In a few hours I’ll be off to my dialysis treatment. I’m already planning in advance how I would conduct my travel from our house in Manila, to the clinic in Quezon City. It’s only about 30 minutes away from our home, that’s if you have your own car, which I don’t. I take public transports (Jeepneys) and it takes 3 transfers before getting to the clinic. It’s tedious for patients like me, but there’s no getting around it, and besides, it’s a lot cheaper than taking a cab.

~ Image courtesy of www.a2gov.org

But it’s not the travel that bothers me. It’s the heat. You can’t hide from it whenever your outside, and even when you’re in the shade, you still can palpably feel the heat. It’s summer here in the Philippines, and to make matters worse, we’re currently under the El Niño Phenomenon. I have posted before on this blog the effects of summer and heat on dialysis patients. Today I reiterate it once again that excessive heat and humidity has a significant impact on dialysis patients.

We find it hard to tolerate the heat simply because we have a higher body temperature than normal people.

Mean oral temperature in hemodialysis patients was higher than in healthy individuals [98.7 degrees F (37 degrees C) vs. 98.4 degrees F (36.8 degrees C); p < 0.001], as was the mean average axillary temperature [97.7 degrees F (36.5 degrees C) vs. 97.5 degrees F (36.3 degrees C); p = 0.02] and mean left axillary temperature [97.9 degrees F (36.6 degrees C) vs. 97.6 degrees F (36.4 degrees C); p < 0.001].

~ Pub Med

And, if bad comes to worse, when our tolerance for heat comes to an end, the first thing that comes to mind is to beat the heat – that is, to drink water to quench our thirst and alleviate the heat we’re experiencing. It’s all good and well, drinking lots of water to rehydrate oneself and avoid the dangers and perils of dehydration or heat stroke. But for us with malfunctioning kidneys, drinking too much water tells a different story and would be quite dangerous at some point.

But don’t despair my fellow patients. There are lots of ways we could tolerate excessive heat and avoid the dangers that comes with it. Here are some that helps me survive the day, and I hope would be helpful to you too.

• Stay in the shade and stay away from direct sunlight, especially from 10 am – 3 pm, where it’s the hottest part of the day. If you’re not working and don’t have anything important to do outdoors, it would be best to just stay in the house.
• If you really have to go outside on the hottest part of the day, bring adequate protection from the sun, like an umbrella or sun shade. Also, don’t forget your towels or an extra piece of clothing, as you might need it.
• If you’re quite thirsty and finding it hard to regulate your fluid intake, go ahead – drink some water. But remember, sip and don’t gulp. But if your fluid intake is really ‘that’ restricted, try sucking on an ice cube, or some sour fruit like lime or calamansi, or brush your teeth to freshen up your mouth. It somewhat relieves your thirst.

These are some tips that worked for me and I hope would be helpful to you too, although every person is unique and has different needs. Summer time is somewhat of a punishment for us patients, but there’s no getting around it. So what can we do?

If you can’t beat ‘em… try to enjoy ‘em! A wonderful summer to you all!

Related Posts

1. Hypertension and Kidney Failure
2. Food Considerations For Dialysis Patients
3. Diet and Nutrition For Dialysis Patients

Hypertension or High Blood Pressure, as it is more commonly known, is one of the silent killers that plagues the general population. It owes its lethal efficiency to the fact that it goes on undetected for months, and even for years, up until a point where significant damage has already been done. Such as it was in my case, where I neglected and took it for granted, in spite of being aware of its past devastation on our family’s medical history. But that’s all in the past, and as I have always told myself, regret is one of the most futile and unproductive of all human emotions. So there’s really nosense in trying to undo what’s already been done.

What about you? Are you also suffering from Hypertension? You know you might be, and worse, you’re not even aware of it. This is a common enough scenario, especially for the population’s poorer class who’s financial capability to seek medical attention is virtually non-existent. Nobody could really blame these people the tendency to take for granted the sensibility of early detection through screening. But if you’ll ask me, however, this should not be an excuse.

Why is high blood pressure dangerous?

The higher the blood pressure, the harder the heart has to work to keep on pumping against increasing resistance. If, in the course of time, the heart muscles tires, it could eventually lead to heart failure. Because of the enormous burden it puts on the arteries, high blood pressure adds to their wear and tear, especially in the target organs, the brain, coronary and kidney vessels. Stroke and Myocardial Infarction (heart attack) are frequent and dangerous consequences of untreated hypertension.

Recognizing high blood pressure

High blood pressure is a Silent Killer simply because it doesn’t show typical symptoms that might serve as early warning signals. In fact, in certain cases, many people feel well and energetic despite their high blood pressure. There is only one way of finding out whether or not you have hypertension and that is to have your blood pressure checked. Measurements must be repeated at least once a year. If an elevated pressure is detected in time, early treatment can help prevent the possible fatal consequences.

