Wierd thing happened in Dialysis last time

[jmintuck]

I had a tiny bag of pretzels and thought back to when I was sick before in Spring. I don't think they let food into Dialysis at the RGH here. Funny I ask if I could eat the pretzels, as mentioned, and the nurses said "Sure, No Problem." I hear that over in USA, they do not often let patients do things like that too often. Here in Canada, it might be unstable, or much like USA, even. I heard about other places bringing a whole lunch to daytime dialysis patients in center when connected to a hospital or something. I saw this mentioned in some old thread here. It seems to happen in Europe, mostly, it appeared. IDK why it is so damn questionable here.





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[iolaire]

Almost all non US centers I visit provide one snack consisting of tea with a ton of sugar, and a basic sandwich of cheese or ham between bread or something like cookies or crackers (i.e. in Ireland it was a "Biscuit" which I would call a cookie since its sweet, in Argentina it was a Alfajores two cookies around a caramel core).  (I'm always surprised at the amount of sugar they are giving their patients, many of whom I assume are diabetic, but maybe they need the sweets to control their blood pressure during the session.)

At my US center I eat a ton during my treatment and feel like I need it, plus I urinate so I drink 500 ML of water.  I don't get any feedback on that, but I have heard them tell people with low blood pressure issues that they should not eat as that drives the blood pressure down.

[jmintuck]

Finally I received a CLEAR answer to having food or drinks in dialysis here. They work on the American modality of no drinks or food back there. I told them about what happened in Portugal and much of Europe of how they allowed you to eat much over there. They were SO wierded out!

[Simon Dog]

There are rules and then there are rules.    Eating in US clinics (at least the ones I have been to) may not be "allowed" but it is "tolerated".

A Bob P moment from one of my treatments:

Tech: You're not allowed to touch the machine

Me: I think you misundersood that rule.   I am not allowed to touch the machine when anyone is watching.

[Fabkiwi06]

When I was in the hemo clinic, they said "NO food or drinks!". But, it was extremely clear that nobody followed that rule. I was on the 5:30am shift, and almost everyone brought in a breakfast of some sort. One dude almost always brought in a bag of McDonalds. How that was allowed, I will never know...

I'd bring in my coffee, because without it I'd be unmanagable. Sometimes I'd bring some fruit or crackers. Almost never ate because I'd usually go back to sleep since it was so early in the morning. Mostly, I'd try to eat a little something before I'd go and then have a proper meal when I got home around 9.

[jmintuck]

At my clinic, there is a little workaround. There is a coffee and donut kiosk right by and on Wednesday mornings, I have nearly an hour to wait when I get there. I get it and eat it before dialysis.

[cattlekid]

I was doing dialysis in center in the US and had to beg to be able to bring a protein bar and a small bottle of water.  I left work to go to the center.  I would have lunch between 11:30 and noon then get on the machine at 3:00, off at 7:00.  Without the protein bar and water, I would be a wreck. 

That was one of the many reasons why I despised in-center dialysis.  Too much cookie cutter, "our way or the highway".  Treat everyone like a particularly naughty five-year-old instead of like adults.

At home, I would have dinner before I dialyzed and a small snack and cup of tea during dialysis.  Of course, all of this was after I got stabilized at home.

[LorinnPKD]

Wow, my DaVita center here in the US allows you to bring in whatever food you want.  I usually bring in a 9oz can of ginger ale and a bag of crackers or some applesauce, and then a bag of lemondrops.  It's not unusual to see people bring in actual dinner. One lady brings in McDonalds every time she comes in.

[Michael Murphy]

I go to a Fresinius site and while the rules may be restrictive the reality is not.  The only time the staff seems to get involved is when you bother others.  Massey or smelly foods will get you moved to the isolation room.  But any thing that can be eaten with one hand i.s allowed. 

[iolaire]

I was doing dialysis in center in the US and had to beg to be able to bring a protein bar and a small bottle of water.  I left work to go to the center.  I would have lunch between 11:30 and noon then get on the machine at 3:00, off at 7:00.  Without the protein bar and water, I would be a wreck. 

That's my shift I eat nuts, apple, raisins and such and still need food when I get home.  An lunch is my main meal of the day about two hours before dialysis.

Also an elderly patient that gets off as I arrive brings food and the center helps remind her to eat it (I'm sure that's against policy.)

The one official "food" item is people with protein problems get a cup of protein drink provided by the center.

[KatieV]

My dialysis shift was 5-9pm - I went right from work to dialysis; no chance to eat an early dinner.  By the time I got home, it would be 10 or 10:30!  So I usually ate dinner while on dialysis.  I'd pack a dinner or my husband would bring in something. 

It was generally allowed on the evening shift.  There was one woman whose blood pressure would severely drop (pass out) after eating.  I remember the nurses counseling her about what & how much she should eat to prevent that.

Now I'm back on NxStage in my home and usually eat a full dinner while on dialysis.  Last night was a pork chop, mashed potatoes, and brussell sprouts.







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[Charlie B53]

MMmmmmmm, pork chops!  One is never enough!   I usually have to eat my veggies first, then the meat, then cut back on the spuds, even though I like them, just no more room after two chops.

It's great that it works so well for you.  We all have to eat regularly to keep everything well balanced.






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[LorinnPKD]

Is it normal to be completely starving after a dialysis session?  No matter what I eat before my session (and I usually have a small snack during), I am ravenously hungry after.

[Simon Dog]

Is it normal to be completely starving after a dialysis session?  No matter what I eat before my session (and I usually have a small snack during), I am ravenously hungry after.

Sometimes happens to me.   Had a nice dinner, dialyzed, now I'm starved.