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Robert Scoble
Robert Scoble
I will discuss why I can never have another Diet Coke here:
January 20, 2009 - Comment - Share
My dad has a degenerative kidney disease. They don't know what causes it. But he's slowed it down by changing his diet. Today I was diagnosed with the same disease. Turns out I can't eat red meat anymore and I can't have coke or Diet Coke in it either. I'm in early stages, according to doctor, but says changing diet might help, especially since it helped my dad. - Robert Scoble
what happened? - Akshay Dodeja
I think it makes him pee. - Mona Nomura
don't leave us in suspense! - Bryce Roney
Is that brb or brp? - Ed Shahzade /NextInstinct
Sweetener debacle? - Mo Kargas
Remember: not every bathroom comes with a built-in Tweetmachine. - David Feng
This is interesting. Please tell us! - Keith Neisler
I had to quit because it got hard to remember my name! - Reed Porter
That's an interesting thing to entice us with...now where's the finish? - Scoble, Alex Scoble
Cogent with a touch of brevity. - Bill Romanos
Doctor says my kidneys are working about half of what a normal person's is. He's already done tons of tests to make sure it's not some really bad disease. My dad's had this condition for decades. - Robert Scoble
Ow. Whoops. Sorry to hear that. (I think I should cut Coke my end too.) - David Feng
Saccharin makes you vanish? - Jose Castillo
I also should avoid all red meat and many dairy products including ice cream. Sigh. - Robert Scoble
"might" is the dr.'s word for who konws, so enjoy your life and don't worry unless they're definitive - Bob Sonin
A very big change in your eating habits. Good luck, Robert. I'm sure you can do it. - Yolanda
That doesnt sound good at all. Lets hope its not as bad as it sounds. - Akshay Dodeja
Robert - sorry to hear about your diagnosis. Please, take are of yourself. - Mona Nomura
Oh no. Ice cream. My fave during the Summer... (Beijing has this hidden ability to fry people alive come May already. 100F, anyone?) - David Feng
@Robert: I'm sorry to hear this. I hope you are able to find some substitutes for your diet. Switching off meat is possible (ask some vegans) but be sure to talk with a nutritionist to ensure your protein intake remains controlled (one of the biggest problems). Good luck with this. - Andrew Leyden
Anything with lots of protein, like beef, lamb, pork are to be avoided. Anything with phosphorus like nuts, beans, milk, cheese, ice cream, yogurt, and coke/pepsi are to be avoided. Sigh. - Robert Scoble
I knew a diabetic who was sometimes hit by an overwhelming feeling of being deprived...probably more than he would feel if he avoided certain foods by free choice. Does that happen with you? If so and I meet you in person I'll be sensitive to that. - Bruce Lewis
Ahh yeah, since he got diagnosed my doctors have been watching the protein in my urine. I've been on blood pressure medication for a while because of it, which seems to help a lot. Bummer that they didn't catch yours sooner, bro. - Scoble, Alex Scoble
At least you won't get Mad Cow Disease. In all seriousness though, I'm really sorry to hear about that, Scoble. - Dean Gebert
diet soda hasn't really ever made sense to me anyway, just drink something else if you can't have regular soda ya know? well do what you gotta do scoble, its not your life, its your family's - David
Sorry to hear it, my friend. All the best with adapting to this with change of diet. - John McCrea
DO NOT WANT! Yogurt! My absolute favorite! Oh my God I feel so bad and so sorry for you Robert. - David Feng
I'm sorry to hear that, Robert. - David Cook
Sorry to hear about it, Robert. Hopefully, the diet modification will help. - D. Lambert
Avoid ice-cream?! Meat? Please get a second opinion. - Mo Kargas
It sounds mostly harmless but good luck with it! - Andrew
That totally sucks, Robert! I don't think I could live without Coca Cola and meat and dairy products. - Chris Charabaruk
Sorry to hear Robert. At least it is manageable. Good thing is ... you only need about 1/4 of *one* kidney to survive. I should know, my daughter was born with only one kidney. LOTS of research! - AJ Kohn
