieB]

I haven't talked to a dietician yet (maybe after my next neph visit), so I have been checking different places to find out about the renal (pre-D) diet I should be eating. I found ONE cookbook at the library for renal patients, and about 3-4 TALL bookcases full of diet and recipe books for everything else, even including - imagine this - the "Fast Food Diet". I already know about that one. In fact, I think McDonalds stock just went down about 15% (probably greater than my kidney function right now) when I went off junk food  .

[sullidog]

I'm that blind guy, lol anyways this same dietition would have different lab values, she basically had ones of her own and didn't go by what my doctor said. Yes she did tell me to hier a cook because I mainly ate frozen foods, I had no other choice with limited vision although I do cook on ocasion. but I since left that center and have a good dietition now.
You should of told her if she knows so much about accesses then what the hell is she doing in the dietition field? lol.