Vitamins

[Leroy3]

I have CKD3 and had been taking multi-vitamins until I realized they have ingredients I should not be taking. I'm taking dialysis vitamins now - never knew there was such a thing. No potassium, etc.

[Celtic]

Leroy, what are “dialysis vitamins”?

[Leroy3 in reply to Celtic]

Vitamins that do not contain vitamins and minerals harmful to us with CKD. I'm not on dailysis; I am at stage 3. I realized that the multivitamin I take was full of harmful minerals like phosphorus, so I checked on kidney vits. Walmart had Dialyvite 800 that I'm taking now. I'd like to put off stage 4 as long as possible. One can just buy bottles of beneficial vitamins, too. This is just what I did.

[Hidden in reply to Leroy3]

Remember that you shouldn't try to eliminate any of the big five minerals. You can do harm. It's important to maintain a healthy dose so your kidneys aren't imperiled further. If you stop taking those minerals you can do yourself some harm. Just be careful and check with your physician(s) before starting or changing anything.

[orangecity41]

Does anyone know if they are safe to use for CKD 3.

I have to avoid phosphorus mainly so look for multi-vitamins low in phosphorus and that have other needed nutrients. Some are very high in phosphorus.

[Hidden in reply to orangecity41]

Here is an article from DaVita about Vitamins for those on Dialysis. Hope it's what you are looking for and helps.

Renal Vitamins for People on Dialysis

Provided by DaVita® Dietitians

Why can’t I take a regular multivitamin when I have kidney disease?

If you have chronic kidney disease (CKD) and are on dialysis, you were likely told by your doctor that over-the-counter (OTC) multivitamins may not be good for your health. There are a couple main reasons why many OTC multivitamins aren’t good for people on dialysis:

Too much of the vitamins A, E and K—these must be limited or even avoided because levels build up in the body as the kidneys stop working.

Some multivitamins don’t have enough water-soluble vitamins such as C, B-complex and folic acid (folate). Water-soluble vitamins do not build up in the body and must be replaced daily. People with CKD have greater requirements for some water-soluble vitamins.

Why do I need a renal vitamin?

Your diet, kidney function, dialysis treatments and other factors can affect your vitamin needs:

Certain foods are limited on a kidney diet.

Your appetite may be poor because of your decreased kidney function.

Medication side effects can change how some vitamins are absorbed or can increase your daily requirement.

Vitamins are lost during each dialysis treatment.

It’s recommended that you take your renal vitamins every day. Try to make it a habit of taking it after your dialysis treatment and at that same time when you don’t do treatments. You can also take it before going to bed. Here are other ways to manage your renal vitamins along with other medications:

Get a pill organizer to divvy up pills to be certain to take the correct daily doses. An organizer that has separate sections for the days of the week and also different times of day can be helpful. For tech-savvy people, electronic versions of pill organizers may work best. To differentiate between medications and supplements, color-coded bottles can be useful too.

Manage medicines electronically by creating an electronic medication log or spreadsheet to organize medications.

Talk to your kidney healthcare team about other ways to remember taking your renal vitamins. It’s part of having a better quality of life on dialysis.

[orangecity41 in reply to Hidden]

All so very true. One thing might affect another and CKD not as simple as one might think, am learning.

[Hidden in reply to orangecity41]

Check with a physician you trust before changing any vitamin or supplement. Everyone is different and has to watch for different tolerances.

[Celtic]

Thank you to those who have given this information. I’m not on dialysis but have CKD3, eGFR 33 at last test and just a sole kidney. I have difficult-to-treat high blood pressure which we know is dangerous for kidney function. I have repeatedly asked my renal team if I could be referred to a renal dietitian to help maintain my remaining function but am told just to carry on with my already healthy diet - no advice at all about vitamins, so am grateful to Mr Kidney’s advice about water soluble vitamins.

[Leroy3]

My doc told me to "eat healthy," without telling me what "eat healthy" is. I've had to find out on my own.

[Sally10255]

Hi, I stopped taking any vitamins. My kidney doctor doesn’t take any either.

[Hidden]

I too am at Stage 3 and I take Centrum Silver for Men and it does contain potassium, phosphorus, and calcium. Why? If you are doing hemodialysis then the benefit of taking vitamins with those minerals is largely lost. Remember, you don't want to eliminate those minerals but you must take some until you are on dialysis. Taking a dialysis vitamin, once it is recommended by your doctor(s) when you are on dialysis is because the vitamins are largely ineffective because they are absorbed by the body and dialysis cleans the blood and eliminates the minerals from your system. Also, as the article, I posted stated, if you are on dialysis you still need those minerals but you should evaluate when you take them. After a dialysis treatment as opposed to prior to the treatment. Give your body the chance to absorb them before the next treatment.

AGAIN, I'm not a physician and don't take my word or anyone else's without first consulting your physician. Especially your nephrologist.

[orangecity41 in reply to Hidden]

My Doctor also prescribed I take Centrum Silver for men but raised my B12 level so am taking plain Centrum Silver 50+ which has lesser

[Hidden]

Exactly. My last 3 labs show that I have those minerals under control by diet. That is why my physicians (PCP and Nephrologist) both okayed my taking the Centrum Silver. My entire care team monitors my numbers and any change is discussed and usually, with these doctors, I concur.

[Betsysue2002]

Thanks to all of you ! NO MEDICAL PERSON or dietitian ... i havent been able to find a renal dietitian in the area ... has mentioned vitamins to me.

And i didnt think to ask

[Hidden in reply to Betsysue2002]

Once you get involved with a Renal Dietitian, you may be able to do a Tele-Conference with them or e-mails at the very least. Find out where you would go for a transplant and you'll probably find one that is affiliated with that hospital. I travel two hours to visit mine and I have SKYPE so I can meet with her that way or just e-mail. The first visit or two will probably need to be in person, so make a day of it. For me, it was worth it.

[Betsysue2002 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for the suggestion.