Robert, it's great that they're catching this now, so you have time to make changes. Food changes will be hard, I'm sure, especially because of restaurant food. Take care of yourself. @LPH is doing a similar type of weaning from meat, soda, etc. but for cholesterol reasons. You can commiserate ;), but I don't suggest following his chili spaghetti - talk to Mom about recipes, not Layne lol - Lora Heiny
Mo: I already have a second opinion. My dad was told by his doctor to avoid the same things. By the way, it's not the artificial sweeteners in Diet Coke that are bad. I can't have regular Coke either. It's made with phosphoric acid which turns into phosphorous. Turns out that's bad for your kidney. Of course I've been drinking tons of Coke and Diet Coke for decades. - Robert Scoble
Best of luck Robert! - Chris Rossini
wow Robert. Sorry to hear about this. Hope you can work around the diet limitations and stay healthy. - Justin Korn
That just seems to leave beer and sushi. Could be worse ;) - Dennis Howlett
Dennis: and Scotch! :-) Oh, wait, that kills your liver. Can't win at this game anyway. Might as well have fun! :-) - Robert Scoble
Robert, sorry to hear this. If the diet has made a difference to your Dad, it made well help you too as these things can definitely be hereditary. - Sally Church
Sally: my dad is worse. He can't eat anything that has lots of potassium, like bananas. - Robert Scoble
Sorry to hear that, but glad to hear that there's something that can help. Also glad that there's every chance you can get a head start on keeping your kids healthier, too. Good luck. - Linda Mills
Yes, all carbonated stuff kills the kidneys. And red meat. Byproduct: you will lose weight. - Francine Hardaway
I'm addicted to Pepsi and/or Coke. Quit drinking it about 18 months ago and have to say there have been numerous health benefits. Still want a coke pretty much every day, but it's just not worth it. I know change sucks but you WILL feel better. Well, wait, I don't know the ramifications of your degenerative kidney disease so I should say I hope you feel better. Keep positive, remember you're loved, and tell yourself Diet Coke is "yucky!" - tracy
Glad this got caught early for you and that you can make a lifestyle change to help address it. Our lives are pretty fragile when you think about it, no? - Kevin C. Tofel
tracy: yeah, I hear you. It's going to be tough. But ice cream? Damn. In-N-Out? I love that stuff! Oh well. - Robert Scoble
I'm in the early stages of giving up Diet Coke (which I've been on now for a few years after giving up Coke). It's rough because I do miss the taste and I think plain water just sucks. I wonder how many computer folks really drink too much of this stuff? - Andrew Leyden
Kevin: exactly. My life changed one afternoon when a lady hit my car and my car overturned. Made me realize that every day could be our last. Party hard! :-) - Robert Scoble
Is it called FSGS? Mind sharing the diet with me? I know someone who has FSGS and it sounds like it might help! Thanks! (ann.finnie@hp.com) - Ann Finnie
Andrew: Diet Coke (or Pepsi) is a staple of a majority of geeks world wide. - Robert Scoble
Diet Coke me. - tony
Ann: they don't know what it is. My dad had lots of tests and they couldn't figure it out. - Robert Scoble
Did you ask your doc if a diuretic, like in blood pressure meds, would help? - Francine Hardaway
The bright side: in about 3 months, you'll probably be in the best shape of your life and you'll feel 10 years younger. You may as well go vegan and seek out vegan recipes/foods. - Paul Reynolds
Francine: since my dad was helped with diet changes, I bet that will help me too. My condition is pretty stable, this stuff happens over decades. Anyway, I have low blood pressure and always have. - Robert Scoble
hi scoble, sorry to hear about your diagnosis. Diet changes can definitely help esp. if it's early; will slow the degenerative process. Something to consider, you may find qigong beneficial in strengthening your system. Sending you good energy! - Antonia Teixeira
Pfft. I can beat that. You up for a game of degenerative disease top trumps Robert? Stay well in the meantime. - mattpovey
Sucks Robert, take care of yourself, but no red meat? What a life! - Mark Trapp
sorry to hear. best wishes managing your condition - mashable
Robert, this is a shock. How did they find out you had this? Were there any symptoms that clued them in or did they do a ton of tests? i'm a Mountain Dew junkie and eat lots of red meat......and i smoke. But I'm happy. Wish you luck man! - Ⓐ ☠ slayerboy ☠ Ⓐ
