egfr of 80

[barneyfrances]

I was diagnosed about 18 months ago with stage 2 CKD with a eGFR of 57. Apart from high phosphate all my test results were normal. Today I received my 6 monthly test and my eGFR has gone up to 80. I am naturally delighted but do wonder if this is normal . I know that these numbers fluctuate so I will continue watching my protein intake and although I have been vigilant reading labels and not buying anything that contains phosphate my levels still remain high.

With a eGFR of 80 at the age of 77 would I still be considered CKD ? any information or advice will be much appreciated.

Thankyou

[orangecity41]

eGFR is an estimate and may increase or decrease. Here is a link explaining estimated GFR based on age. If you were not watching your diet, the eGFR could decrease. kidney.org/atoz/content/gfr

[Marvin8]

At your age, with an eGFR of 80, I wouldn't worry unless it drops down to 57 again. And even then, I wouldn't go crazy about it. There are so many variables that can come into play when having bloodwork. You may have been dehydrated, eaten a lot of protein the night before or day of, fasted or no- fasting, overexerted yourself the day before, used a different lab, and other variables. The key to lab work is to watch the numbers over time. That's what doctors do. I'd wait to see what your next labs show, chart them, and in the meantime eat healthy, exercise, and stay hydrated. When I say hydrated, don't go crazy. I'd shoot for around half your body weight in ounces per day unless your doctor (nephrologist?) says otherwise. As for the phosphorus, I'd only be concerned if it's significantly outside the reference range. Ask your doctor if he/she thinks you should be concerned.

[barneyfrances in reply to Marvin8]

Thank you both for taking the time to reply, much appreciated.

[HealthBuddyMelissa]

Your kidneys will naturally decline with age, so even 57 would not be too alarming. However, I would request a repeat, and then every few months monitoring of your labs to be sure you are not having any worsening of your kidney. As for the increased phosphates do you consume dairy products, and did your doctor prescribe any phosphate binders? Exercise can also help with using up some phosphorus as the body needs phosphorus for ATP. Are you tracking the amount of phosphorus you are consuming in a day? Do you read labels for words with phos on the label? These are hidden phosphates and phosphates are the hardest to track on a kidney diet.