My Dad has CKD and we only found out when he was stage 4. He is a total foodie and loves eating out. Knowing that mostly every thing has been cut from his diet he has lost hope completely. Doctors and giving medicines but his Ceratnine came down only in the first month to 3.2 from 4 but has been on 3.8 from the last couple of months now. He also has a few other issues such a diabetes , blood pressure , hernia and just last week found that his prostate gland has increased by 3 times. Also he loosing protein in this pee.
So not sure what we are doing wrong in terms of diet but he absolutely not eating anything wrong and given up on most things. Seen a dietician as well and she has cut down on most foods that he had before. He is limited to a few food items , apples etc.
any recommendations on doctors similar situation patients will be recommended. As we would like a second opinion.
Thank You all for reading!
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VindevT
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HI Vindevt,Not everything has been cut from his diet, I am sure. It is a lifestyle change. But it is totally doable. You can still go out, just stick to what you can eat. I know it is hard. What helps is when the family supports his diet and helps sticking to it with him. Can't blame him for feeling bad when everyone around him is eating whatever and he has to stick to an apple. Be mindful.
Hi there. Thanks so much for your reply. I do understand it’s a life style change n we do support him , try to be creative and we eat what he can eat so he doesn’t feel left out. We encourage him by having the same meals he can have and tell him that it’s good for all of us not just him. So we all benifit from it. Like I said he likes his super spicy food which now he cannot have so he misses old days.
I am male 79 years of age and was diagnosed at CKD 3b, 5 years ago. I was put on a diet based on my eGFR and other bloodwork such as sodium, potassium and phosphorus. I have been following the diet and track it. The progression of the CKD has slowed down. Hope that your father's diet will help overall. I also have pre-diabetes.
Hello, thanks so much for replying. It’s great to hear that with diet CKD has not progressed. We will continue with all recommendations from our doctors and try to motivate my dad by sharing your comments as well. Thanks so much.
I am sorry but cannot do that as it might not work for your father. It is best your father's Doctor prescribe it, or possibly request referral to a dietitian. The blood work that determined my CKD diet were tests for sodium, potassium, and phosphorus. It has had to be modified by Doctor due to pre-diabetes.
Hi VindevT, sorry to hear about your father's late CKD diagnosis. Tell him not to despair, a good life can be had after a CKD diagnosis and there is much that he can do to halt its progression with diet exercise etc. Everyone with CKD is different and what works for one person might not necessarily work for your father. There is also a lot of confusing information out there. Your dietician is a valuable resource, make use of him/her but make sure they are a renal dietician. Your dad is having difficulty coming to terms with his diagnosis and this is normal. I too found it difficult as you tend to grieve for the lifestyle you once had. Maybe a counsellor could help. Family support is essential and it is good that he has that. Someone on here shared the following website and I too found it encouraging
Hi VindevT. I would like to add to this thread to make sure the dietician is well equipped to deal with both renal disease but also the diabetes. In your dad's case, it's likely the diabetes that is slowly taking out the blood vessels in his kidneys. (Diabetes is the number one reason for kidney failure.) Some people will focus on the "effect", others will focus on the "cause". In my opinion, it's best if you can find a great dietician who can address both. If your dad is a Type 2 Diabetic, bringing down weight often does wonders for slowing, if not stopping, kidney deterioration. I speak as a caregiver to my diabetic husband, now on dialysis, who made food a centerpiece for most of his life. Sadly, our bodies weren't designed for many of today's foods.
Wow you have your hands full that is for sure. One very positive thing for your father is he is getting something just as important as all the medical steps and medications and that is the support of his family. You are ALL struggling to make the right adjustments to help him be as healthy as possible. If I read correctly not only does he struggle with the "news" of high Creatinine levels and protein in urine, but with diabetes and blood pressure. These two conditions and the medications he likely must take to support keeping them in control WILL affect his CKD, so it is very important to monitor that they remain in control.
For the diet, you are seeing a dietician. Excellent. BUT do not put all your hopes and faith in strictly diet change. The fact must be faced that the goal of the diet change is kind of two fold. To hopefully bring some kind of improvement (but it will never return things to "normal") and/or to slow any further reduction in function.
I can only speak to what my doctors tell me. BUT I am stage 3 (bouncing back and forth between 3a and 3b). I watch my diet but not nearly as strictly as your father is watching his.
But even at my stage my doctors give me some advice I think is good concerning diet, rules, etc. That they are guidelines. They should be followed. They MAY help. How much they help is different per individual. BUT if here or there during the week you break from the guidelines, it is not instantly nor even over time going to destroy your kidney. Have that piece of beef once in a while. NOT ALL THE TIME. Sneak that favorite snack. Have an inch of soda. Once a week, twice a week, NOT ALL THE TIME. It will brighten his spirits and bring him some joy which is just as important.
We all at some point in life have to make realistic choices. How do we want to live. To spend every minute of every day monitoring ourselves, skipping daily pleasures every day, never ending doctors visits, etc., etc. Or to just apply sensible decisions, get the most out of the life we have.
Has your father been considered for a kidney transplant???? His egfr is less than 20 which in many clinics qualifies being added to the list.
Take solace in some positive factors. His other blood work (such as sodium, etc., etc.) are in "normal" limits. This means his diet is provided necessary nutrients, so that is good.
Last, turn to the this forum at any time. It is a great site for support, encouragement, reality, venting and will keep you own mind a bit of solace.
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