Mark, yeah, sucks. I like hamburgers. That's going to be tough to give up. Mashable: thanks. - Robert Scoble
slayerboy: I had higher than normal creatinine levels. My dad said to be on the lookout for that. Then they did a bunch of tests to make sure I didn't have some weird and deadly disease. - Robert Scoble
I HEAR YOU CAN POUR COKE INTO YOUR TOILET, IT MAKES A GREAT TOILET BOWL CLEANER! sorry caps. not shoutin... - Karin Hiebert
I've seen 2 great pointers for those wanting to eat healthier: if your grandmother wouldn't recognize it - don't eat it (strange but true) & do your shopping on the outer rim of the grocery store - fresh produce, bakery, fresh meats etc. Best of luck! - MicahBear78
The question I have is this: Is it better to live a long, healthy life and be miserable trying to be healthy or to live a short, unhealthy life but be the happiest person on earth? Yes, this sucks, but in the end it's all about what makes you happy. Doctors have been wrong before. Obviously if this is causing you pain, it's better to change to healthy stuff so you can live happier. Everyone needs to evaluate what makes them happy, each person is unique. - Ⓐ ☠ slayerboy ☠ Ⓐ
for people curious about food substitutes that Robert is talking about: http://www.kidney.org/atoz... - Lora Heiny
Robert, my prayers are with you. I know from personal experience that it is amazing what diet change can accomplish. We are indeed "...Fearfully and wonderfully made". Be encouraged. And Boca burgers are not bad at all. ;) btw- I wanted to add that I had to be on Macro for 5 years and a 14 day rotation diet before that. You CAN change your body chemistry and organs have been known to heal. In my own case, I came back from jaundice and very bad adrenals which put a hardship on my kidneys. - Melanie Reed
slayerboy: the problem with this disease is it doesn't kill you. It makes you go on dialysis when you're older. So, I have to decide whether I want to take steps to put that off. I do. - Robert Scoble
Really sorry, Robert. They don't know what causes FSGS either, but it scars the kidneys and reduces their function over time. - Ann Finnie
Robert - Soda is a small sacrifice. I don't drink it... quit completely about 15 years ago. Red meat... well that would be more troublesome for me. Take care of yourself. - Brian Roy
Lora: I love the Internet. One reason I talked about this is so you'd all slap my hands if you saw me breaking the rules at a conference. Damn, I love my morning coffee with milk, too. Grrr. I might be grumpy for a while. - Robert Scoble
a blessing in disguise. once you stabilize the change in diet you will never be or feel healthier. the pepsi and cokes of the world are poison. drink water instead of coke and eat sorbetto (sorbet) instead of ice cream...and fall in love with seafood while your at it. mark your weight when you switch up your diet and in a week you will see 3-5lbs shaved off without you doing anything else. - Carlos Ayala
Robert, sorry to hear about your condition here as well. I was diagnosed with GERD several years back, and diet cured it, but I know this isn't anything like GERD. If I can help in any way let me know - you're in my thoughts. Best wishes Robert. - Jesse Stay
So sorry to hear that Robert.A raw food diet could really help. Check out http://thesunnyrawkitchen.blogspot.com/ - Gemma Craven
i'm sorry to hear that. you could retain carbonated satisfaction with home-made soda flavored in various ways. there are a few flavors (my secret recipes, but you can have them if you like) i'd take over cola any time! best wishes. - idnan
Robert: lol definitely. You watch out for peanuts in food for me already - now, we watch out for milk products for you :) At least you can have non-dairy creamer -- oooh and popcorn ;) - Lora Heiny
Robert, I can empathise with you and your Dad since I nearly lost a kidney as a child. It still struggles sometimes and also gets sore so yeah, I have to drink lots of water, avoid fizzy drinks and artificial sweeteners etc. No bananas or salty foods is the hardest for me. - Sally Church
robert... positive vibes your direction. my aunt has Coeliac/Celiac disease (she can't eat wheat) and it was tough at first, but your eating habits will become normal to you eventually. Keep your chin up! - Chris Heath
