Diarrhea, Constipation and Phosphorus Binders (Dialysis)

 Diarrhea, Constipation and Phosphorus Binders (Dialysis)

 

    The diarrhea issues continued over to my local outpatient dialysis clinic. This time though, there was no bedpan or bed to lie in. I don’t know how I managed but I held it in as best as I could and would go to the bathroom as soon as I was unhooked. I did have a few minor accidents in the beginning. My father had to come a few times and bring a change of underwear and pants. I’d pull the curtain around me and manage to change and put the soiled clothes into the bag that once held the clean clothes. With the diet I was on, there was a need to avoid phosphorus. But just like potassium, phosphorus is rarely labeled. In fact, almost never. I would eventually need to be placed on phosphorus binders. I would take these pills before some of my meals. I was instructed on which foods contain the most phosphorus and I would take them accordingly. One side effect though was constipation. So now instead of diarrhea, I was very constipated. I would also end up nearly depleting my phosphorus stores by restricting high phosphorus foods and taking the pills as directed. On several occasions, I would end up vomiting soon after taking the binder as my body knew it needed whatever phosphorus was still left inside it. I would even need to take a dose or two of phosphorus supplements during a hospital stay.