Prevention of complications from high blood pressure

Bringing the pressure down relieves the strain on the heart and arteries; this lessen and often eliminates the dangerous consequences of elevated pressure. With proper treatment, high blood pressure can be normalized, or at least brought down to a tolerable level. The treatment does not call for any heroic measures; regular checking of the blood pressure, a few generally painless changes in one’s eating and living habits, and taking the prescribed medication everyday. If detected and treated in time, hypertension should not stop you in leading a normal and productive life. All that is required is determination and close doctor-patient cooperation.

Protect yourself against high blood pressure

A genetic predisposition is a frequent cause of hypertension. It “runs in the family”. Caution is advised if you have a family history of high blood pressure. Your way of living could have an important bearing on whether or when you will develop hypertension. If you are overweight, has a high sodium intake on your diet, under psychological stress, agitated and hyperactive, you’re more likely a candidate, or can exacerbate an existing tendency. Losing weight, cutting down on salt in the diet, and avoiding stress are useful precaution to help you keep your pressure down.

Protect your health why you still can and when you still can. As always, being well-informed is being well-prepared.

Related Posts

1. Hypertension and Kidney Failure
2. Food Considerations For Dialysis Patients
3. Are Your Kidneys Okay?

Hypertension or high blood pressure runs in our family. Several of my relatives either died of a heart attack or stroke caused by hypertension that’s been left untreated. I had hypertension as early as my high school days, although I am completely unaware of it. It was just brought up to my attention six years ago, when I was first diagnosed with chronic kidney failure. It was both shocking and unbelievable for me at that time. Being a 26 year-old, it’s quite hard to accept at first that I am already suffering from chronic ailments and would probably face medication and treatment for the rest of my life. But there it was, already out in the open.

The kidneys play a key role in keeping a person’s blood pressure in a healthy range, and blood pressure, in turn, can affect the health of the kidneys. High blood pressure, also called hypertension, can damage the kidneys and lead to chronic kidney disease (CKD).

– Source NIDDK/NKUDIC

This might seem both alarming and outrageous, but it’s true, and it’s a fact. And I just don’t say it from research or reading journals about it, but I’m saying it from experience. Had I known myself to be inflicted with hypertension, I would have done steps to prevent it from helping destroy my kidneys. My doctor said that besides CGN or Chronic Glomerulonephritis, hypertension became one of the contributing factors that lead to kidney failure. But I was young then, and thought myself impervious to such diseases and conditions. Well, I was wrong, and paid dearly for it.

I am still suffering from hypertension up to this day simply because it’s closely associated with kidney failure. Although I am a lot wiser now than before and medications help me maintain my blood pressure at acceptable levels, I still make it a point to implement ways to keep my hypertension at bay.

• I avoid salty and sodium-rich foods as often as I can. Salt makes you more thirsty and if you drink too much water, you might experience fluid overload that will increase your blood pressure.

• I try to stay cool and avoid staying under the sun too much for the same reason that this would make you want to drink more.

• Avoid fatty and deep fried foods, as well as those that are high in cholesterol. Not only will it trigger your blood pressure to rise significantly but will also put you at risk with stroke and heart attack.

• Consult with your doctor on a regular basis and always take your medications for hypertension. Skipping them would desensitize your body to the drug and would cause dangerous spikes in your blood pressure.

It’s hard enough coping with kidney failure and dialysis alone, and even harder to manage different complications that comes along with it. But with sensible management, eager determination, and abundant amount of faith, things could go as normal as it can be for patients like me.

Be wise. Well-informed is well-prepared.

Related Posts

1. Hypertension – Living with It, Dealing with It
2. Anemia in Kidney Failure and Dialysis Patients
3. Food Considerations For Dialysis Patients

I recently wrote an article on why dialysis patients must be sensible on their eating habits, and the equal importance of consulting with your Nephrologist and Renal Dietitian before starting a diet plan. This time, I’m writing about the basic minerals found in food that concerns a dialysis patient, like Protein, Potassium, Phosphorus, Sodium, etc. You can work closely with your renal dietitian to decide on the meal plan that includes some of your favorite foods and is best for you.

Your individual meal plan will be based on your age, your weight, foods you like, your dialysis treatment and other medical conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure. It will be tailored to your needs but may not meet the specific needs of other patients. Most people with kidney disease must modify their intake of certain nutrients such as protein, potassium, sodium, phosphorus, and fluid. Following the meal pattern suggested by your renal dietitian will help you feel your best.

The following are some things a dialysis patient needs to know about:

• Protein is used to build and repair tissue. Several of the foods you eat contains protein. The best sources are meat, poultry (chicken, turkey, etc.), seafood, dairy products, and eggs. The best source, also called High Quality Protein, comes from red meat like beef, though it produces more excess waste in the body than other sources. Your renal dietitian might limit you from taking these.

