GFR and Creaitine

[Broadwaydon]

I am CKD stage 4

[cmcginily]

Hello Broadwaydon

I am on the way to stage 4 egfr 31 so on the cusp. Were you worrying about anyting specific?

Christine

[Broadwaydon in reply to cmcginily]

Yes; Doc wants to see my every 2 weeks for more tests,tests: changed my diet, he is a numbers man! gfr was 20 last time

[cmcginily in reply to Broadwaydon]

Hi There

That is quite stressful for you. Hope the change in diet helps. What changes have they made and will you be able to stick to it easily.

[Broadwaydon]

Well they havent made any. My wife Carol is my strongest advocate. She went to a class at Davita. Has menus that she tries at home for us. I feel terrific, eat well, exercise and still my numbers go down.

[rabbit01]

Sorry to hear that. I am the same. I have no underlying health problems and feel fine then a routine blood test in April this year showed that I was CKD stage 4 with 17% EGFR! Could have knocked me down with feather when I found out. I had all the tests and the docs have no clue as to why my kidneys are failing. It is great that your wife is being so supportive, mine has been too and has helped me by cooking with no salt and I have also cut out red meat, cut down on alcohol quite a bit (I only have a couple of beers at the weekend now instead of a couple daily). I stopped eating junk food completely. BTW I got no diet advice at all from the doctor. One even told me to "carry on as normal" Yeah like I am going to do that. I don't seem to be able to get the kidney numbers any better but I want to hang on my current level for as long as I can. I wish you luck and if you have any questions feel free to post them and I will do my best to answer them.

[cmcginily in reply to rabbit01]

Hi Rabbit

Have you been referred to a nephrologist? At stage 4 this should have been done straight away, At clinic you can request to see the dietician who will have your bold tests there and can advise the specific things you need to avoid. We are not all the same and therefore there is no diet plan out there we can follow. Hope this helps. Plus do not take any anti inflammatory drugs such as Ibuprofen Nurofen worst enemy of the kidney. Drink lots of water avoid cola and coffee, tea is not to bad but if you can go de- caffeinated this is better. Your wife sounds like an absolute gem.

Best wishes from a fellow kidney warrier.

Christine x

[rabbit01 in reply to cmcginily]

Thanks Christine, Yes I am under a kidney specialist and have a check up every couple of months where they weigh me and take a blood sample. I am certainly avoiding coffee and cola and I won't be taking any Ibuprofen. I used to love red meat but have given that up and instead have been eating Quorn which I found surprisingly good. Like you I don't have a high potassium reading but I cut out bananas and tomatoes (aside from have low sugar / low salt ketchup occasionally). I had actually reduced my fluid intake as I thought that might help rest my kidneys but I see you suggest drinking lots of water so I will go back to it. Thanks for your help.

[Pennyruss in reply to rabbit01]

Hello rabbit01,

I was interested in your post. Like you I am at stage 4, but unlike you, I have been having annual kidney function tests for years but no doctor has ever said anything worrying or give me any advice until I changed doctors a couple of years ago. Suddenly I found myself referred to a specialist, but even then, no dietary advice was given so I started looking online. I, too, have given up salt in cooking and do not eat processed foods and avoid bananas. I do eat a few tomatoes but nothing like I used to. (I used to have 10 tomato plants each year but this year I just have one bush tomato which gives lots of tiny ones so I can regulate my intake nicely.) I don't eat baked potatoes and peel apples etc to keep potassium intake down. I cook greens in lots of water and drain it away and I have given up vegetable soups as they retain a lot of potassium. Since starting this my last 2 readings have been stable at 27. I go again next month. I just wish a doctor had advised me about diet years ago as I clearly didn't have the sense to ask and didn't worry until this year!

Penny

[Pennyruss]

I have just found this site and it is comforting to find people in the same boat! My count is 27 and has been stable for several months but for some reason my specialist wants to see me in September, after 4 months instead of six.

I changed doctors 2 years ago and she immediately referred me to a consultant whereas my previous doctor had just told me to drink plenty of water and have yearly blood tests.

I was worried about diet as I also have hypertension and have a lot of heart didease in my family, but the things I knew were important for that seemed to clash with what I had read about a diet for kidney trouble. I saw a dietician who recommended a Mediterranean diet but this bothers me as I understand CKD patients should keep potassium low and tomatoes are a rich source of it! It seems to me to be impossible to find a diet that suits both conditions. Do you have any advice please?

[cmcginily in reply to Pennyruss]

Hi Pennyruss

It is a bit of a mix up saying we need low potassium, this all depends on your blood results. I have never had a problem with high readings so can continue eating tomato's and bananas. Was the dietician you saw part of the renal team or a dietician within your GP practice? If they were from the renal team she would have seen your blood tests and recommended the diet from that. All I do is avoid coffee, cola, minimal dairy like yogurts and cream. I use Almond milk if I have cereals. I watch the amount of protein I have, avoid red meat. I try to have two days a week without meat to rest my kidneys. I do drink tea with milk, if you like tea if you can go de-caffeinated this is better. I drink plenty of water just tap water always have a glass by me. Go by the colour of your urine, if it is pale you are drinking well, if it is darker drink more. The Mediterranean diet is a good one to follow but have a treat every now and again don't become a martyr to it.

Hope this helps

Best wishes Christine xx

[Pennyruss]

Hello Christine,

Thank you for this helpful reply. I have been feeling very much on my own with my kidney problems and have been so pleased to find the website. The dietician I saw was a general one with no access to my records and I think she thought I was worrying unnecessarily. I will try almond milk. I have already cut down on red meat and I don't drink coffee. I do like tea though, and probably drink a bit too much of it. Thank you again--you have given me food for thought.

Regards, Penny

[cmcginily]

Hi Pennyruss

I have been talking to a fellow sufferer in Australia, he recommends lots of red berry's and watermelon. As well as lots of water I have overnight oats a lot made with oats layered with yogurt and frozen red berry's it is left overnight in the fridge and just give it a mix in the morning and you have a lovely tasty breakfast. Good way to get the red berry's in. I am having watermelon after my main meals. I have a bottle of water with me at all times. Hopes this helps.

Best wishes Christine xx

[Pennyruss]

Hi Christine,

I do have porridge several mornings a week with a spoonful of yoghurt and some blueberries, which I thought were supposed to be very good. I'll get some raspberries--what other red berries do you suggest? I hate anything sharp and find raspberries sharp enough, but tolerable in porridge. I haven't made the overnight porridge but will certainly give that a go tonight! It sounds nice for the summertime. I suppose you soak yours in almond milk then? I must get some and try it. I'm sure I can get watermelon at this time of year, but probably not in winter. Have you been told to boil potatoes twice and not to eat baked potatoes as they retain more potassium? My potassium reading was 4.7 last time and the dr said they will only leap up and down (his words) if it reaches 5.4, but apparently it can fluctuate according to diet so there is hope. It's not like a steady decline as in kidney function.

I still haven't quite worked out how to use this site properly, being a bit technophobic, as my daughter describes it, but I think I'm doing quite well, all things considered! I will gradually get to grips as it has been so encouraging to find I'm not alone in the Failing Kidney Boat!

Penny

[Pennyruss]

Sorry cnmcgilly, for getting the name wrong!

Pennyruss