Phosphorous Binders & Dialysis

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When I was diagnosed with end stage renal failure I didn't want to hear anything about dialysis or ways to make my life with RF more manageable. As much as I hate to admit it, I was ready to give up and let whatever was in the stars for me silently unfold. As you can see ... I am still here and have learned to cope with dialysis but it still takes a chunk of time every week to get dialyzed. Every person handles dialysis (on a physical level) differently and there are more than a few side effects you can experience from it. For me it was extremely itchy skin. It was to the point that I would stop scratching one area and start up with a different part of my body. I am a double below the knee amputee so the phantom pains and phantom sensations were stronger, lasted longer and made wearing prosthetic devices a true challenge. I told my dialysis nurse about it and she got me a prescription for a phosphorous binder. I take one with every meal I eat but if I am going out to eat I will take two for a large meal or if I know we are hitting a buffet. It really makes a huge difference for my skin, dryness and itching. I can still eat high phosphorous foods but with my dose of PhosLo I can have more than a sliver of a serving. Even though tofu is (firm tofu) is high in phosphorous I can still eat it a few times a week thanks to PhosLo. Photo: Me