Dialysis - Avoid the Dangers of Dehydration

When you’re on dialysis, staying hydrated is kind of a tricky business. If you drink too much, you run the risk of a spike in blood pressure than can force your heart to pump harder. And that could leave you feeling out of breath.

But if you don’t drink enough, you run the risk of dehydration and a long list of health problems.

If you’re not sure how much water you should drink, ask your doctor or dietitian to help you figure out the right amount. Weighing yourself daily is one way you can measure your need for fluids (you’ll find more info about hydration for dialysis patients here).

Are you dehydrated? One of the easiest ways to tell is found in the color of your urine. In most cases, dark-yellow-colored urine is an indicator that you’re dehydrated and need more fluids.

Most people have probably been mildly dehydrated at some point, and felt a bit thirsty or tired. But the longer you’re dehydrated the more severe the symptoms can become. Dehydration can cause:

• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Sweating
• Fatigue
• Kidney damage
• Kidney stones
• Urinary tract infections

We hope now you understand the risks of dehydration for dialysis patients. It’s important to regulate the amount of fluids you get from drinks and food (fruits and vegetables contain water), when you’re on dialysis. It’s just as important to regulate your diet and limit the amount of sodium, potassium, and phosphorus you consume. But it doesn’t have to be complicated.

We’ve taken out the guesswork to eating healthy with Dialysis-Friendly meals made from fresh ingredients like Chicken Parmigiana, White Rice and Carrots, Spinach Mushroom Lasagna with Garlic Green Beans, Italian Style Chicken Breast (Caponata) with Orzo & Spinach, and many others. Our Dialysis-Friendly selection of meals includes 35 easy-to-prepare meals that only take a few minutes to cook in the microwave, taste great, and make clean-up simple.