Gfr@46.8 @20yrsold

[Oyik]

Hi I'm 20yrs old with gfr of 46.8, I had my one kidney removed 3weeks after birth. So basically I only have one. Do I need to worry about my low gfr at my age?? I smoke and drink alcohol ocationally. Im stopping these from now on and will do strict diet. And is it possible that my gfr will go up? Also taking atorvastatin when I did gfr.

[Celtic]

Oyik, I had a kidney removed over 60 years ago and wasn’t diagnosed with reduced kidney function until 12 years ago when the then new eGFR test showed a reading of 54. This was caused by a combination of anti-inflammatories, the contrast (dye) used in CT and MRI scans and an undiagnosed, therefore untreated inflammatory illness at the time. At the time, I contacted an online pathology department for information about the expected kidney function level for someone with a sole kidney. I was informed that whereas you wouldn’t expect someone with a sole kidney to have the same level of someone with two healthy kidneys, the function should not be expected to reduce by half. Also, our kidneys decline naturally as we reach our later years. So from this you can deduce that as you are just 20 years old, your kidney function should ideally not be as low as 46. I have never smoked and rarely drunk alcohol (never now. Also, I have avoided salt in my diet since I was advised by a dietitian when expecting my son at the age of 25. I also drink plenty of water. My function has been as low as 28% temporarily last year caused by an antibiotic for a UTI. My latest reading was the best it has been for the last 2 years at 43%. The only recent changes I have made have been to avoid red meat and too much protein in my diet (low functioning kidneys can't cope with too much protein), and 10lbs weight loss. I hope this helps you. Good luck with stopping smoking and reducing alcohol intake. Most importantly, statins can reduce kidney function especially at the higher doses so a good idea to check that out with your GP.

[Sally10255]

hi, if you search "sole kidney" you will learn some info. Also look at your creatinine numbers. Try to stop smoking, watch salt, some say magnesium, and also phosphorus. I basically lost most of a kidney due to a sizable stone, or could have been something else. Try to be as healthy as you can, watch protein, your diet, and lots of water.

[RickHow]

I too have a sole kidney. The other removed in July of last year. My egfr instantly dropped to 35 and now one year later stays in the range of 38 to 42. I have 4 physicians. A cardiologist, a kidney doctor, a urologist, a gp. all tell me the same thing. They due not put a lot of faith in the egfr methodology. the egfr is based upon averages, typical, so called normal ranges. But people are all different. And the egfr does NOT NOT NOT take into account that a person may have just one kidney. And further if you measure your egfr with a calculation that includes your weight and height, you will always get a higher number than the way it is currently measured which is by averages. Every man or woman of any age, will not all have the approximate same egfr. For example you may weigh 120 pounds and be of height "X". Another your age will be 202 pounds and height "Y". The results should be different, but with the current formula it will report your egfr the same. The kidney.org website has a calculator where you can enter your information including height and weight and get a more accurate number. ALSO all 4 tell me to ignore all the things on the internet which do NOT, repeat do NOT, take into consideration a "sole" kidney or a person's age. A typical (notice typical, not necessarily everyone) Creatinine level in a person with one kidney will be 1.7 or 1.8 or sometimes depending on poor diet, low hydration, reach a bit higher. This will report a "poor" egfr. YET the remaining kidney may be functioning just fine. One can not TYPICALLY do the work of two. At your age is should be close. I am 68. usually when a kidney is removed the other expands the filters and does more work. But at 68 it does not "expand" as much. So the doctors tell me while the chart will classify me as having CKD, it is not CKD in the real sense of having failing kidney's. It is just the formula not taking into account some people have a sole kidney.