Sorry to hear. Best of luck to you!! - Ted Louie
I'm so sorry to hear this, I don't know how serious that is, but I'm hoping it's something that can be corrected with the change. I'm sympathetic too. Giving up things "forever" is incredibly hard, even when necessary. Too bad there aren't patches or gum to wean you off the D.C. (I have the same addiction). I wish you the best in the new, healthy lifestyle you have ahead of you. - Sarah Perez
Sorry to hear that, but at least it sounds like you have time to deal with it. Your hand could get pretty sore from several thousand people slapping it! I think that might be incentive enough! Or tweet slaps, that might crash Twitter! - Chris Mayer
Scoble, I'm sorry to hear about this. Glad that you caught it early and glad that you don't seem to be to down about it. I like your attitude, many people would say F' it and just continue to eat how they were before. So well done. If you blog tweet all your meals for a while it may work as a good support system? I'd yell at you if you want me to when I see cokes or red meats.... :) best of luck my friend. - ryangraves
so sorry to hear about this. i hope the adjustment in diet helps and isn't too terribly difficult to get accustomed to. - mario anima
I'm sorry to hear about this Robert. Thanks goodness those are the only two things they took away from you. It still leaves you with many other options. Better to look at the glass half full. ; ) I hope your new diet helps. - Adriana
Bad news - sorry to hear about that. Early detection/treatment is so important. Be glad you caught it early. Hopefully diet keeps everything under control. - Bryan Duke
Ryan: hah, we all have a death sentence. It does no good to worry about this stuff. In fact, I am pretty sure that worrying makes it all worse. - Robert Scoble
Thank God u found out for starters. Second, there is so much progress these days who knows what info is just around the corner,Three, you have so much energy and will that u bring to life-that is huge. Finally, think about accupuncture as a support. I know that it has helped many people with very serious problems. More positive vibes! - frankiecarl
Awwww that sucks! :( - Brandy Lea
I understand Robert, it seems you've done your research on this. Sounds like a very hard decision to make. I don't think it will be all bad for you though, as Carlos says it may serve to improve your health in the long run. It may even serve to open up your food choices, and help you experience a wider range of foods. Wishing you all the best mate - Mo Kargas
Thanks for helping to cement my decision to eliminate soft drinks from my daily routine. It's been one month as of today. As others have mentioned, it will likely turn out to be a blessing in disguise with you ending up feeling healthier and dropping some weight if you eliminate all soft drinks. - maczter
Mo: I like all foods except for eggplant, so finding something to eat won't be a problem. It's just they took away some of my favorites. I will deal. A lot of people have a lot worse. At least I can still hang out with @garyvee! :-) - Robert Scoble
Just watch that liver Robert ;-) Enjoy what you can, though. - Jesse Stay
Jesse: if I hang out with you and Louis my liver will be fine. My kidney, on the other hand... :-) - Robert Scoble
Once again, FF needs a comment button at the bottom of the comments... I started the year off not eating anything from cow as part of a diet plan. Good luck. Be sure you replace the Iron intake. - Gus
You're being proactive, which is great. I'm reading up on your food list so next time we meet at a conference or wherever we can help keep the food straight. :-) - Loren Heiny
Ok, Robert, not the news you wanted I'm sure. But...at our time of life (well, you have a couple of years on me but we'll let that slide) re-evaluation is a great thing. Do what the doc says and you'll be fine. Just don't switch to bottled water because it's an easy - but ecologically damaging- alternative. You got lots to do yet (*cough* interview *cough*) and when you've digested the news I'm sure you'll be sharing your kidney-health tips with us all - as is you way. Best wishes. - WoH: Professor MOTHRA
strength to you, Robert. and welcome to Veggie-world (well, the outskirts, anyway<g>). - MikeAmundsen
Mike: I remember talking to you about your vegetarianism back in the 1990s. Wild, huh? - Robert Scoble
