Relationship Between Renal Failure and Constipation

In some cases, renal failure causes constipation which is a bothersome medical condition. In order to solve this problem, some renal failure patients take laxative and this can help to alleviate constipation to some extend, but can not remove it radically. What is worse, long term usage of laxative will cause drug resistance. So how does renal failure cause constipation and is there any alternative way for dealing with constipation?
How does renal failure cause constipation?
1. In some cases, constipation can be a result of long-term restriction of water intake. Because of severe edema (swelling), some patients are not allowed to drink too much water. Long-term restriction of water intake will cause constipation easily.
2. Many renal failure patients need to limit potassium intake and phosphorous intake, so they need to keep be far away from many vegetables and fruits like banana, oranges, potatoes, tomatoes and cucumber and so on. These foods are also rich in fibre, so while they limit potassium intake and phosphorous intake, fibre is also limited at the same time. Being lack of fibre also contributes to constipation.
3. Peritoneal dialysis should especially be blamed for constipation happening in renal failure patients.
How to deal with constipation caused by renal failure?
1. Try to eat more high fibre foods, especially vegetables and fruits because fibre stimulates bowel activity, increase stool bulk and decrease intestinal transit time. So high fibre die is generally encouraged.
2. Drink more water
3.Do more physical exercise which is also very helpful for patients to have a bowel movement.
4. Treat renal failure as a whole. As renal failure is the root cause of occurrence of constipation. Therefore, when renal failure is brought under control or when kidney function is increased greatly, patients need not to limit fluids intake so strictly or do peritoneal dialysis so frequently. Consequently, constipation symptom is alleviated naturally.