Prevent your kidneys from getting even worse
Medicines ensure that your kidneys do not get even worse. But some drugs actually do more damage. Doctors, of course, do not prescribe these. But there is also such a thing as free sale. Which medicines should you avoid?
Doctors will not prescribe certain drugs if you are a kidney patient, because some drugs can be harmful to your kidneys. But then they must know. So always tell all doctors you visit that you are a kidney patient, including your dentist. In addition, do not forget to inform the pharmacy.
NSAIDs
The pharmacy normally monitors your medication and checks whether certain medicines do not interact and whether you can use them in case of kidney damage. What he or she has no idea about are the medicines that you buy at a supermarket or drugstore without a prescription. The so-called NSAIDs in particular can be dangerous for people with impaired kidney function. Examples include ibuprofen, naproxen, and diclofenac. NSAIDs can cause chronic kidney damage with long-term use. Furthermore, it is important to be careful with these agents in case of stomach flu and/or severe diarrhoea. If the body dries out, NSAIDs can lead to acute kidney damage. Note that creams are not always harmless. Certainly muscle and joint creams can contain NSAIDs. The body then absorbs the drug through the skin. These creams can therefore be just as harmful as tablets or capsules.
If you already have kidney damage, always consult your pharmacy whether the standard dose of such NSAIDs is suitable for you. In any case, paracetamol is preferable when you need a painkiller. You can take up to six tablets (three grams) of this per day. If you need more tablets every day, you should consult your doctor.
Other medicines
In addition to the above-mentioned NSAIDs, there are also other substances that can be harmful to the kidneys and that it is better not to use a kidney patient. Think of some antibiotics, medicines against the herpes virus (for example for shingles or cold sores), water tablets, medicines for high blood pressure, medicines for diabetes or gout and certain chemotherapy. Now most of these medicines are prescription medicines, so the doctor and pharmacist will check whether you can have that particular medicine. This does not apply to cold sore medicines; they are also available at supermarkets and drugstores. Therefore, before you buy something like this, talk to your doctor about whether you can use that specific medicine. Better yet: buy it in the pharmacy and ask the assistant or pharmacist to check in the system at checkout whether you can have that drug.
Medicines that contain salt
Some medicines, but also nutritional supplements, contain a lot of salt. Think of certain types of effervescent tablets and the potassium reducer sodium polystyrene sulphonate. Then ask your pharmacist for an alternative. Unfortunately, a replacement for the latter is not always available. If your blood acidity is disturbed (acidosis), you will have to use sodium bicarbonate.
Sometimes you can use a medicine, but only in an adjusted dose. If your doctor prescribes a higher dose than is appropriate for your kidney function, the pharmacist will consult with your GP. In order to keep a close eye on this, it is therefore important that the pharmacist is aware of your most recently measured kidney function. It is therefore sensible to give permission for the exchange of renal function values. This can be done at the pharmacist or via Igrowth.nl.
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