I've heard of this. What a blessing to discover it early in your life. Many folks have diabetes as well and don't realized it until it's too late. Thanks for sharing. - Todd Jordan
Robert I was diagnosed in 1995 with degenerative kidney disease (glomerular nephritis). My prayers are with you. Watching your protein intake is important. Did you have a renal biopsy done? @lawain - lawain
lawain: the doctor and I decided not to have a biopsy done because it isn't a weird fatal disease (they've already checked for that) and because it's hereditary and stable. All sticking needles in me would do is cause me pain so I decided against it. - Robert Scoble
Sorry about the news, Robert. I took myself off meat (except fish, like Ari) & I rarely drink coke (but oh is coffee my weakness). I was the biggest Carl's Jr Western Bacon Cheeseburger / IN N OUT / all things steak / bacon...BACON! guy. 5 years ago something snapped & I changed my eating lifestyle. I'm dragging this out just to say I can't explain it, but it wasn't as hard as I would have imagined. After a month I felt real good and I didn't miss it. Keep sharing - it's not called FriendFeed for nothing :) - Micah
Health can catch up on us. I was diagnosed with High Blood Pressure a few months back (my Mother also has hypertension) and then less than a week later suffered a stroke at 44. I'm recovering now, and learning to live with a changed diet also. So I have some idea of what it's like for you. Keeping a positive outlook really helps. Best wishes. - John Collis
@R: yep. life is like that. next time we meet, we can share a tasty non-dairy health drink (oxymoron?). - MikeAmundsen
Robert, check out http://www.rawfor30days.com. Amazing film about changing your diet and the effect it can have on your health. Good luck my friend. - John Seiferth
John: a stroke is what killed my mom. Not good at all. Glad to hear you're doing OK. - Robert Scoble
sounds like some alternative SXSW plans may be in order (or at least a lot of bbq chicken - you still can have Chicken?). Good luck with the diet changes - at least you have caught it early and have the positive example of your dad's slowing it down via diet to keep you motivated! - Shannon Clark
Shannon: damn, you reminded me of SXSW. Yeah, Chicken is OK. - Robert Scoble
I don't blame you on the needles...I had the renal biopsy and it was terrible. I had to lie on my back (no movement) for 24 hours...and the pain was not fun. Good luck Robert. Fish Oil supplements are a must. Keeping a good thought for you this night... - lawain
So sorry to hear about your dx, but I'm glad you got it and I'm glad you are acknowledging it. The act of change is hard, but will be worth it in the end. I wish you the best of luck. - Heather Solos
Robert, What a shock for you. Am sorry to hear this news. I cared for my Father, who had same disease along with diabetes.. Am not going into detail here. But if you or your dad need resources or anything at all. Please let me know. Will keep you both in positive thought. (Not sure if they mentioned to you about managing your salt intake and foods with certain perservatives.) Most people do well with disease if they take good care of themselves. Stay grounded, think positive and above all don't worry! - SashaKane
Just curious Robert, since it seems like you are always on the move do you pack snacks with you to keep you going or just hold out from meal to meal. I'm a snacker myself...weird question I know, but thought this was a somewhat relevant time to ask. - Tyler Brownfield
I'm glad this was caught while you can deal with it with diet changes. I've been working on diet changes myself (mostly getting rid of refined sugar and white flour and, well, as much "manufactured" food as I can). It's a lot more work for me, but the health benefits are well worth it. Take care! - Fish Are LIES
Scoble, sorry to hear about your diagnosis. But I'm glad you've caught it now. My boss read the book Eat to Live by Dr. Joel Fuhrman: http://tinyurl.com/8sh23u and was impacted by it so much, that he decided to cater salads and a health conscious kitchen for us every day at work. We don't consider enough that what you eat really affects your health. Check it out, hope it helps. - Marcus Kwan
