Coping with Kidney Disease: A 12-Step Treatment Program to Help You Avoid Dialysis

by Mackenzie Walser, Betsy Thorpe

A revolutionary program that can indefinitely postpone the need for dialysis

If you've been diagnosed with kidney failure, this book could save your life. If you suffer from diabetes, hypertension, obesity, or any of a host of conditions that put you at risk for kidney disease, you owe it to yourself to read what is in this book. If you are among the 60,000 North Americans who go on dialysis each year, the information in this book could substantially improve your quality of life.

In Coping with Kidney Disease, a leading expert tells you, in plain English, what you need to know
* Understand kidney failure
* Recognize early warning signs of kidney failure
* Get a proper diagnosis
* Talk with your doctors about it
* Confidently evaluate treatment options
* Take charge of your treatment
* Delay dialysis or even avoid the need for it altogether


The centerpiece of Coping with Kidney Disease is Dr. Walser's revolutionary 12-step program for avoiding dialysis. Based on treatments he has pioneered with his own patients at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, the program calls for a supplemented low-protein diet supported by treatments to control blood pressure and correct high cholesterol. So effective has this breakthrough strategy proven to be that in many patients it actually worked to slow or arrest the progression of kidney failure to the end stage.

Knowledge is power. Coping with Kidney Disease empowers you with what you need to take charge of kidney disease.

Genres: Health

240 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

Reviews

[Nine lives · Rating 1 out of 5]

Depressing.... Does the book have to emphasize the "road to dialysis"? Some positivity would be appreciated when someone is newly diagnosed. This was the first book I read after being diagnosed out of desperation and getting no guidance from the doctor. It scared the hell out of me! The last thing I needed. There's got to be better advice than to eat unhealthy foods such as Rice Krispy Treats, Equal, 7 Up and Cool Whip. If you have 'renal insufficiency' you'll have a hard time finding anything helpful if you actually have healthy eating habits. Those of us that live on West Coast don't necessarily eat the same diet at those from Midwest where many of the so called renal nutritionists live. My nutritionist (who does research at a major university) said to STAY AWAY from this advice and a particular website (that will remain nameless) which promotes this kind of eating! We're all better off health wise, by sticking with fresh organic produce, no artificial preservatives, sweeteners, fake cheese, fake margarine. Shop at Whole Foods and your farmer's market, not Safeway. A balanced approach which takes into consideration the real risks of acquiring diabetes (by consuming LOTS of sugar often advocated by these same dietitians) and the guidelines of the American Heart Association (which promotes low sodium but promotes the need for fiber and low fat proteins) is the reasonable approach, in my mind. Experimenting with spices, cuisines and foods makes a life with limited food options bearable and actually pleasurable (except when eating out :(. ) I wonder if the authors of such books eat as they preach. Of course you need to listen to your doctor's advice and it's best to work with an evolved, educated dietician who is actually healthy themselves (meaning they don't eat prepackaged meals, frozen foods, fast food restaurant fare - as some actually do unapologetically). This book, if nothing else, was a motivator to take my health and diet into my own hands. After reading this book, I was determined to find a better way to live with this condition and still enjoy food in a healthy way. I've done a lot of my own internet research and have consulted with a couple nutritionists to make sure I'm making appropriate choices and staying within the guidelines. It's still a "work in progress" but I'm up to the challenge. I know I'm far healthier eating the way I do now than I would following what I felt was the author's unsound advice.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I appreciated the way the information was presented. However, I can see that for someone not familiar with medical language, they would or could be a little lost. I have been dealing with kidney issues and terminology for about six years. If it had been watered down, I would have been completely disinterested and felt as if the author was unknowledgeable. Regarding the completeness of information, there was a lack of follow through as to how a chronic kidney disease patient would actually live out the diet and find the products required. Also, the title claimed to help you avoid dialysis, but all-in-all you will delay it. I still believe there is valuable information here and doctors should help those of us who have CKD, and years before we are chronic, with these techniques.

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Would someone please write a whole foods version of this book? Imagine putting "Coffee Rich" on your cereal. I'm sure the author means well, but there's got to be a tastier and real food oriented way to do a low protein diet.

[Monica Willyard Moen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read this book 3 times before writing a review about it. This book has a great deal of helpful information. Unfortunately, it is written with a lot of medical jargon and higher level language, making the book less accessible for elderly people who do not have a high level of education. My personal frustration with the book is that it talked about topics from a Birdseye perspective, describing things like sodium or potassium control, but it did not demonstrate what those things would look like with sample menus, recipes, or vignettes about people dealing with kidney disease. This book strongly advocates for a very low protein diet with amino acid or keto acid supplementation. Again, it does not give much detail about what this would look like over a period of days and weeks in a persons actual life. So while I have more technical information about kidney disease, I am still left at square one with very little idea of how to actually implement the ideas in the book. They suggest that people see a nutritionist, but I think that negates the purpose of reading a book about coping with kidney disease. There is also no acknowledgment of the fact that Medicaid does not provide dietitian or nutritional support for people with kidney disease until they are perceived to be at stage five, the place where dialysis becomes a reality. I think this is another case of doctors assuming they have communicated effectively while patients are rolling their eyes and shaking their heads in confusion.

[Sorento62 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was great for me in 2004 and 2005 prior to receiving a living donor kidney transplant from my generous aunt. With the help of a dietitian I followed a low protein diet after my kidney function was low enough to be on the transplant list. I found the Calwood amino acid supplements available at the time absolutely vile tasting, so I took Gambro Aminess N tablets instead.
I recall one chapter at the end of the book discusses some research on a correlation between kidney disease and some chemical or substance in the blood. That particular idea did not seem useful to my doctor, and frankly it did seem a little out there to me as well. I haven't heard of it's becoming mainstream since then.
Don't use this book thinking that it will keep you off dialysis forever. Use it aiming to keep yourself as healthy as possible until you do need dialysis or get a transplant. I do believe it can help to delay dialysis, and I do believe that's a good thing.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

In depth but accessible look at how to manage a disease my father has recently been diagnosed with.

[L.A. Jacob · Rating 1 out of 5]

Don't really need this...

[K.D. Bissonette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very educational and informative and helpful to anyone with kidney disease.

[Gillycat]

This book was published in 2004 and too much progress has been made since then for it to be relevant. Some things said/thought then are now the complete opposite e.g. using NSAIDS. There ARE much better more accurate books about this condition