refuse

[ct7567]

. I like Orange Juice with breakfast and I refuse to give that up, with all that I have given up. Anyone else here refuse to give up a food or drink item cause of this condition, even though the Dietitian thinks the item in question is bad?

[Paul]

Surprisingly I had little trouble giving foodstuffs up, even peanuts, which I love, in all their forms (the nuts, the butter, the cups, etc). Although I would probably had problems giving up coffee if I did not have another caffine source.

What I do have trouble with is my liquid limit. I am constantly getting told off by the nurses for drinking too much.

What also surprised me was the foods I went after when the nutritionist told me that I was too good at it, and needed to eat more potassium and phosphorus. First thing was a chop suey from the  Chinese take away, second thing was a bag of tomatoes (and I could eat a whole tomato per day). Not sure what next, but probably bigger portions of Brussel sprouts.

[Marilee]

My hubby's dietitian wants us to eat less and less meat. We're down to about 6 ounces a day and that's about as far as I wanna go.
We reduced dairy but wouldn't, couldn't and didn't have to altogether.
So far, we're lucky: Phosphorus and sodium are the only two electrolytes we have to watch. Everything else is still 'normal-ish'.

Often, it's a matter of reducing the amount of something and not eliminating it altogether: Less OJ, no zero OJ?

[cassandra]

Even on in-centre HD I refused to give up my morning coffee.

[MooseMom]

If I knew something was bad for me, I found that I just didn't want it anymore. 

Is that odd?

[Paul]

My hubby's dietitian wants us to eat less and less meat. We're down to about 6 ounces a day and that's about as far as I wanna go.

I'm surprised, it is usually the vegetables they want you to reduce, as they are high potassium, and dairy as that is high phosphorus. Meat they tend not to worry about. I get through six to eight ounces of meat a day, and at my last review they told me I was not eating enough phosphorus or potassium!

If I knew something was bad for me, I found that I just didn't want it anymore.  Is that odd?

Not so much odd as lucky.

Less OJ, no zero OJ?

Well, unless you are considering marriage, then zero OJ is safer.

[Marilee]

LOL! Too funny, Paul.

[Marilee]

I'm surprised, it is usually the vegetables they want you to reduce, as they are high potassium, and dairy as that is high phosphorus. Meat they tend not to worry about. I get through six to eight ounces of meat a day, and at my last review they told me I was not eating enough phosphorus or potassium!

We're not on the potassium-watch, just phosphorus so far. But I think the dietitian wants us to eat even MORE veggies for the fiber since we're not eating many whole grains (phosphorus). But since I was able to get the phosphorus numbers under control (with the ol' PPR Method), lately we've been hearing, "Keep doing what you're doing!"  So, Yea!

[Charlie B53]

I gave up my morning POT of coffee and make do with my ONE LARGE cup.  Doubt if I could ever quit that.

I strictly limit potassium even though I grow THE best tomatoes, I hardy eat even a slice.  Pretty much the same with potatoes, I limit myself to maybe one serving a week which is just fine with my labs.

I have had to very strictly limit salted meats, smoked anything, spinach, hot dogs, shellfish as most of these not only have hidden sodium but also trigger gout which is NO FUN!

Good thing I really like veggies, very well steamed, but I still have to consider the fluid content of them.

As for meats, I peel the skin off chicken and give our dog portions, carefully trim fats from all beef and pork.  Can't say I limit portion sizes.  I'll buy whatever sizes the meat cutter hacks off, grill it hot on the outside, not quite red inside, well, the chicken and pork a bit more, but all beef has to have juicy redness leaking out.  MMmmmmmmm!

I take lots of binders.  Three or four at a time.  So far no side effects and it's been well over a year this way.

I consider myself to be VERY fortunate.

[GA_DAWG]

Don't know if your nutritionist has told you this Charlie, but you can reduce the potassium in potatoes by about half by cutting them up, soaking them in a large amount of water for about four hours and changing the water a few times. If you do not have time to soak, cut them up, put them on the stove to boil, then when they begin to boil, pour out the water, refill, and boil as normal. Our nutritionist told me this and I have found it in other places.

[Marilee]

Ga Dawg, I read that too, and it's not just potassium: All minerals can be leached out by about 30% according to this study: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2081985

[kristina]

. I like Orange Juice with breakfast and I refuse to give that up, with all that I have given up. Anyone else here refuse to give up a food or drink item cause of this condition, even though the Dietitian thinks the item in question is bad?

I am sorry to say that I was told that Orange Juice is not advisable to drink, in fact I was told it is the very first drink to forget about because of some sort of acidity which is supposed to have a detrimental effect on failing kidneys. Please ask your nephrologist about it as soon as possible.
Best wishes from Kristina.

[kristina]

If I knew something was bad for me, I found that I just didn't want it anymore. 

Is that odd?

A good cheer for your reliable instinct, MooseMom!!!
Of course it is not odd ! I am exactly the same, I could not possibly enjoy something, knowing full well that it is bad for me ... what would be the point?

[MooseMom]

Of course it is not odd ! I am exactly the same, I could not possibly enjoy something, knowing full well that it is bad for me ... what would be the point?

Well, exactly. 

[kickingandscreaming]

what would be the point?

Well.... REBELLION is exactly the point.

