| Liver Transplant |
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 | Sodium is an important nutrient in your diet. The body requires sodium to maintain proper water balance. We do need sodium to stay alive; however, most Americans eat way too much sodium. Salt is made up of sodium and chloride. It is the main source of sodium in the diet. Excess sodium in your diet can cause your body to retain excess fluid.
Ascites is the build-up of excess fluid in the abdominal area. This can happen when someone with a sick liver eats too much salt and/or drinks too much fluid. There are only two ways to remove ascites from the body. Your diuretic (Lasix, Spironalactone) doses can be adjusted, or the fluid may be drained by a catheter placed in the abdomen. The second option requires a three day outpatient procedure or admission to the hospital.
To help your body stay as healthy as possible, you are being placed on a sodium-restricted diet. We will ask you to consume no more than 2000 mg (2 g) of sodium a day. There are also a few other things you will need to do. First, make sure you have a good quality scale in your home. Second, purchase a notebook in which to record important information. Each morning when you wake up, go to the bathroom. When you are finished, weigh yourself without your clothes on. Record this weight in your notebook each day, along with the amount of sodium you eat and the date.
Call your liver doctor nurse if:
- Weight gain is 2 lbs in one (1) day
- Weight gain is 3 lbs in two (2) days
- Weight gain is 5 lbs in one (1) week
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Information about reading labels |
| Sodium Free |
Only a trivial amount of sodium per serving |
| Very Low Sodium |
35 mg or less per serving |
| Low Sodium |
140 mg or less per serving |
| Reduced Sodium |
Foods with the sodium content reduced by 25% |
| Light or Lite |
Foods with the sodium content reduced by at least 50% | |
- Rule of thumb: If salt is listed as one of the first five ingredients, the item is too high in sodium.
- It may be helpful to take a trip to the grocery store and plan on not buying anything. Spend a couple of hours looking at labels and comparing brands. Take a notebook to write down items and brands that are low in sodium.
Can I use a salt substitute?
Many salt substitutes contain some form of potassium. You will be restricted from using salt substitutes that contain potassium.
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