Potassium/ water tips

[Quita55]

Does anyone have to watch their potassium levels and also have a water restrictions. If you have or now how did you cope do you have any tips you could share with me?

[Hidden]

Hi,

I'm at Stage 3 and have been for just over three years. After the diagnosis was revealed to me I met with a Renal Dietitian and together we developed a kidney-friendly meal plan that with only a few minor changes has worked for me. I do my best to keep my numbers within the reference range on the lab report. Since I'm also diabetic and hypertensive I have to be especially careful with sodium intake and the type of foods I consume. No fast food, and no red meat. I don't go strictly vegan or vegetarian. I do have some seafood and poultry. Your RD can work with you on your preferences when you meet.

I have no water/fluid strictions now so I'm drinking water all day.

Best of luck.

[AndrewT]

Dear Abigaleknight,

I can't add much, if anything, to Mr_Kidney's advice ecept perhaps to ask for a 'Chat' with the Hopspital Dietician. Expect to have, seemingly endless- and often fairly contadictory- Diet Sheets given to you. Study them and try, as best you can, to follow them..... Difficult as that is, Trust me I Know😬

Whatever Diet you do adopt, be it Including Meat/ Dairy or a more Vegetarian/ Vegan option, DO speak to the Dietician about your choices. Increasingly some 'Places' are, just begining, to do Kidney Friendly Food.

There are always the 'Health Food' shops, never 'good' for your Wallet though😢. If you 'Get On' with, someone else on your Unit, maybe suggest Pooling Your Resources- as it were.

I am sending you my, very best wishes Abigale.

AndrewT

[Jayhawker]

Yes, I was on a low potassium diet (1800 mg daily) and mild fluid restrictions (50 fl oz a day) for years.

I could eat 3 servings of low potassium vegetables and 1 serving of low potassium fruit a day. I love vegetables so this was not easy. However, I modified family favorite recipes and moved forward. I ate lots of salads with a variety of green leafy vegetables. I substituted red bell peppers for tomatoes. I did eat broccoli in moderation. I definitely continued to eat cauliflower. I also began roasting vegetables. I love roasted vegetables. I have a roasted chicken fajita recipe that I made often. There is an apple cranberry coleslaw recipe on the Davita website that I love. I often had 1.5 servings of that with roasted boneless skinless chicken breast for dinner. I marinaded the chicken breast in an apple cider marinade.

Anyway, that’s the basics. For the fluid restrictions, I would gradually sip on bottles of water throughout the day. The only fluid I drink is water.

I hope this helps🐶🐶🐶

Jayhawker

[Quita55 in reply to Jayhawker]

Hi you can buy bell peppers red for. 99cents at Trader Joe's and green for. 69cents other colors are $1.19

[Bassetmommer NKF Ambassador]

HI

I too have potassium restrictions and follow the same practices the Jayhawker described. I am very used to it now. I just wish red bell peppers were not so expensive. But since I do not eat meat, its a fair trade off.

I drink water through the day so I maintain a level. I do not drink large amounts in one sitting. I run around 64 ounces a day.

It would be good to see a renal dietician.

[Quita55 in reply to Bassetmommer]

Hi Basstmommer thank for the advice I appreciate it. I'm going to go the NWK foundation to talk to a dietitian. I don't know what area you live in but I go to Trader Joe's and buy my red bell peppers for .99 cents and the green bell peppers for. 69 cents other peppers go for $1.19

[Bassetmommer NKF Ambassador in reply to Quita55]

yikes, I just paid 3.79 a pound. Got to love NY!

[orangecity41 NKF Ambassador]

I have to watch my potassium and have a medical condition that restricts water intake. I drink small amounts all day. Thanks to everyone on good diet tips.

[steve680]

I'm Stage 5 on Dialysis and have to watch my potassium and phosphorus. Dialysis seems to do a good job of cleaning the potassium, but I still have to watch it by avoiding high potassium foods like spinach, potatoes, tomatoes, oranges, bananas, etc. I try to avoid high phosphorus foods like dairy/beans/nuts/processed foods, but I also need to take a phosphate binder since phosphorus is in everything. Dialysis also cleans the phosphorus out of the blood to some degree. Blood pressure medications, such as ARBs and ACE Inhibitors, can also raise your potassium levels.

[Quita55]

Thank you for the tips