Red Bull makes an awesome all natural cola. No phosphoric acid, no high fructose corn syrup, good stuff. Maybe you can drink that.. Disclosure: I work for Red Bull but honestly, the stuff is awesome and NO phosphoric acid. - Kevin Doohan
I cut out soda. It wasn't so hard to do. Plus, you can save money just asking for water when you eat out. - Morton Fox
I have a relative who is on a restricted diet because of a medical condition. Restrictions can be frustrating. Good luck. - Ontario Emperor from fftogo
ok, i don't eat meat, but still drink soft drinks occasionally. if Robert is giving them up, then i will, too. no more phosphoric acid for me! - MikeAmundsen
Nothing to say, but feel better, and soldier on! - James Ostheimer
Sorry to hear it, Robert. Best wishes, hope diet will help. Chinese medicine is a great remedy as well....just a suggestion. - Moushumi Kabir
Hey Robert, I guess they will come up with a cure very soon - so you may be having ice-cream sooner than you think! - Rahul Deodhar
Good luck with it Robert - cjmart
Robert, what is it about coke that aggravates your condition? The carbonation, the caffine, something else? Just curious as to why that in particular is an issue. - Lindsay
all the best robert ... sounds like action now is the smartest medicine. - Toby Forage
Good luck Robert. I was diagnosed with a heart condition a few years back, and had to give up chocolate and caffeine (although I still occasionally sneak a coffee in). It's very difficult to change diets at first, but you'll get there and I wish you the best. - Brandon Mendelson
Sending you good wishes for the future, Robert. These will be hard changes to make, but you may find yourself feeling better as a result. I hope you're doing okay. - Matt Cutts
Right, Ryo, because of the phosphorous and also the potassium...Means he also has to limit his intake of salt, broccoli and a bunch of other stuff. - Scoble, Alex Scoble
all soda? just the coke products? cola? dr pepper? 7up? Ginger ale? - rob friedman
Mostly the dark ones. But really he should limit himself to herbal teas and water for most of his fluid intake. - Scoble, Alex Scoble
What about seltzer/carbonated water? I was thinking of switching to that because of the texture of soda carbonation that water doesn't do much for me - Ⓐ ☠ slayerboy ☠ Ⓐ
Have the real stuff, I never liked diet coke - Michael McGimpsey from twhirl
He has to avoid the real stuff just as much as the fake stuff, Michael. - Scoble, Alex Scoble
Ryo, impossible.....you do know what was in ORIGINAL Coke, right? dDon't think that's legal in the US lol - Ⓐ ☠ slayerboy ☠ Ⓐ
Again, no, he can't drink coke at all, nor root beer, nor pepsi, nor anything with much salt in it or potassium, which a lot of stuff has...means coffee is right out as well. Imagine my dad, a guy who drank 2 pots of coffee for 30 years, having to give up coffee...well he did. - Scoble, Alex Scoble
Ryo--can you imagine how much Scoble will be on Twitter/FF etc, if he switches to Red Bull? - David Thomas
I'm sorry to hear that you found out you have kidney disease. Did your docs recommend a kidney biopsy to get a diagnosis, or are they just watching and waiting? You *can* eat/drink things with phosphorus if you eat enough calcium to bind it, but obviously it would be best to discuss that with your physicians. If things are still early on, the protein load isn't as crucial, it's actually more important to eat *enough* protein to replace any protein you're losing and to prevent catabolism. Good luck! - Victor Ganata
drink HONEST TEAS -- they are awesome - can get them at Whole Foods - Maneesh
Your diet changes will make you feel much better long term anyway. My daughter is diabetic and when she gets low I tell her because of her healthy eating and close monitoring she's more likely to live to a ripe old age than most others who eat trash. Good luck Robert and a long and healthy future to you. - Nicola Quinn
Man, sorry to hear the news. Diet coke is terrible for you, so you'll be doing yourself a world of good. Glad they found it early. B - Ben Metcalfe
Robert, I'm so sorry to hear about this illness. You may indeed be able to control its severity and you will improve your overall health by not drinking soda or eating red meat. I'm sure your doctors will tell you more, or a good nutritionist will. Even though it's hard, you now have an opportunity to eat and live in a more nourishing way. My best thoughts to you and your family. - Cathryn Hrudicka
