Potassium and kidney disease

@rice A good question! Like you, I was following a good renal diet, including severely limiting my potassium intake. Potatoes, bananas and oranges completely gone. As my kidney disease progressed, my nephrologist was pleased to see those numbers stayed in the normal range, and that I did not require extra attention to that. Then those numbers went way low, and I have now been on potassium supplements! Potassium is an important mineral in heart health. We recently lowered my dose of potassium to 1 20meq tablet a day, and added back into my diet, banana, potatoes, oranges and melons and other regular foods, and hope to get/keep those levels at a normal level.

Here is an article from American Assn of Kidney Patients that you might find helpful" https://aakp.org/food-for-thought-managing-your-potassium-intake-how-much-is-too-much/
Ginger

This might be of some interest on this topic. I had a sudden increase in potassium which could not be explained. My diet had not changed at all. I was about to go on a very expensive medication that controls potassium when it was noticed that I was taking double the amount of Lisinipril, an ace inhibitor, than I had been prescribed. I don’t know how this happened. Suddenly I was receiving 20 mg tablets instead of 10 mg tablets and I didn’t notice. So many pills…

To my surprise my GP told me that Lisinopril was known for causing an increase in potassium. I went back to taking 10 mg of Lisinopril and my potassium immediately returned to an acceptable level.

So it might be wise to look at medications as well as diet if there is a problem with potassium levels.

How to deal with levels of elements in foods…no need to go too far with any particular dietary changes… people beyond stage 4 CKD do have more severe diets to preserve kidneys….as in most health issues, balance is key, as there are several special food issues with kidneys….and as we age, we may have multiple health issues we are trying to deal with…sometimes a specialist nutritionist can help. Keep reading here, as so many people are posting good tips.

In general people with CKD need to be aware of hydration, type/amount of protein consumed, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, oxalates, salt ….. and the effects on kidney function.
My nephrologist calls it “eating for the labs”. He regularly checks my labs and recommends adjustments as needed based on the lab results.

I have stage 3 CKD from norovirus 12/23; it is worsened by kappa proteins flooding my kidneys from smoldering multiple myeloma. My eGFR is 38 to 40, but my non-protein lab results are all within normal range. I manage my K, Ca, Na, and phosphorous, mostly by eating enough of them, but not too much. Eat an orange, but not the K concentration of a glass of orange juice. Smaller portions; I'll bake a potato and just eat a quarter of it. My creatinine levels are high partly from exercise; if you don't have energy for aerobic, you may be able to do resistance/weights (get a trainer if this is new to you).

@gingerw I eat just a little bit of banana, a few small bites…tangerines can be a possible occasional substitute for oranges…easy for me to eliminate potatoes….there are plenty of okay veggies and fruits…i do keep protein servings on the small side, around 3 ounces. still trying to adjust diet as I go. Hydrating is key !!

@nycmusic When my husband has a banana on his cereal, I will often grab a slice or two. It's just enough for the taste! Mandarin oranges are good, and on the "yes" list. Tangerines are on the good list. It's a challenge, and while it takes time to figure it all out, the effort is definitely worth it!

Almost every Tuesday morning, we meet with a small group for a "Tuesday morning breakfast club" at one person's house. Often, the food choice is not good for my diet plan. But to be social I have just a bit. It is a treat for me, and then it's back to the grind of what I should be eating. And it satisfies my craving.
Ginger

Nice to know that kasha and wild rice, in moderate amounts are safer for kidneys. Discovery time with foods.

I am no stranger to craving foods that I can't eat without getting sick, having had celiac disease for 16 years (wheat, rye, and/or barley are in almost everything). Also with people that have lost their sense of smell and taste, an absence that is helped by eating foods with textural variety, with good feels in mouth. So, a bite of banana, two fries rather than a mess of them, a clementine, a slice of avocado and other foods to limit, helps to fill that need. So much processed and restaurant food is high in sugar, sodium, and sometimes added phosphorus and other salts to limit. We have a friend that just started managed care; he has high serum sodium now (no kidney disease) that may be tied to his new Alzheimer's meds. He is thinking of stopping the meds. It is also likely that the food he is getting is high in sugar and salt; as one ages our sense of smell and taste tends to wane and easier to load on salt then to increase spices. Dehydration can also affect sodium levels.

One of my substitutes for potatoes is turnips. They are much lower in potassium than a red potato or russet. Using some olive oil, bake them in the oven, add some Italian seasoning or just plain, I find them delicious. They don't taste like a potato, they don't taste like a sweet potato - I find they are somewhere between the two. According to Davita, 1/2 cup contains 140 mg of potassium. They are low calorie - about 18 calories in a 1/2 cup. 3% of your phosphorus for the day. 15% of Vitamin C. A good source of Vitamin K and A. Numerous other health benefits. I'm making an attempt to grow some in the garden this year - I DO NOT have a green thumb. They are a member of the broccoli family.