Is stage 2 kidney disease recognised.

[JON59]

Need some advice please for years I have had stage 3 at the higher end efgr 54/59 at best.Seen surgeon begining of the year all the usual tests scans etc was informed left kidney only had 30 per cent function due to aged dumbell shaped kidney stone.Stone was removed and five weeks later efgr was 60 the surgeon told me while in hospital and follow ups that I was just left with a scrap of functioning kidney as over two thirds was damaged due to the stone being so old and centrally extended.The surgeon also said I am a very likely candidate for further stones in the future.This is where I need help spoke to a renal nurse yesterday and she stated because I went from 59 to 60 my kidney function is normal I am just so confused every time I ask questions I never seem to get answers.Just one last thought the surgeon said the only reason he was removing stone was to preserve what function I had in my left kidney.I hope this all makes sense. Thank you.

[MAS_Nurse]

Hi JON59

Welcome to our community. To answer your post title, Stage 2 Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) shows mild kidney function impairment but is not considered CKD unless there are signs of kidney damage such as proteinuria (blood in urine). But progressing through the 5 stages of CKD may vary, and a person may not deteriorate beyond a particular stage. eGFR can fluctuate up or down and this will depend on many factors including leading a healthy lifestyle, dietary considerations, age, sex etc., the renal nurse is technically correct from the standpoint that your scores have improved. Here is some reliable information which I hope will help you understand more about eGFR, blood tests, CKD stages, and kidney stones:

Kidney Research UK:

1) CKD: kidneyresearchuk.org/health...

2) CKD Stages: kidneyresearchuk.org/health...

Edinburgh Renal Unit:

1) CKD: edren.org/ren/gp-info/ckd-m...

2) Blood Tests - eGFR: edren.org/ren/edren-info/bl...

3) Kidney Stones: edren.org/ren/edren-info/ki...

Keep in touch and let us know how you are doing.

Ok folks please pop by and welcome this new member onboard.

Take care,

Best wishes,

MAS Nurse and Moderator

[JON59 in reply to MAS_Nurse]

Thank you for your reply and detailed informaion. Jon.

[Bassetmommer]

HI Jon,

The stone may have caused some damage but it looks like your function returned to a better level which is marvelous. However, 60 is not "normal" in the sense of perfect operation. In many cases, the medical field does not feel function at 60 and above is impaired. A fully working kidney starts a 100 GFR, 90 being more true. The good news is with proper diet you could maintain your current GFr. Please ask to see a renal dietician who can help you to avoid foods that may cause further stones. There are different kinds of stones. Do you know what type of stone you had? Here is some information to help you.

kidney.org/atoz/content/kid...

[JON59 in reply to Bassetmommer]

Thank you for your reply my stone was made of calcium oxalate and phosphate it was the width of the kidney it took three hours to drill out.Maybe thats why so much of the kidney was damaged since I got the wee procedure I have had terrible stabbing pains in my hand and foot on the left side I was also left with a large flank bulge or hernia.I really dont feel much better since stone removal.Its amazing how even my practice nurse thinks I am cured of kidney disease as I have moved from 59 to 60 which may fluctuate anyway of course I am grateful it could be a lot worse.So is there no stages 1 and 2 and does it just go to stage 3 and recognised as there is a lot of conflicting information.Can I add one last comment for years I have been getting really bad lower back spasms which I was told would most likely be the kidney but it has got no better since stone removal.Thank you for taking the time to reply.

Jon.

[Zazzel in reply to JON59]

Yes, stage 2 is 60-89. Stage 1 is above 90. Here is a chart explaining it.davita.com/education/kidney...

[Zazzel]

Both could be right. Sounded like the surgeon was only talking about the damaged left kidney. Even if your left kidney isn't functioning properly, your right kidney might be functioning at 100%. So the GFR would be a combination of the non functioning and functioning kidneys. Many people live with only one kidney working.

I agree with Bassetmommer. If your doctor is concerned you might have more stones in the future, I would make sure to address with them any diet changes or medication that could prevent that in order to prevent that and protect your right kidney.

[JON59 in reply to Zazzel]

Thank you for taking the time to reply I am most grateful Jon.

[Bassetmommer]

HI Jon,

It can take the body a long while to heal, much to our dismay. I would recommend that you ask your doctor to run labs for the next year every three months to see if there is improvement. It might also give you warning if you have another stone forming. I would also have them check for other things like anemia, vit D, phosphate and potassium levels. The fact you are having cramps might indicate your levels are off on something else. Also, and I hope they told you this, you need to really stay hydrated, which can mean drinking up to 2 liters of water a day. Stay away from things like tea and coffee which dehydrate you...along with alcohol, especially beer (because of the stones)

I went through several years of having uric acid stones, which damaged my kidneys. I went on medication along with diet and I have not had a stone in years. Unfortunately, my kidneys did continue to decline, but that was due to other causes. I have been able to maintain stage four for two years now.

Let us know how things turn out.

[JON59 in reply to Bassetmommer]

Hi Bassetmommer,

Thank you taking so much of your time to explain things to me I did try and ask questions at the renenal unit but never really got answers as they were very busy which I understand.Because of heart failure I have got to watch water intake and I take furosemide now 40 mg.Going off the subject in August 2016 I was taken into hospital and quickly diagnosed as having heart failure lower left venticle also arteries issues.My kidney function came up as 40 efgr but my heart failure nurse said my heart had damaged my kidneys but she put me on furosemide higher dose morning and night and said that was it heart and kidney problems.I never felt comfortable with the kidney diagnosis as I had not even had a scan so I persisted with my on gp and eventually found out I had a massive kidney stone which had brought efgr down and heart failure nurse said furosemide would also damage my kidneys.So the dose was reduced and we dont know why I went to the high 50s 52/59 at best.I never do well at doctors appointments because of a past stroke and brain bleed I cannot answer questions promptly and tend to go all over the place sometimes this annoys some staff so maybe thats why I do not get answers.I wish you all the best with your own health and thank again for your replies.

Jon.

[Bassetmommer in reply to JON59]

Hi Jon,

Just a tip for you is to write down questions before you see the doctor. I keep a notebook near me to write down things as they come up because without fail, two seconds later I have forgotten what I was thinking. I use my phone to make notes when I am not home. I don't care what people think, but I have so much buzzing through my mind that I can be mid-sentence sometimes and forget where I was going with it. Getting older is a wonderful thing to obtain, but it does come with challenges. But your healthcare team should take the time with you to address the issues and questions you have. You are paying for the service in one manner or another.

A note on the diuretic: too much can be very harmful to the kidney. My husband was on furosemide but now has a GFR of 40 so they took him off of it. He has edema and is under care for heart issues and so they gave him something else to help with that that does not impact the kidney as much.

Again, your healthcare team needs to work in unison and not as separate providers with no concern for all your issues.

[JON59 in reply to Bassetmommer]

Hi Bassetmommer,

Thanks again for more great advice.Is it normal whatever normal is to have protein and traces of blood in urine while doing the dipstick test.For quite some time and atpresent that has been the case for me.The surgeon did tell me two thirds of kidney was scrap and I was left with just a small functioning piece

thank you

Jon.