I need some help to try and get my potassium level down which keeps edging into the dangerous zone. I have tried getting help from our so-called renal dietician but after 2 months all she came up with was a list of high potassium foods which I had Googled myself ages ago. I have now been told that the dieticians do not like to give us diet plans because they do not like to restrict our diets!!!!!!!!! What the hell do they think we have got to do.
I have also got to lose weight before I can get back on the transplant list and I honestly don't know where to start and I'm frightened to eat anything for fear of making matters worse.
Any help from anyone who is or has been in the same position would be gratefully received.
Low potassium diet
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Re: Low potassium diet
Hi
Sometimes BP drugs makes your potassium very high. The main culprit being Losartan. Do you take that by any chance or,one of its family?
Sometimes BP drugs makes your potassium very high. The main culprit being Losartan. Do you take that by any chance or,one of its family?
Re: Low potassium diet
Hi,
I have struggled with potassium and phosphate (having been given two A4 print outs of 'bad' foods and 'better alternatives' which I eventually worked out were not low in P or K but just had 'less'!)
I found this site -
http://ihatedialysis.com/forum/index.php?board=32.0
has a diet board which can have some helpful information. In America they seem to calculate the mg per portion which seems better than just grouping foods by 'high' and 'lower' if you feel a bit techy you could use the free MyFitness pal app on your phone and log your potassium for a while, if you are eating the same foods regularly you can build up a catalogue of what you eat and the app will calculate your daily intake. It also logs calories so you can keep an eye on what you're eating too....
S, x
I have struggled with potassium and phosphate (having been given two A4 print outs of 'bad' foods and 'better alternatives' which I eventually worked out were not low in P or K but just had 'less'!)
I found this site -
http://ihatedialysis.com/forum/index.php?board=32.0
has a diet board which can have some helpful information. In America they seem to calculate the mg per portion which seems better than just grouping foods by 'high' and 'lower' if you feel a bit techy you could use the free MyFitness pal app on your phone and log your potassium for a while, if you are eating the same foods regularly you can build up a catalogue of what you eat and the app will calculate your daily intake. It also logs calories so you can keep an eye on what you're eating too....
S, x
Re: Low potassium diet
Thank you soobee
Sporti I only take one BP tablet now which is the same one I was taking before I had my kidneys removed and had to supplement my potassium because it was too low! That ks anyway
Chris
Sporti I only take one BP tablet now which is the same one I was taking before I had my kidneys removed and had to supplement my potassium because it was too low! That ks anyway
Chris
Re: Low potassium diet
Hi chrisb,
These links may help you, if you have not already found them.
The last two are American so need to be used with caution as the soil the foods are grown in can influence the amount of Potassium taken up by plants.
I use these links for ideas and then cross check with the dietician, there is a reference book for all British food stuffs that dieticians have access to.
We get rid of a lot of Potassium in Poo so it is important to keep bowel movements regular.
Loosing weight - one hidden problem is sugar in fruit juice, the sugar in juice is quite high (say 4 spoons in a glass of Orange juice). If the whole fruit is eaten then a lot of the sugar goes through your system locked in the fibre, the same applies to most fruits. Otherwise, the best advise I have seen is to eat a high fibre diet (look for info on 5-a-day), avoid snacking, between meals, avoid sugar in any form, and take more exercise (walking is good).
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/low-pota ... -list.html
http://dietgrail.com/potassium/
http://dietgrail.com/phosphorus/
Good luck.
These links may help you, if you have not already found them.
The last two are American so need to be used with caution as the soil the foods are grown in can influence the amount of Potassium taken up by plants.
I use these links for ideas and then cross check with the dietician, there is a reference book for all British food stuffs that dieticians have access to.
We get rid of a lot of Potassium in Poo so it is important to keep bowel movements regular.
Loosing weight - one hidden problem is sugar in fruit juice, the sugar in juice is quite high (say 4 spoons in a glass of Orange juice). If the whole fruit is eaten then a lot of the sugar goes through your system locked in the fibre, the same applies to most fruits. Otherwise, the best advise I have seen is to eat a high fibre diet (look for info on 5-a-day), avoid snacking, between meals, avoid sugar in any form, and take more exercise (walking is good).
