End Stage Renal Diet

End Stage Renal Diet 

What do I need to know about fluids? 

You already know you need to watch how much you drink. Any food that is liquid at room temperature also contains water. These foods include soup, jelly, and ice cream. Fluid can build up between dialysis sessions, causing swelling and weight gain. The extra fluid affects your blood pressure and can make your heart work harder. You could have serious heart trouble from overloading your system with fluid. 

Control Your thirst 

The best way to reduce fluid intake is to reduce thirst caused by the salt you eat. Avoid salty foods like crisps, bottled sauces, instant noodles and salted meat and fish. Choose low-sodium products. 

You can keep your fluids down by drinking from smaller cups or glasses. Freeze juice in an ice cube tray and eat it like a ice lolly. (Remember to count the ice lolly in your fluid allowance!) The dietitian will be able to give you other tips for managing your thirst. 

Your dry weight is your weight after a dialysis session when all of the extra fluid in your body has been removed. If you let too much fluid build up between sessions, it is harder to get down to your proper dry weight. Your dry weight may change over a period of 3 to 6 weeks. Talk with your doctor regularly about what your dry weight should be. 

My dry weight should be _____________. 

Many foods contain water. 

Talk With a Dietitian 

Even though you are on haemodialysis, your kidneys may still be able to remove some fluid. Or your kidneys may not remove any fluid at all. That is why every patient has a different daily allowance for fluid. Talk with your dietitian about how much fluid you can have each day. 

I can have _____ ml of fluid each day. 

Plan 1 day of fluid servings: 

I can have _____ ml(s) of ______________ with breakfast. 

I can have _____ ml(s) of ______________ in the morning. 

I can have _____ ml(s) of ______________ with lunch. 

I can have _____ ml(s) of ______________ in the afternoon. 

I can have _____ ml(s) of ______________ with supper. 

I can have _____ ml(s) of ______________ in the evening. 

TOTAL _______ mls (should equal the allowance written above) 

Talk With a Dietitian 

Make a food plan that reduces the potassium in your diet. Start by noting the high-potassium foods (below) that you now eat. A dietitian can help you add other foods to the list. 

Others:______________________________________