How to stay safe in the winter when you're living with kidney disease

Over the last several days, much of the country has been digging out from a major snowstorm that hit last week.  But although this storm may be over, there is still plenty of winter weather ahead of us. As is the case with extreme heat, extreme cold and winter storms can be hazardous for people living with kidney disease. Here are some easy steps you can take to ensure you stay healthy during a winter storm and frigid weather:

Figure out how you will receive your dialysis treatments. If you receive dialysis in a center and a storm is on the horizon, contact the center and arrange to have dialysis before the storm arrives. If you are on home dialysis, contact your health care team to find out how you should receive your treatments before and/or during the storm.

Eat the right food. If you are on dialysis, it's important to eat kidney-friendly foods before a storm hits to help control the build-up of potassium, phosphorus, urea and fluid, in case you are unable to receive your treatments during the storm. Be sure to choose warm, low-sodium meals and watch for hidden salt in canned or packaged foods. Maintain adequate protein intake as recommended by your health care team.

Plan ahead. Plan how you will keep food and medicines cold if the power goes out, whether that be with a cooler, using a generator, or through other means. In addition, stock up on road salt and arrange to have someone help you salt and shovel your walkway and driveway so you can get to any appointments you may have. If you live in an apartment building, let your building management team know that you will need to leave for appointments.

Make a prep kit. Choose a safe, easy-to-access place in your home to keep all your disaster prep supplies and materials. This way, if something happens, you will know exactly where to go to find everything you need. Your prep kit should include:

• A list of your medicines, doses and when they should be taken, and which medicines need to be refrigerated
• The name and phone number of your pharmacy
• A list of the names and contact information of all the members of your health care team (doctors, nurses, dietitians, etc.)
• If you are on dialysis, a list of phone numbers of nearby dialysis centers
• An emergency first aid kit with essential items such as adhesive bandages, antibiotic cream and a five-to-seven-day supply of all your medicines. If you have diabetes, you should also keep a glucose meter and test strips. A more complete list of what to include in the first aid kit can be found in this Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) guide.
• A three-day supply of kidney-friendly foods. More information on the foods you should include can be found here.
• A list of the vaccines you've gotten and when you received them (specifically, COVID-19 and boosters, yearly flu shots and other vaccines recommended by your health care team, such as pneumococcal pneumonia). Make sure to ask your health care team what vaccines you should receive based on the state of your kidney disease or transplant status. 

Important: A couple of times a year, check to make sure everything in your prep kit is up to date and nothing has expired or changed.

Be in the know. Find out how your community notifies residents of coming storms, then be sure to opt in or monitor the necessary outlets. In addition, learn how public transportation systems in your area operate in icy or snowy weather. 

Watch out for signs of illness. Cold weather can raise blood pressure by constricting blood vessels to keep the body warm. Keep an eye out for signs of illness, including swelling, sudden weight gain, shortness of breath and dizziness. In addition, call your health care provider right away if you develop fever or chills, cough or shortness of breath, burning with urination or changes in your urine and/or unusual fatigue or body aches.

Be your own advocate. Keep a patient ID card with you. If you don't have one, ask the staff at your dialysis center or your health care team to get one for you and help you fill it out. If you are on dialysis, consider wearing a medical alert bracelet, as this will let emergency response personnel know that you are a person who receives dialysis.

Identify an emergency contact person. This can be a family member, friend, neighbor, or anyone you trust. This person should know how to contact you if you need to be reached.

Contact your utility companies. Some gas, water and electric companies keep lists of people in their communities who need their utilities for survival, such as people on dialysis. These individuals are given priority to have their utility service restored as quickly as possible in the event of an outage. If you are on dialysis, contact your utility companies to find out if they offer this and ask to be put on a priority restoration list.

For more information on preparing for disasters and adverse weather events while living with kidney disease, visit the Kidney Community Emergency Response Coalition website or download the CMS guide 'Preparing for Emergencies: A Guide for People on Dialysis.'