Keeping track of my fluids

Here are a few simple tips to help you keep track of your fluids.

• Weigh yourself

Weigh yourself once a day in the morning before dialysis. Make sure that you weigh yourself at the same time each day and wear the same type of clothes (e.g. pyjamas, pants and shirt).

You should aim to gain no more than ½-1 kilogram each day between dialysis sessions. This will add up to 1-2 kilograms between each dialysis session (up to 3 kilograms when you have a longer break).

• Spread your fluid allowance across the day, don’t drink it all at once!

• Keep a face wash in the fridge or freezer – use it on your face/body to keep you cool

• Use a labelled drink bottle

Use the steps below to help you track how much fluid you drink each day:

1. Get yourself a drink bottle.

2. Fill up the drink bottle with the amount of fluid you have been told to drink each day.

3. Mark a line on the bottle to show the water level. This is how much fluid you can have each day.

4. Pour the measured water out and start with an empty container.

5. Each time you consume something that counts as a fluid pour an equal amount of water into the bottle.

6. Stop drinking when the water gets to the marked line.

7. Repeat steps 4 and 5 every day.

• Use a fluid diary - You can find an example of a fluid diary on this app. Click on the dashboard and then on Resource Bank.