So sorry to read that. Ganbatte, as they say in Japan, Robert! - Paul Papadimitriou
Robert, yoga is supposed to help significantly. I'll connect you to a yoga guru if you like. Are you sure its the diet coke and burgers and ice-cream? Sure it isn't the facebook and friendfeed and twitter? :) - Amit Pradhan
Robert, listen to your doctors. Renal failure is not a good thing and getting dialysis sucks. Learn to love fresh lemonade but best yet just simple water. Learn to love life in the process of this diagnosis. - Janet:#TeamMonique
I'm really sorry to hear that! The diet sounds like a big adjustment, but worth it if it helps to keep you well. - Kate
Well, that sucks. I've dealt with food allergies/things to avoid previously. You get used to it relatively quickly once you've made the effort to find out all the alternatives. But good luck staving off the dialysis and dysfunction. I'll consume a burger in your honor this weekend. - Kevin Leroux
I am really, deeply sorry to hear this Robert - I follow your posts and tweets with great interest and can't begin to imagine that such a big name could suffer. Famous people don't get ill!! My real sympathies. - Peter Curd
I am a Diet Coke addict and I thank you for reminding me that drinking it is not healthy nor is it good for our bodies. Changing your eating habits may be difficult at first, but it will soon be second nature. Take care of your kidneys! - Rachel Baker
Put yourself on your list of things to take care of. - Phil Boiarski
Robert - With all the flying and running around you do, it could be worse. You've got more energy than the Energizer bunny. - Charlie Anzman
Good luck Pal. Sorry to hear about his. You'll come out just fine though. You've got lots of people who love you and support you around you and you might find some brand new foods that you never even knew you loved. - Thomas Hawk
Sorry to hear. :( - Tyson Key
So are you allowed Pasta? What about Fish - Marcus Beagley
After I re-installed Windows Vista three times on my dekstop it was finally stable, enough to the point where I could use it. - Patrick from twhirl
Very sorry to hear that - any threat to kidneys or liver must be taken very seriously, but we can be thankful that there is so much we can do within our own control, through diet. Been having to tiptoe around my kidneys since I was a kid (but thankfully I can eat almost everything in moderation, but I had years salt-free and it could change again - salt free seriously complicated life!). There is plenty of great foods you can still eat, and do learn to like new things faster than we realise. - Iphigenie
Robert, very sorry to hear that. Changing a diet is difficult, but I am sure you can work through it. Good luck. - Rob Diana
Robert, I am so sorry. Giving up Diet Coke sounds to me even harder than giving up Big Macs. Take care of yourself, please! - Betsy Devine
I have been against diet drinks for a very long time. Good for you to do this! - Martha
I know Tofu and Textured Vegetable Protien are pretty decent in terms of what you can do with it and the taste. - Stephen Lecheler
First month hard to give up , but by third month it will be much easier and by then you will be able to tell a difference in the way you feel. More than your kidneys will thank you. Overall fitness/wellness program may help too. Best of luck! - Tracy Benham
I gave up Coke and French Fries from one whole year. It was surprising how that also basically meant I gave up hamburgers as well (you wouldn't order that without the other). Wife is nagging me to give them up again. - Andrew Leyden
Robert, take care of yourself and stay healthy. - Paul
robert, sorry to hear about your illness praying for you and your family - Jonathan Jesse
thats not good. Take care of yourself. - Venky Chinnathambi
Take care of yourself! By chance, is it polyarteritis nodosa? My mom has it and I've long suspected it was caused by her...unhealthy consumption habits. - Phoenix
Drink water, lot's of water and your kidneys will love you - paul mooney
Diet pop to me has a really bad after taste, I avoid pop when I can, but if my mom buys it I drink it. Other then that I drink water - Patrick from twhirl
Drink water, but don't drink too much if you have chronic kidney disease. You'll swell up. - Victor Ganata
I myself prefer regular - sofarsoShawn ~presque...
