This guy turns everything on its head!

[Hul1]

So recently been told I have CKD . Stage 3a I am 58 years old ...

My last efgr was 51, I actually thought it was 57 but got told it was 51 when I had to go for a check on my blood pressure. - which was 166/90

So I got sent for a ECG.. and now awaiting for appointment to get to wear a blood pressure monitor for 24hours. Btw I train hard 5-6 days a week .. probably to excess for my age ( we all still think we are 21 year olds!) so anyhow with anything any diagnoses we get - we all turn to Dr Google... ( which is how I joined this forum)

So ... with CKD - you get told - avoid potassium rich foods - sodium ... etc etc .. however to bring BP down .. eat potassium enriched foods -

We all know we need all these foods .. we need minerals .... so I was “googling “ yesterday and came across this guy ....... seems to make a lot of sense to me - see what you think

m.youtube.com/watch?v=CCt3l...(Not working as expected?)

m.youtube.com/watch?v=_9_0g...(Not working as expected?)

m.youtube.com/watch?v=RYGcH...(Not working as expected?)

[Jonquiljo]

Please stay away from Dr Google! Nothing good or accurate will come of it. It sounds like your health care providers are running in circles, providing you with more things to worry about, and not getting to the root of the problem.

Your GFR is not outrageous for someone 58. What really matters is what have been your prior months and years values. Along with that needs to be creatinine and BUN. It’s the best they can do if they only do blood tests.

A blood pressure of 166/90 could be “white coat hypertension”. This phenomenon is REAL (I have it). I have high blood pressure when thrown around at a Dr’s office, but it is very normal when I take my pressure at home. Taking your BP at home is essential with HBP.

I guess they gave you an EKG to check for possible arrhythmias, but any Dt worth their degree could have heard that with a stethoscope. I guess that rattled you even more.

IMO, a 24 hr BP monitor is a long waste of time. Again, this puts you through more stress - and just prolongs what is really a peripheral problem to CKD.

Yes, it seems that your medical crew got all focused on HBP, and forgot about CKD. You may want to ask them your GFR history. This is very important. I don’t know why they didn’t check your urine - kind of essential if they worry about kidneys. Looking at microptoteinuria (protein in urine) is one of the few direct measurements out there.

Salt control is immediate and may help your HBP. Your HBP will need to come down if it is real. It can’t hurt to put you on a medication regimen for HBP soon. Perhaps hand that to another Dr, because the one you describe seems to be reacting not acting.

Finally, if you train many days a week - hard - it is possible that you have a high muscle mass relative to the normal population. If so, then your GFR will not be very accurate - likely be higher.

There are a lot of people who could chime in here. But I think I have covered the basics. From what you said, I don’t know what your Drs are trying to do. Good luck.

[Hul1 in reply to Jonquiljo]

Hi jonquijo

I should have added .. my urine was tested and everything was fine with that . I know wat you mean about googling - but when you are trying to glean as much info as possible ...

The other thing is I have always carried excess weight - and even though I train and on the whole eat healthy- I don’t always have the right amount of calories - way under . I have just read too .. that someone who trains and breaks down muscle - this can give you a false eFGR reading . Yes right now my stress levels are right up ... infact I am going to purchase a blood pressure monitor today .

[RickHow]

I think the reply you received from Jonquiljo is spot on. I will add my two cents :). I too always get higher readings in the doctors office. Not absurd, but at least 15 to 20 points higher. Why I do not know as I feel totally relaxed. BUT when I get home after the appointment and immediately take the pressure, it is back to normal. Perhaps this is the reason they want a 24 hour measurement. BUT my doctors simply ask me, for 2 or 3 days before the appointment, to take my pressure 3 times a day and bring them my results. So much easier. About what to eat, what to avoid, etc., etc., etc. Obviously, there are things to avoid but NOT because of CKD, but just because of bp and common sense. Such as excess salt, sugar, etc. To drink lots of water. Common sense living. BUT as regards such things as calcium, potassium, etc., do NOT listen to Dr. Google. We are all different. For example, my blood testing showed I was LOW in potassium so I was told to eat more foods with potassium. NOT in excess, but to add a little each day. And you will read some sites that are all gloom and doom about CKD 3a, etc., etc. Others will give more positive facts and figures (more accurate). I'm no doctor. But I would say you are doing just find, except that bp is high (if that are your numbers at home, 160). But you can bring this under control. Your urine results were fine. Your egfr is not earthshaking for your age. Just use common sense and look at your own tests, results, and I bet all will be great.

[Zazzel]

So agreeing with RickHow, you need to have access to your blood tests. I made a chart and track all the important numbers- GFR, Albumin, Creatinine, Potassium, Phosphorus, calcium, cholesterol etc so I can see if there is any deviation from month to month. I am also in my early 50 p’s and 6 years ago my GFR was 51. I had a lot of food intolerances and stomach problems so was trying different diets to help it after getting no help from doctors. At that time I was eating a high protein and bone broth diet. After discovering I had A type of CKD called IGA Nephropathy which was discovered due to hematuria, I found out that large amounts of protein can ( not always) have negative affects on kidneys even in healthy people especially when combined with heavy weight training, protein powders, energy bars etc. Could be you might want to cut back to a more normal protein intake and watch all those extras like bars and powders.

You can also find some helpful blood pressure monitoring apps. I use BP companion. That way I can easily have a record to show the doctor as I developed high blood pressure about 8 months after receiving my CKD diagnosis. High blood pressure can be a cause for CKD or a result of it.

[Hul1]

Thank for your helpful reply guys .. I will take on board what you say👍.... i would definitely not say I have high muscle mass - but more muscular than a guy my age who does no training so wether ot not it does effect my eFGR readings I don’t know . I do think I train to hard ( for my age) especially with my kettlebell workout - I am going to back off a little on that .- now I did say I was going to get myself a BP monitor - I bought a Omron M3 comfort ... and I can officially say I do indeed have “ white coat syndrome “

Upon getting it out the box and trying it for the first time - I was disappointed- my readings where same at the doctors - 166/90!!

I was not happy and realy anxious. So .. it may sound silly but - I actually just played about with it for a few times throughout the day - getting used to the “squeezing sensation.

So on the Friday my readings

at early evening was 144/88

Even as low as 136/89 on my 3rd attempt

At late evening

142/82

So even then I know I should have been happy with those readings and I am! But ... I still felt I was not totally relaxed - I had a shot of whisky - I felt relaxed -

I tried the monitor again -

127/82!

Lol now I’m not saying I’m going to have a shot of whisky every time I am going to have my BP Taken ... but it made me realise I am still a little anxious even at home taking my blood pressure.

So ... yesterday I took my blood pressure through the day again - only this time - just for two minutes before I take it - breathe!

I mean inhale and exhale a little more deeply than you normally do - The readings are

Morning 137/84

Afternoon 142/84

Early evening 138/82

Late evening 127/75

This morning

132/83

So ...I am happy with my Bp 😊

Thanks again janquiljo , Rickhow and Zazzle for your great information and input .