First Appointment Today

[aj2581]

Hey guys today is my first appointment with a Nephrologist, I got out of the hospital last Thursday and they diagnosed me with stage 3 CKD when I went in because of chest pains. My blood pressure has always been high and that’s my main reason for this diagnosis. I have recently cut out coffee which was the hardest thing but my bp is better since then. It’s still high but taking the right meds is helping. I am still having occasional chest and back pain and itching every day, I’m not sure if it’s due to the medication or the disease. I have been eating well since then, no salt, no caffeine, no sugar. I’m worried if I go into Stage 4 I’ll have to have dialysis. Does anyone think I can control this with a strict diet and lowering BP? I guess I’ll have to ask the doctor these questions. Any feedback you have for me is welcome! Thank you for reading my post. God Bless you all 😇

[Celtic]

aj, I take Losartan 50mg for my high blood pressure without any discernible problems. However, when Doxazosin was added to the mix. my skin itched day and night. A skin biopsy pointed to the BP meds as being the culprit. I stopped the Doxazosin and the itch stopped. However,doubling the Losartan dose also then resulted in a return of the itch.

It could be that your blood pressure medication is to blame for you itching as well.

[aj2581 in reply to Celtic]

Ok thank you. I was taking Losartan when I started taking it but then when I went to the hospital they took me off of it I take Carvedilol and Amlodepine for now he dugout go on a third as well. I am still itching with those 2 as well.

[Mgt8]

Hello again,

If you're at stage 3, do you know your egfr?

Here's a helpful chart to gauge where you are.

davita.com/education/kidney...

Try not to worry about dialysis yet. I only went on dyalisis at egfr 5 and some ckd patients never reach that stage and go through life ok.

Best wishes,

Mgt

[aj2581 in reply to Mgt8]

Ok thank you I know my gfr is 40.

[lowraind]

If you are at stage three, you can do much to keep from getting worse. Yes, you can control it from getting worse. I was diagnosed last November and since then have improved my GFR from 34 to 54 and decreased creatinine from 1.4 to 1.0. Diet, hydration and moderate exercise have helped a lot. Tell us how it went with the nephrologist and there are many here who can support and give their success stories.

[aj2581 in reply to lowraind]

Thank you so much, that is great and big increase in the gfr, that’s awesome 😊that makes me feel a lot better. They said they are gonna do some blood work and ultrasound on my kidney and there was protein in my urine. Thank you so much for your reply!

[itzmich]

Yes you can.....this forum is great for advise. I too have just been diagnosed. I did notice my gfr didnt change until I was on the new medicines for 3 weeks. So don't be discouraged if they don't rise right away. Check with your pharmacy about drug interaction and side effects the itching might be that. Keep investigating yourself.....doctors sometimes miss things. You are your best advocate. Good luck.

[aj2581 in reply to itzmich]

Thank you. I appreciate that!

[itzmich]

I have stage 3 too and can't seem to get an appointment at a nephrologist. Can you tell me what they did there and what they had to say. My family dr takes blood work, urine and ultra sound. Feel helpless not getting an appointment for 3+ months.

[aj2581 in reply to itzmich]

Hello yes I just saw her yesterday she basically wants to run more tests blood work and they want me to do a 24 hr urine and also an ultrasound and then they will talk about my results at my next appointment.. this probably doesn’t help but that’s all that went on

[itzmich in reply to aj2581]

Thx it does.....my GP has already done that so that makes me feel better.