I'm not sure if you've discovered the wonderful world of loose-leaf tea yet, but I recently did and it's a wonderful alternative. Check out adagioteas.com. Good stuff! - Rob
Lose-leaf tea is simply the best tea you can get; I've been drinking Darjeeling Second Flush for many years now and don't ever want to miss it. - Donald Townsend
"I knew a diabetic who was sometimes hit by an overwhelming feeling of being deprived." - these times inevitably come because it's for the rest of your frickn life. The good news is the feelings go away and you realize life is still good. It will suck, but I have confidence you can make it through. Life will be different, but it will be just as good, maybe even better. - Todd Hoff
Robert, sorry to hear you have the same disease, but making the decision to stay away from diet drinks and red meat will be good for you in lots of ways. Your heart and arteries will thank you too. Be sure to encourage Patrick and Milan to adopt the same limitations, since it's hereditary. - Karoli
Robert I know you'll be able to manage this disease. I wish you the best of success in keeping it from impacting you enjoying your life to the fullest. I just found out last year that I have diabetes, totally changed how I'm supposed to eat, live, etc. I haven't done a great job with it - but I just remember how stunned I was when i found out and how it seemed to change how I look at everything, from my own mortality to priorities, to family to everything else. - Morgan
Sorry to hear that. Robert :( - Shey
Sorry to hear that, but it's great it was seen early. Hope you discover lots of good juices and thing to replace the sodas. And hope the BBQ at SXSW doesn't drive you nuts :) - Patrick Jordan
For your cold beverage + caffeine fix, the South (yes, I'm speaking for the region) recommends Sweet Tea. *Real* sweet tea with sugar. Not that weird raspberry tea stuff they pass off in California. - Paul Reynolds
Whole Foods 365 Cola has no phosphorus, no corn syrup and tastes pretty good - RAPatton
He can't have ANY cola...as they all have potassium. He has to avoid salt, potassium and phosphorous like the plague. - Scoble, Alex Scoble
Alex: I can have potassium. That only matters in later stages of the disease. But I can't have phosphorous. Some sodas, like 7 UP are OK. Any that have phosphoric acid aren't OK, though. - Robert Scoble
If you say so...although 50% is the middle of it...should definitely avoid salt and keep your blood pressure low as that has an effect on the kidneys as well. - Scoble, Alex Scoble
7-Up -- it takes the ouch out of grouch. And it's Lithiated! http://www.flickr.com/photos... Sorry about the kidney issues, no fun. - Paula W
Thanks everyone for the very kind words! Unfortunately iced tea is on the list of things I can't have. I don't know why. So is beer. These foods have phosphorous which is bad for my kidneys (yours are OK, so you don't need to worry about these limitations). They don't know what is causing our kidney disease. - Robert Scoble
Sorry to hear about this, as someone who doesn't drink tea or coffee (so lives on Coke), and is addicted to red meat, ice cream and beer! Just glad to hear you've found out about it at a time when you can make some changes. If it helps, I'm about to give quitting smoking another go, so I'll be having my own withdrawal problems! - Badger Gravling
I'm a bit late, but sorry to hear about this. It sounds like you're still able to keep it under control by changing your diet. One of my uncles was on dialysis and it's not fun. Since it's hereditary, is there any chance Patrick & Milan could also develop it? - Mike Hussein Cohen
Am from India here. Seen enough veggie, teetotalers. Welcome to the club (partly at least! ). It's not that hard, will be tough initially but as your friends,colleagues learn and understand, it will become much easier later as nobody is going to offer you foods you r not supposed 2 take, so less temptation. Switch to soya (ask doc 1st of course). Heard soya has lots of stuff which you would otherwise miss out due to severely reduced meat intake. - Akshay Kini
My dad had kidney disease and was on dialysis for 15 years back when it was less efficient and more problematic. I am sorry your dad is struggling with it too. We never were clear on what the triggers might have been with my dad but environment was a likely factor as he spent a lot of time in old print newsrooms and aerospace manufacturing facilities. - sean808080