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/low-pota ... -list.html
http://dietgrail.com/potassium/
http://dietgrail.com/phosphorus/
Good luck.
Re: Low potassium diet
Hi Chris !
You can do some checks before you attack the diet question. What about your dialysis machine, if HD, do you use the strongest potassium concentrate to take out the most of it ? If on PD I suppose this is no point. Have you discussed the option to complete your dialysis with oral intake of Resonium powder with the nephs ?
Best regards
Per
You can do some checks before you attack the diet question. What about your dialysis machine, if HD, do you use the strongest potassium concentrate to take out the most of it ? If on PD I suppose this is no point. Have you discussed the option to complete your dialysis with oral intake of Resonium powder with the nephs ?
Best regards
Per
Re: Low potassium diet
Per156
My neph has only today prescribed a "stronger diasalate" please excuse spelling. Apparently i have always been on a very week one. Is that what you mean. Never heard of the second thing, I will do some research.
Is it usual for renal dieticians not to give diet plans or is it just mine?
My neph has only today prescribed a "stronger diasalate" please excuse spelling. Apparently i have always been on a very week one. Is that what you mean. Never heard of the second thing, I will do some research.
Is it usual for renal dieticians not to give diet plans or is it just mine?
Re: Low potassium diet
I can see why I have not been given resonium. I have high levels of paratyroid hormone also it sounds like a rather unpleasant regime.
Thanks wagolynn. If potassium comes out in our poo it's a wonder I don't have low levels because I constantly have loose stools
Unfortunately I cannot drink a lot of anything being on a 1 litre restriction
Thanks wagolynn. If potassium comes out in our poo it's a wonder I don't have low levels because I constantly have loose stools
Unfortunately I cannot drink a lot of anything being on a 1 litre restriction
Re: Low potassium diet
Good, now you have a stronger potassium concentrate in your dialysis machine and I guess this will do the trick. They can regulate your PTH with Alfakalcidol so you can use Resonium if you for some reason must go back to the weaker concentrate. Resonium is efficient and does not taste too bad if you slurry it in the morning yoghurt. I do not have very much experience of renal dieticians and how they set up plans, to me they have mostly listed up food stuff to avoid with much potassium and phospor.
Best regards
Per
Best regards
Per
Re: Low potassium diet
Hi chrib,
Renal dieticians do not give out 'diets' because the requirements change, and food is such an emotive thing.
They tend to highlight the well known 'problem' foods then wait to see how things develop, keeping a check by looking at the blood results. If the blood results suggest action is required, they offer suggestions to correct any deviation from the target values. They will/should look at any changes you suggest and comment on them but the patient has to initiate the dialogue. I am assuming that your dietician periodically asks you for details of what you have been eating, so they have an idea of were you are coming from. (a weeks food diary, sort of thing.) They are used to being the 'enemy' but they are well worth making a 'friend'.
I see your dialysate is being changed, this will be a big help. There is medication available to reduce Potassium levels but, like all medication, there are possible side effects so I would expect them to see if you, and your dialysate change, can get it under control.
Best wishes.
Renal dieticians do not give out 'diets' because the requirements change, and food is such an emotive thing.
They tend to highlight the well known 'problem' foods then wait to see how things develop, keeping a check by looking at the blood results. If the blood results suggest action is required, they offer suggestions to correct any deviation from the target values. They will/should look at any changes you suggest and comment on them but the patient has to initiate the dialogue. I am assuming that your dietician periodically asks you for details of what you have been eating, so they have an idea of were you are coming from. (a weeks food diary, sort of thing.) They are used to being the 'enemy' but they are well worth making a 'friend'.
I see your dialysate is being changed, this will be a big help. There is medication available to reduce Potassium levels but, like all medication, there are possible side effects so I would expect them to see if you, and your dialysate change, can get it under control.
Best wishes.