Diet?

[teach34]

My GFR is 40% and my neph. thinks that changing my diet is not necessary. I am changing doctors because I need someone who is more proactive. I know that I am not as far along in my disease as many of you. Reading your posts is helping me prepare for what's ahead, so I want to thank you for your willingness to share your stories. My question is this . . . at what point do you think I should seriously change my diet? I'm willing to do it, but don't want to if it isn't really necessary right now. One more thing . . . I want to take a multi-vitamin, but can't find one that is free of the minerals kidney patients should stay away from. Do any of you take vitamins, and if so, what kind? Thanks for your help - stay well.

[I Am Blessed]

Maybe you'll hear from others than just me, but in my opinion, YES, you should be watching your diet. Not necessarily because you're bad off right now, but it only makes sense to do so. I don't even know now at what point I was ever 40% function (maybe somewhere between being on HBP medication and knowing that my dosage really wasn't working, but ignoring it anyway---not smart!) , but I'd give anything to have that back. Ignorance is not bliss! Why make the kidneys work harder eating the proteins such as in meat and milk, etc? Go light on these--don't cut them out because you need the nutrients in them. You don't want to trade troubles.

I haven't found the vitamins either without minerals. There used to be Essentials One-A-Day where there were no minerals in them, but somewhere along the line they don't exist anymore--or I can't find them. My nephrologist told me to count on the good foods I'm consuming to take care of vitamin intake. Think about it this way...If you're body is receiving too many supplemental nutrients, the kidneys will just have to work harder to get rid of them. You don't want that either. Eat good foods.

[bikerchick]

I have to go with Blessed here - unless you NEED the vitamins, go with fresh fruits and veggies and you should get all your vitamins from them. I don't take a multi-vitamin anymore and simply stick with the fruits and veggies that are recommended by my nephrologist.

The only other vitamins I take are Fish Oil, CoEnzyme Q10 and two iron pills. Since I am pre-dialysis, I try to cut out as much "hard minerals" that Blessed mentioned - they are hard on the kidneys.

I'm down to 9% GFR and still eat fresh veggies and fruits all day long. Motts sliced apples, fresh core pineapple, tangerines (that's just lunch) and for dinner I go with the No Salt steamer bags. Sometimes, I will get some good fresh produce such as cabbage, zuccs and carrots (nothing liked baked honey-glazed carrots in the oven).

The diet is most important in keeping yourself healthy. Eat fresh and you'll delay dialysis for a long time. Good luck.

[teach34]

Thanks to both of you. I won't stress about the vitamins anymore and will definitely begin watching what I eat.

[Marina]

It's true that pre-dialysis diet is a low protein diet, but we MUST eat some protein to help and build/maintain muscles and repair damaged cells.

[jeffmoore]

Originally Posted by teach34

My GFR is 40% and my neph. thinks that changing my diet is not necessary. I am changing doctors because I need someone who is more proactive. I know that I am not as far along in my disease as many of you. Reading your posts is helping me prepare for what's ahead, so I want to thank you for your willingness to share your stories. My question is this . . . at what point do you think I should seriously change my diet? I'm willing to do it, but don't want to if it isn't really necessary right now. One more thing . . . I want to take a multi-vitamin, but can't find one that is free of the minerals kidney patients should stay away from. Do any of you take vitamins, and if so, what kind? Thanks for your help - stay well.

Hi Teach34, I have been living on dialysis for almost two decades now, in the beginning I was prescribed neprocaps, but in the last two years I have been switched to Nature's Blend called Full Spectrum B with vitamin C - this is purchased over the counter, but when I was taking neprocaps, it had to be a prescription, Full Spectrum is compared to Nepro-Vite.
Glo

[JeffDS]

Replo-vite C and C complex was reccommended by my Neph'lgist

As for protein, if you still want to eat meat you can get all the protein you will need daily from a piece of meat (poultry, beef, pork, lamb, chicken or fish all count) the size of a normal deck of cards.

Any beans, peas, nuts or whole grains will also add to your protein intake.