Chronic kidney failure, or chronic kidney disease (CKD), affects approximately 23 million adult Americans, according to the National Institutes of Health. Initially, treatment for CKD focuses on slowing kidney damage by addressing the underlying cause of the damage, which may include conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, infection or even kidney or bladder cancer. Eventually, however, continuing kidney damage will require the patient to undergo dialysis treatment or kidney transplantation.
Nutrition and CKD
Making sure you get the right nutrition is important if you have CKD. Dialysis patients have several considerations when it comes to diet, and it is important to work closely with your doctor and registered dietitian to make sure your nutritional needs are met. The National Kidney Foundation recommends that dialysis patients keep to a high-protein, low-salt, low-phosphorous diet and limit the intake of high potassium foods like oranges, bananas, tomato sauce and dairy products.
Changes in Diet After Kidney Transplantation
Maintaining proper nutrition following kidney transplantation is critical for good health. If you were on dialysis prior to your kidney transplant, you may find your diet now is less restricted. For example, after your transplant you may no longer need to limit your intake of phosphorous or potassium. However, the anti-rejection medications that you may be taking after your transplantation could have certain side effects that impact your diet.
Weight Gain After Kidney Transplantation
Many people gain weight after kidney transplantation, because of an increase in appetite and also because of medication side effects. On average, people gain about 20 pounds following kidney transplantation, according to the American Association of Kidney Patients. For this reason, transplant patients should be careful to avoid fatty foods and establish an exercise and activity plan to control against unwanted weight gain. Too much weight gain can lead to other health problems, including heart disease and high blood pressure.
Medications that May Affect Diet
The National Kidney Foundation lists common anti-rejection medications that may affect your diet. These medications include: steroids (prednisone), cyclosporine (Sandimmune, Neoral, Gengraf) tacrolimus (Prograf), azathioprine (Imuran) and mycophenolate (CellCept). Possible side effects of these medications may include increases in your levels of cholesterol, triglycerides and blood sugar. You may also experience increased blood pressure and changes in your potassium, magnesium and phosphorus levels. Be sure to talk to your doctor about your medications and the implications of possible side effects.
Other Considerations
As your body adjusts to your kidney transplant, your doctor and dietitian may need to adjust your diet accordingly. For example, right after transplantation, your protein needs may be high so you may need to incorporate high-protein foods into your diet for awhile. Your calcium needs may also be high, so your doctor may want you to take a supplement. Remember to follow the recommendations of your doctor and dietitian carefully and ask for their help in guiding you through these adjustments to ensure your optimal health.