• Potassium regulates nerve and muscle function. Since your heart is made mostly of muscle, this mineral plays a vital role in the regulation of heartbeat. Excess potassium in the body is removed by the kidneys. For people with malfunctioning kidneys, dialysis performs this job. But if you accumulate too much potassium in between treatments, it might cause heartbeat irregularities. Worse, your heart might suddenly stop if potassium is left uncontrolled. Almost all foods contain some potassium. Some foods that are very high include bananas, avocados, oranges, tomatoes, winter squash, dried fruits, milk and nuts. How often these foods can be eaten, and/or their portion size may need to be limited.

• Calcium and Phosphorus work together in the body. They are balanced to keep your bones strong and healthy. There’s an imbalance of these minerals in kidney failure but it can be restored with medications and a moderate level of phosphorus in your diet. Since calcium and phosphorus are found in many of the same foods, it is difficult to get enough calcium without getting too much phosphorus. Almost all foods have some phosphorus, but the highest levels are found in dairy products (milk, yogurt, cheese), eggs, meats, dried beans and nuts. You may be asked to take a calcium supplement and a phosphorus “binder”. It is advisable to ask your doctor about it.

• Sodium helps regulate the fluid balance in your body. High-sodium foods may upset this balance in kidney disease. Some foods that have the highest amounts of sodium are cured, processed, and smoked meats and cheeses (ham, bacon, sausage, cold cuts, cheese and snack foods like potato chips, pretzels, corn chips, salted nuts and pickles). Some foods that do not taste salty have a lot of sodium. Examples are soups, ketchup, mustard, relishes, some seasonings, steak sauces, meat tenderizers, canned or packaged foods and restaurant foods, When you prepare foods from scratch, you can control the amount of sodium used, like salt, for instance. Also, avoid using salt substitutes because they’re most likely to be high in potassium, and it’s more harmful to you than sodium.

These are meant to serve as a guide and a patient is still advised to consult with his/her doctor and renal dietitian for individual meal plans. Eating wisely and sensible food choices are vital for a kidney failre patient to stay healthy while undergoing dialysis treatment.

Related Posts

1. Laboratory Tests and Blood Levels for Dialysis Patients
2. Hypertension and Kidney Failure
3. Diet and Nutrition For Dialysis Patients

Diet and nutrition are two important things a dialysis patient must consider. Food gives you energy and helps your body repair itself Your blood picks up nutrients from your food and carries them to all your body cells. These cells take nutrients from your blood and put waste products back into the bloodstream.

Good nutrition is the key to good health for everyone. It is especailly important for people with kidney disease. Even with the help of artificial kidney (dialysis), you cannot get rid of all the wastes and fluids that build up in your body from what you eat and drink. When your kidneys were healthy, they worked around the clock to remove wastes from your blood. Now that your kidneys have stopped working, Dialysis removes wastes from your blood, but between sessions, wastes can build up and make you sick. You can reduce the amount of wastes by watching waht you eat and drink.

If you’re currently undergoing dialysis treatment and is concerned about diet and nutrition, I strongly recommend consulting with your Nephrologist and Renal Dietitian. A Nephrologist is a doctor that especiallizes on kidney diseases and a Renal Dietitian is a dietitian with special training in care for kidney health. They are the people that could help you with your diet concerns and it is imperative that you consult with them first before implementing a meal plan.

This is for the simple reason that every patient has a unique dietary need that should be considered first before proposing an appropriate meal plan. It would also depend on your kidney’s remaining functions. A patient in the earlier stages of kidney failure would have a more restricted diet compared to those who are on the latter stages. This is because they’re already going through dialysis and the machines helps in eliminating excess waste. In my case, I was given a 50-gram protein/ day diet plan. Protein, being an essential mineral that your body needs and produces the most waste as well, will be your doctor’s primary consideration. Along with other minerals like potassium, phosphorus, and calcium, this is where your diet would revolve.

With sensible food choices and smart eating habits, dialysis patients are more likely to stay healthy throughout their treatment. It also minimizes the need for hospitalization, if not totally eliminate it. Together with exercise, a patient has the means to keep kidney failure at bay. One only needs sensibility, discipline, and the determination to abide by the laws that govern their wellness.

Related Posts

1. Fish be with You
2. Laboratory Tests and Blood Levels for Dialysis Patients
3. Hypertension and Kidney Failure

The current news about Swine Flu Virus has been the subject of discussion on our dialysis clinic recently. Concern and unrest seems to be the general consensus, and for good reason, I might say. It’s because we dialysis patients are immunocompromised, meaning our immune system is down and it would be quite difficult for us to fight diseases compared to a normal individual. Coping with the rigors of treatment is hard enough already, and any viral outbreak like this would simply spell disaster for us.

