New to CKD

[Pkbay]

Hi, I am a 68 year old female, 60 kg, 158cm tall, so carrying a little around the middle. I regularly exercise zumba, pilates, aerobic, yoga, swim and or walk. Just read 3 days ago my results although don't see Dr till this coming Friday. Stage 3a CKD, eGFR50, creatinine 100 H, potassium 5.3 H, the rest were within range. Apparently my kidneys have been sluggish for some time but stable for 4 years, this is the first I've heard, new Doctor more thorough than any I have had for sometime. When I read up at what this means it's quite concerning, hence I found this site. Invaluable to me, thanks.

[MAS_Nurse]

Hello Pkbay

Thank you for your message and welcome to this group.

It sounds like you are very aware of looking after your health. This is very helpful for CKD.

Our members may have more experience that they can share with you.

You may find more helpful information at

Www.kidneyresearchuk.org they have a helpline

0300 303 1100

Do let us know more about you and how you are getting on.

Best wishes

[Pkbay in reply to MAS_Nurse]

Thank you MAS_Nurse.

[RickHow]

Of course it is natural to be concerned when you read a bunch of numbers on a report and some are flagged as not normal. Lets talk about your concerns. First you can get your potassium level back to normal range by simple dietary changes. Don't eat so many foods which are high in potassium. I bet your next test it will then be normal. Not the Creatinine and therefore egfr worries. You will find many, many, many posts here that point out the flaws in the egfr system. That if flags far too many people as having "disease" when in fact their kidneys are just showing the natural progression of age. That does NOT mean to ignore you numbers. Yes this level of Creatinine will flag you as stage 3a. First remember that this is called MODERATE kidney disease. The fast number of people at this stage (I think the number is only 3%, but that is from memory) advance to stage 4 or 5. Most people like you are not even sent to a kidney doctor. Naturally your kidneys at age 68 are NOT functioning like they did when you were 20. In this stage you should just use some common sense. In your case, reduce that potassium intake. To help with the creatinine, drink 64 ounces or more of fluid daily. Continue your exercise routine. Try to avoid too much protein intake. DO NOT STOP IT. Just keep it within the daily recommended requirements as indicated on any food package. For example too much beef, or eggs, will cause higher creatinine. It seems all your other blood work was fine, as you mentioned no abnormalities. Remember too this was one test. It is NOT unusual to have a test result outside a normal range, and yet the next test that number is normal. So see what the next level is. DO NOT pay too much attention to this staging system and the panic it induces because it calls you disease. Egfr is a simple formula that measures your creatinine compared to height, weight, age, race, sex, and looks at a table of numbers and assigns a stage. But we are ALL different. Not just an "average" of "normal" on a table. Monitor the actual measurements of Creatinine, blood, potassium, etc. Oh by the way you did not mention if this is fasting blood work, or "normal". If you fast for more than 10 hours or so, your Creatinine levels will generally report higher than they will if you are hydrated.

[RickHow in reply to RickHow]

I typed wrong. I meant to say only 3% advance to stage 4 or 5.

[Pkbay in reply to RickHow]

Thanks RickHow for your reply. No fasting and I had had the test 5 weeks prior by my previous doctor. On reading the lab report for that eGFR46 no mention of anything put creatinine 107 again non fasting. Thanks again, I'll work on the potassium and protein.

[Marvin8 in reply to Pkbay]

You'll be doing yourself the biggest favor in the world by insisting that your doctor test for Cystatin C. Do some research and you'll agree. It's used to confirm the prognosis. All younger doctors use it as a tool in their arsenal. Old doctors who are set in their ways often don't. INSIST on it. It WILL give you a better picture of where you're at. My Cystatin C test put me at a GFR of 85. Combined creatine and cystatin C puts me at 70 whereas creatinine alone puts me at 56. That's a fairly significant different. A re-read what RickHow said. He's right on the money.

[Pkbay in reply to Marvin8]

Thanks, I will do some research.

[MrsP70]

I think this site is great too as I am a Newbie on here

[Doodle2 in reply to MrsP70]

Hi, I'm new too. It seems to be a site where people offer lots of support to each other.

[Sally777]

Basically in the same situation. All other numbers except creatinine are normal. Dr tells me 52 is not bad for my age. Since I have no protein in my urine and no symptoms not to worry. My gfr fluctuates from 65 to 49. I My 5 year old granddaughter just diagnosed with hypo-thyroid and diabetes 1. I only worry about her now.