Kidney Patient Guide

Of course i have read the literature etc. but that does not make it right for everyone - even in this "one size fits all" society. It is all very well to have all the positives given to you to encourage but what people really need (and deserve) is the truth whether or not it is of a posit...

thanks you for your replies. With respect Wagolynn, you know nothing of my circumstances, i.e. accommodation, support etc, to be able to state that PD is best for me. I have been told that i will not be able to have PD after the removal of my kidney(s) and although my neph was aware of this and of ...

Hi Somersetandy, I don’t think the world did end, I think I would have felt the bump... :D I had been waiting for that news for about ten years but it still made me stop and think. All I can say is, all turns out to be not as bad as you thought and it is manageable if you try to understand what it i...

Hi Chrisb, I think. The Aspirin would cost you a lot if it were prescribed, if you old enough of course you would not be paying for prescriptions. The dressing should be prescribed by your GP but I think it would be touch and on prescription versus paying over the counter, you pharmacist could/would...

Hello Somersetandy, There is a lot to take in at first; a good website for checking info is the NKF site. You may have been given one of their books at the clinic. For deeper info, I find http://www.edren.org/pages/handbooks/unit-handbook/haemodialysis.php very good though you do have to dig a bit t...

Hi f77ms, It is a problem, we all tend to spread out across the country, or the world creating problems when we are ill, I know we (me and Mrs wagolynn) are a problem for our kids we are all hundreds of miles apart. If you have the time to swat up the NKF information, it is all ‘good’ information, s...

Hi livelaughlove3885,

Try looking at this web site it may help you. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BUN-to-creatinine_ratio
I would see your GP soon, and get yourself checked out, and at a quick glance, your diet looks to be a bit restricted.
For Europeans BUN ratio equates to urea.

Good luck.

You may/should get a quicker response by talking to the consultant (phone don’t wait for an appointment), I find most (not all) unit staff tend to want to stick to their normal routine; it saves thinking! As stated above, if mum is passing water, she probable does not need any taking off. 700ml of w...

Yes, you are correct ‘soluble’ is sometimes called ‘soft’, in very broad terms hard and soft fibres are equitable. I think it is down to what you can get through your system. I think I may have mislead you on the balance thing, I was intending to refer to the renal diet as a whole (potassium, and ph...

Hi Amanda in CA, The unit dietician says the benefits of wholemeal bread (70% wholemeal in my case) outweighs the disadvantages as I am compensating else ware in my diet. The point is, there is not a definitive renal diet, but rather it is a matter of achieving a balance for each individual. It is i...

Hi there eloiseb, It looks as though you are beginning to get things sorted out for your son. Anaemia: healthy kidneys produce a hormone that controls the production of new red blood cells, without this, new red cells are not produced. This can be treated with EPO, (full name Erythropoietin) if this...

Hi everybody, I was just wondering if any one has trouble with really low blood pressure? I have been on Haemodialysis for 7 years, but in the past 4 years, my BP has been very low - usually around 49/21 and sometimes it doesn't read at all. Does any one get this problem? What treatment are you on?...

Sorry to hear about mums problems. It will/should get better. One of the many side effects of kidney failure is feeling down, possibly at the bottom of a deep mine shaft :( . This means that everything feels like a big hassle and tends to get overwhelming. In this state, it is helpful if someone cou...

Definitely best to check at the clinic, I do not think the oil will be a problem to your kidney/s but there may be possible conflicts with your medication, in any event, it is always better if your medical team know what you are taking. If it is considered OK for you I would go for fish oil not Cod ...

I have found this a very useful website, it goes into kidney problems a little deeper than most. It is the website of the Edinburgh Renal Unit. http://www.edren.org/ The website has recently been updated hence some of the page addresses I have quoted have been updated. Users may find the site helpfu...