Hydration is an important part of a healthy lifestyle, so it can be very confusing when all of a sudden things take a turn and your doctors are telling you the opposite. Fluid restrictions can be very difficult not only to process but to follow through with. If you have been given the advice to restrict fluids, you may need more information to help you understand and follow through with this advice.

Here are some simple guidelines for fluid restrictions with chronic kidney disease:

Understanding

To truly be able to follow through with important medical advice that may seem trivial at first glance, you need a good understanding of why your doctor is restricting fluids in the first place.

Fluid restrictions are typically only assigned to people who are entering the later stages of chronic kidney disease, meaning that these restrictions are necessary to help slow the progression to end-stage renal disease and eventual dialysis or transplant.

Listening

Information is always your strongest tool. You can learn a lot about your diagnosis and fluid restrictions from your doctor. Often, people try to listen to their doctors but don’t truly grasp what is being said. You have to truly actively listen, and do not be afraid to ask as many questions as you need to so that you are really understanding all of the instructions and reasoning behind your treatment.

Compliance

It is too easy to think to yourself, “Oh, I’m really thirsty so I’ll just have some extra fluids this one time”, but then once becomes twice, and so on and so forth. Take your instructions seriously, and follow through to the best of your ability 100% of the time. Chronic kidney disease is not one of those conditions that can be fixed by just taking some medicine. It is highly dependent on your compliance. Your health and well-being are ultimately up to you, so take it seriously.

Attentiveness

Fluid restrictions will often require you to be more attentive than usual. This is because there can be fluids in many of the foods you eat. Eating a serving of fruit, for example, can be the equivalent to drinking a fair amount of fluids. Soups and sauces, and many other foods as well, can all add up, so you have to pay attention to your diet more than ever.

Follow Through

Fluid restrictions can be difficult at first, but the more you pay attention and keep up with it, the easier it will become. It is important for you to follow through. Remember that this is all to help you live more comfortably and to help slow your progression to end-stage renal disease, so keep up the good work.

Fluid restrictions have the potential to be a bit more difficult than you may think. There are fluids in most foods you eat, not to mention that thirst could seriously hinder your ability to follow through properly. In the end, however, following your doctor’s orders will not only keep you healthier longer but follow through will also help you to live a more comfortable life. Talk with your healthcare providers if you have more questions about fluid restrictions for chronic kidney disease.