What to do for Kidney Failure: What to Expect ?
For people who are on dialysis or approaching total kidney failure, adequate nutrition is important for maintaining energy, strength, healthy sleep patterns, bone health, heart health, and good mental health. A persons treatment will dictate the type of diet that should be followed:
                
- People on hemodialysis must watch how much fluid they drink and avoid eating foods with too much sodium, potassium, and phosphorus.  - In contrast, people on peritoneal dialysisa type of dialysis that uses the lining of the abdomen, or belly, to filter the blood inside the bodymay be able to eat more potassium-rich foods because peritoneal dialysis removes potassium from the body more efficiently than hemodialysis.  - Both hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis can remove proteins from the body, so anyone on either form of dialysis should eat protein-rich foods such as meat, fish, and eggs.
                
All dialysis centers and transplant clinics have a renal dietitian who specializes in helping people with kidney failure. People who are on dialysis or have a kidney transplant should talk with their clinics renal dietitian to develop a meal plan that will enhance the effectiveness of their treatment.
                
For more information about nutrition for people with advanced CKD or who are on dialysis, see NIDDK health topics, Nutrition for Advanced Chronic Kidney Disease in Adults or Kidney Failure: Eat Right to Feel Right on Hemodialysis.