I really obsess over my phosphorus, calcium, potassium numbers because even though I pretty much keep the same diet my phosphorus for example runs from 2.2 to 7.5 (only once that high) (I ususally manage to keep it normal ie 4.0 this month) my calcium is almost always high or at the high end although I eat essentially no calcium etc.
I think about diabetes stick kits, why cant they make one that will test these three things, wouldn’t it make out lives so simple if we could simply check each morning and know if we are too low or too high?? Doesn’t seem as if the technology would be that hard.
The only thing that I really worry about on a daily basis (less now, but certainly when I was in-centre), is potassium. We all know that one can kill us. Everything else is just an annoyance if it’s too high or too low - more a problem for the long term than an immediate one. So, I too have often thought it would be so great if there could be a potassium test similar to the ones diabetics use to test their blood sugar. It would certainly be reassuring, anyway.
Since starting short daily, all my numbers have been lower, except the ones that are better higher, but the only one I really had to start adding to my diet was phosphorus. Since starting nocturnal, both phosphorus and calcium are too low if I don’t add some to my dialysate. I currently add 7.45 grams of calcium to my acid jug, and a whole bottle of sodium phosphate “fleet” enema to my bicarbonate jug (118ml).
Pierre writes:
The only thing that I really worry about on a daily basis (less now, but certainly when I was in-centre), is potassium. We all know that one can kill us. Everything else is just an annoyance if it’s too high or too low - more a problem for the long term than an immediate one. So, I too have often thought it would be so great if there could be a potassium test similar to the ones diabetics use to test their blood sugar. It would certainly be reassuring, anyway.
I know a home patient who takes a weekly maintenance dose of kayexelate due to one time having a too high potassium. She mixes it in a drink that masks the taste. She’s been doing so for many years. One of my nephrologists told me that Kayexelate can cause perforations of the colin. But my home patient friend has never had a problem.
For people on daily nocturnal hemodialysis who usually have to relearn to eat normally after years of being restricted, nephrologists will sometimes prescribe kayexelate to use on the off days or if a treatment has to be missed, so they don’t have to worry about restricting their diet at those times.
I’ve never used kayexelate myself. I understand it’s not too pleasant, though.