[Paul]

I grow THE best tomatoes, I hardy eat even a slice.  Pretty much the same with potatoes

Until I was told I could (and should) eat more potassium I had given up tomatoes too. But that was mostly because I was told "half a tomato a day", I live alone, tomatoes ruin in the fridge, and I could not bring myself to throw half away.

As to potatoes, I am lucky. I prefer both rice and pasta to potatoes, both of which are also easier to prepare, so I rarely ate potatoes even when I could (but had a couple of roasties at Christmas - very bad).

[Marilee]

what would be the point?

Well.... REBELLION is exactly the point.

It reminds me of a 'funny' story from my past. My hubby and I drove to work together for years in California. In the 1980s he was rebelling because the State had made it law that one had to wear seatbelts, so he wasn't wearing his (neither was I - supportive to a flaw). Anyway, we had a car accident. When we got out of the hospital and back to work, he was talking to his boss, who knew all about my hubby's rebellion, and the boss said to my hubby, "So, has the State suffered enough?" We've been wearing seatbelts ever since.

[GA_DAWG]

There are so many oddities. Like they tell you no OJ or oranges, then on the emergency list they suggest you stock the mandarin orange cans. Peaches are okay, but not apricots. And I know this because I checked, white chocolate is worse than regular chocolate, and chocolate is where I draw the line.

[Riki]

After 14 years on dialysis, I've decided that there is no real point in depriving myself of something I like.  I eat potatoes a couple of time a week, and I don't soak them because then they just taste like mush.  I have Domino's garlic fingers after dialysis on Monday nights, and I have other fast food, ice cream, or even chocolate once or twice a month.  I've found, after trial and error, that there is a lot that I can have on occasion, even more regularly, and it doesn't affect my bloodwork.  There are things I stay away from, mostly because I don't really like them.  Leafy greens, for example.  There are other things I stay away from, like whole wheat and other whole grains.  I cut out citrus fruit, though I like my 2 or 3 clementines at Christmas, and I cut out nuts almost completely.  Cheese seems to be the only thing I can't limit.  One day, it will be my downfall.  I have cheese in almost everything.  Everything I do is with the blessing of my dietician, though she does wish I would take more of my binders. *G*

I think that in moderation, we can still have what we like.  It's just a matter of figuring out the right balance.  I don't recommend doing what I did without the guidance of your dietician, however.  I'm lucky that I have one who supports what I do, and as long as my bloodwork stays consistently in the normal ranges, she has no issues.  I'm honest with her about how I eat, and how many binders I take, which is why she lets me do what I do.  She also tells me if I need to back off on certain foods, or take more binders, and I do what she tells me in those cases.

[Charlie B53]

That MODERATION thing is key.  While I may not eat many things there are times that I will have a small portion, or just a bite.  I don't totally do without, just severely limit them.

Lord help me if I thought I absolutely could NOT have something.  I know I would rebel and then eat too much of it.

So that Moderation rules pretty much everything.  Except my smoking.  And even then I do limit myself to the one pack a day.  Dr's hate it, but it really does keep my allergies at bay AND I do not have the side effects that I get when I take those prescription meds for allergies!  50 odd years and Dr's are always amazed how clear my lungs sound, after I cough up that morning crud.  And the breathing tests?  Dr cannot explain how I manage to move so much air so fast!  Total lung capacity of an early 20 year old. And I'm 64.

Mashed potatoes I can restrict easily.  My downfall is those deep fried coated potato wedges!  I get them for my Wife but I will eat one or two, no more. And that isn't even once a week so I figure that ain't too much.

Those Tangerines I'm told are O.K. for us.  I buy a bag for the Wife as she loves them, and I will have one or three a week.  Cuties, Clementines, whatever they want to name them they are all quite similar.  Mandarin also are acceptable.

I knew fresh peaches and apricots are out but canned has leached so much out they are both O.K. Maybe not so much the juice in the can.  We like to add canned mandarins to salads, it makes a nice contrasting taste and texture, good flavor mix.

[Marilee]

I agree, Charlie, and in order to moderate, we need to learn the facts about our foods so that we can make our own choices.

When I had to restrict phosphorus, I started out with the simple "Avoid this, avoid that" handouts - all meant to make the job easier - but instead, I was giving up the power to choose: I was letting someone else decide what I would limit. It wasn't until I did my homework and learned what was in the foods we enjoy, and ALSO what I needed the daily intake to be, that I could decide for myself. In many cases, I chose right in line with the original advice, but not always, and it was really empowering to me to be able to build my own meals my way and still get the phosphorus job done. When I chose on my own to reduce the amount of cheese we were eating in a day, it was different than when I was told I had to "Avoid dairy".

I think I'm a control freak

[GA_DAWG]

A burger is just not a burger without a slice of tomato on it.

[Paul]

A burger is just not a burger without a slice of tomato on it.

Oh, I can live without the tomato on it, but not without a slice of cheese.

[kitkatz]

I will not give up the dark chocolate.

[cattlekid]

I was fairly lucky in that during my 27 months on dialysis, I really didn't have any issues with potassium or phosphorus.  I didn't eat a banana or an orange for that entire time, but I had no issues with tomatoes or potatoes.  It unnerved my dietitian to no end that I could eat those items and still have no issue with potassium.  I swear that she thought I was doing it out of spite.  I figured as long as my labs were in shape, she could go pound sand.