Our weak immune system is the reason behind our continuous vigilance to health issues around us. It’s hard enough to cope with the rigors of dialysis already and an added ailment would seem too much to bear anymore. That’s why the news of Swine Flu outbreak, and any viral outbreak for that matter, would immediately warrant concern and unrest among us dialysis patients. And even though there’s still no reported case of swine flu outbreak here in the Philippines, it still wouldn’t hurt to be prepared.

Here are some ways that I employ myself to minimize contamination from airborne diseases:

• Stay away from crowded places like malls, parks, market places, and the like, especially during rainy season where cold and flu are rampant.
• If there’s nothing important for you to do outside, just try to remain at home.
• Stay away or avoid direct contact with a family member or relative that has a cold, fever, or flu.
• Don’t forget to take the medicines prescribed by your doctor, especially those that helps boost the immune system.
• Be sensible with your food choices. Eating right helps your body build resistance from diseases.
• Wash your hands and maintain personal hygiene at all times.
• If you still work and travel a lot, it is advisable to wear a face mask for protection.

The things I’ve mentioned above are some of the ways that could help you get out of harm’s way if you’re a dialysis patient. Even though it might not be completely foolproof, there’s still no harm on trying to be safe, especially if you’re as susceptible as us.

An ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of care… and isn’t it proves right on the mark?

Stay safe and stay healthy!

Related Posts

1. Hypertension – Living with It, Dealing with It
2. Dialysis Update – Taking Steps on A(H1N1) Prevention
3. Food Considerations For Dialysis Patients

Dialysis patients have to maintain a certain ideal weight that is established by their clinic’s medical staff. This is called Dry Weight. The excess weight you accumulate in between dialysis sessions would be your Weight Gain and that’s what will be removed from you during treatment in order to attain your Goal or dry weight. Simply said, it’s your actual weight at the time of treatment minus (-) your dry weight equals (=) your Goal.

There are many ways to manage your weight while on dialysis. One is a strict discipline and sensible choices on diet and nutrition. Another is exercise to maintain your weight gains to more tolerable levels.

The National Kidney Foundation couldn’t have said it better:

Physical fitness is very important in today’s world. Everyone is enjoying the benefits of greater strength and feeling better. Exercise keeps your body strong and healthy.

With exercise, it becomes easier to get around, do your necessary tasks and still have some energy left over for other activities you enjoy.

In addition to increased energy, other benefits from exercise may include:

• improved muscle physical functioning
• better blood pressure control
• improved muscle strength
• lowered level of blood fats (cholesterol and triglycerides)
• better sleep
• better control of body weight.

But before going through any exercise regiments or programs, a dialysis patient must first consult his/her doctor in order to have a better understanding on these things to consider:

• type of exercise
• length of time you spend exercising
• how often you exercise
• how hard you work while exercising.

Exercise has many benefits, not just for patients, but also for anyone endeavoring to lead a healthy life. Seeking your doctor’s advice would be the first thing in order, and after acquiring his permission and guidelines, the rest would very much depend on your better judgment. Try to read books about the subject matter and I recommend visiting the National Kidney Foundation for further education.

Related Posts

1. Hypertension – Living with It, Dealing with It
2. Food Considerations For Dialysis Patients
3. Diet and Nutrition For Dialysis Patients

Summer is one of the seasons we dialysis patients dread. It’s because the intense heat that this season brings makes us want to drink more water to quench our thirst. This is not possible for us patients because we cannot get rid of the excess water we take due to our malfunctioning kidneys. If we weren’t able to discipline our fluid intake, this might lead to fluid overload or edema. Water would accumulate on parts of your body that has a space in it, such as your ankles, your hands and extremities. But these are only minor cases of edema. Worse, it could develop on your lungs, which is called Pulmonary Edema, or to your heart, which might lead to Congestive Heart Failure if goes unchecked.

Here are some ways for dialysis patients to help beat the heat this summer:

• Try to stay in the shade. Exposure to the sun only causes perspiration and the urge to drink water.
• If really thirsty and you’re considering your fluid intake, try sucking on an ice cube instead of drinking to alleviate your thirst.
• Again, try sucking on a lemon or lime in place of a glass of water to quench your thirst.
• Brush your teeth often. It doesn’t only cleans your teeth, but also freshens your mouth and eliminates the urge to drink.
• If you really have to drink, try taking it in sips rather than gulping the whole glass down.

These things might be a tall order for some, but for us dialysis patients, it’s something we need to abide as often as we can just to avoid fluid overload. I also may sound a bt exaggerated, but once you experienced muscle cramps at the end of a dialysis session due to excess fluid intake, you’ll know what I mean.

Related Posts

1. El Niño – Maximum Tolerance for Dialysis Patients
2. Hypertension and Kidney Failure
3. Food Considerations For Dialysis Patients