About this topic
Peritoneal dialysis is a treatment that does the work of your kidneys. You may hear it called PD. PD uses the lining of your stomach cavity as a filter. This type of dialysis works well but has its limits. It is important to watch what you eat when you are on dialysis. Your body works to keep many things in balance. Some of them are how much protein, water, and potassium you have in your system. You also have to balance how much calcium, phosphorus, and sodium you have in your body. You can help this balance by paying close attention to how much of each of these are in the foods you eat. ‚
General
Diet plays a big role in how your body responds to PD. You must also eat well to meet what your body needs. ‚
While getting PD, you need to be careful about your intake of: ‚
- Protein ¢ ˆ ’ It is the the building block of our body. You need this to repair your body and help prevent infections. You lose protein with each PD treatment. Eat more protein at each meal. Then you will be able to replace the protein that is lost through PD.
- Calories ¢ ˆ ’ You get energy from calories in the food you eat. You also get extra calories in the cleaning fluid each time you place it in your belly. This may cause you to gain weight. Talk to your dietitian about how many calories you need to keep your weight steady.
- Phosphorus ¢ ˆ ’ This is a mineral found in all foods. Your kidneys most often filter the phosphorus. If you have too much of it in your blood, PD may not be enough to clear it from your blood. You may need to take a phosphate binder with meals and snacks.
- Potassium ¢ ˆ ’ It is a mineral found in foods. It plays a major role in the work of your heart. PD will remove large amounts of potassium from your blood. The doctor will watch your potassium level closely. Too much or too little potassium is risky.
- Fluids ¢ ˆ ’ When you take in too much fluid, PD may not be enough to remove the excess fluids from your system. You may need to limit your fluids.
- Sodium ¢ ˆ ’ This is a mineral found in food and table salt. It is added to all foods that are not fresh, like canned and processed food. Too much sodium can make you keep extra fluids in your body.
It is easy to become confused. Read food labels with care. Look for how much of each of these is in a serving. This amount is given as a percent of the total amount you need each day. Reading the labels can help you make healthy food choices. ‚
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What will the results be?
Follow this diet to help you: ‚
- Help your PD work better to clean your body of harmful toxins.
- Get all the vitamins and minerals you need from the food you eat.
- Keep a healthy weight.
What changes to diet are needed?
Talk to your doctor or dietitian about your own diet plan. Ask your doctor about how much water you can drink. You may need to limit water to avoid swelling. Let your doctor know if you are a vegetarian. You may need extra help to get the right amount protein from this diet. ‚
Who should use this diet?
People who are on peritoneal dialysis should use this diet. ‚
What foods are good to eat?
Eat food rich in calories and protein. Limit potassium, sodium, and phosphorus. Talk to your PD dietitian about exact amounts of the following foods: ‚
- Meats and proteins like: Beef, fish, poultry, pork, eggs, and egg whites
- Breads and grains like: Cereals, white rice, pasta, and bread products
- Dairy products like: Yogurt, cheese, butter, margarine, heavy cream. Most people need to limit these dairy products to 1/2 cup a day.
- Fruits, fresh or frozen, like: Apples, berries, cherries, grapes, peaches, pears, pineapples, plums, watermelon, grapefruit, honeydew melon
- Vegetables, fresh or frozen, like: Broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, cucumber, eggplant, lettuce, bell peppers, radishes, zucchini, yellow squash, summer squash
Eat foods low in sodium. Check your food labels for low sodium products. On the label, the percent next to the sodium amount should be under 5%. This means it is a low sodium product. ‚
Talk to your doctor about your diet if you need to control your blood sugar or if you are on a heart healthy diet. ‚
What foods should be limited or avoided?
Stay away from food high in water, potassium, phosphorus, and sodium or salt. If potassium builds up in your blood, it may cause heart problems. Phosphorus, in large amount in your blood, can take away the calcium in your blood. This may weaken your bones. Salt or sodium can trap fluids in your body and cause high blood pressure. ‚
Limit or avoid these foods: ‚
- Breads and grains like: Whole wheat pasta and bread, brown rice
- Fruits, fresh, frozen, or canned, like: Oranges, kiwis, prunes, raisins, bananas, cantaloupe
- Vegetables, fresh, frozen, or canned, like: Potatoes, sweet potatoes, baked beans, lentils, tomatoes, winter squash, pumpkin, asparagus, avocados, beets, spinach, parsnips, brussel sprouts
- Spices and herbs like: Sodium, salt substitute, soy sauce, teriyaki sauce
- Other foods and drinks like: Canned foods, chips, restaurant foods, coffee, tea, dark soda, nuts (keep to 1/4 cup a day or less), deli meats, high sodium foods
What problems could happen?
- Fluid retention
- Weight gain
- High blood pressure
- Too much sugar in your blood
- Too much potassium in your blood
- Too much phosphorus in your blood
- Not enough protein in your blood
- Catheter problems
When do I need to call the doctor?
- Signs of infection. These include a fever of 100.4 ‚ °F (38 ‚ °C) or higher; chills; catheter insertion site will not heal; redness, pain, and yellowish, greenish, or bloody discharge from the catheter site.
- Signs that your catheter is not working the right way. The cleaning fluid may not be flowing into the catheter or it is not draining.
- Accidentally pulling on your catheter
- Cleaning solution looks cloudy or bloody
- Weight gain or swelling
- High blood pressure
Helpful tips
- Choose a water bottle with markings for volume to keep track of your fluid intake.
- Make a menu in advance to help you carefully choose what to include in your diet.
- Keep a record of the food you eat. This will help you count the calories you are taking in.
- Eat less salty foods to avoid thirst. Use herbs and spices to put flavor in your food.
- Eat fresh foods, not canned.
- Use nondairy creamers instead of milk to lower the amount of phosphorus in your diet.
- Eat 6 smaller meals, especially at the start of PD. You may feel fuller quickly when you first start PD.
- Talk to a dietitian.
Where can I learn more?
American Association of Kidney Patients ‚
http://www.aakp.org/education/resourcelibrary/dialysis-resources/item/understanding-the-peritoneal-dialysis-diet.html ‚
National Kidney Foundation ‚
http://www.kidney.org/atoz/content/nutripd.cfm ‚
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
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Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