Am I borderline stage 3a?

[catnip1268]

Hi! I am a new member here. I just had a quick question. I recently got my new results. I have a creatinine level of 1.10 and my GFR is 53. I am 49 years old. So what does this mean? am I borderline Stage 3a?

[orangecity41 NKF Ambassador]

Davita web site has a eGFR calculator that will tell what level you are .

[catnip1268 in reply to orangecity41]

Yes, I will check into that. Thank you!

[Hidden]

Hi and welcome. Based on the information you provided from that one recent test, you are at Stage 3 CKD. However, one test alone will not make it final about Stage 3. I would think, based on my knowledge and research completed over the last 15 months that there are a number of things that could drop you to Stage 3. That doesn't mean you are not in Stage 2. I'm not a physician but it would be hard to believe that you are getting a false reading. This can be good news for you because you can be retested and get another reading. If that and any previous blood and urine labs do indicate that you are in the early stages of CKD you have plenty of time to make diet and lifestyle changes to slow the progression of CKD. When you get retested or look at previous blood and urine labs come back here and you can get lots of help and support on what the next steps are for you to take. Being proactive is important for you to maintain your future health and well-being.

[catnip1268 in reply to Hidden]

Yes, I have an appointment in 3 months with my nephrologist so I will be taking another test then. So we will see. Thank you for your help.

[lowraind in reply to catnip1268]

In the meantime, before your next appointment, it would be wise to educate yourself about kidney disease because the more you know, the more questions you can ask your doctor and the more you know, the more you can do to prevent ckd from getting worse.

National education, support and advocacy organizations:

• DaVita Kidney Disease and Dialysis Forums is well known for their recipes but they also have a forum for patients too.

• Renal Support Network provides many support and advocacy services including a phone support line.

• AAKP is a comprehensive resource focusing on the quality of life for kidney patients through education, advocacy, patient engagement and the fostering of patient communities.

• National Kidney Foundation provides a portal for patients too.

Other helpful information:

kidneyschool.org/mods/

lifeoptions.org/learn-about...

lifeoptions.org/assets/pdfs...

Good luck, and, as Mr. Kidney said, when you have more information regarding your diagnosis, come back. There are wise and experienced people on this forum.

lowraind

[catnip1268 in reply to lowraind]

lowraind,

Thank you so much for the information! I will look into these websites. I'll let everyone know how things go after my next appointment. I will be back.

[Granny401]

Hi there, I to have a gfr of 53. It has just dropped to 53 from 66 to 68 get. I've not had positive creatinine in the past but this time I do. My Dr told me not to worry about it but I've been Dx'd with SYSTEMIC LUPUS and it's well known to cause kidney damage but not all the time in every SLE patient. My creatinine is high. I do not have any albumin or globulin abnormalities, all normal. I'm taking steroids right now and I'm hoping that my gfr raises up into the 60s again soon. I'm hoping I've caught the situation soon enough and all will be well. Answer to your question. I don't know what your previous tests are, if you've had any and I don't know if you have any conditions that might be dropping your gfr. My creatinine was 1.06. Wether yours is a stage 3a would have to be determined by the Dr. because other tests need to be considered in the picture. This is something to discuss with your Dr.

[catnip1268 in reply to Granny401]

Yes, I plan to have a major discussion with him at my next appointment.

[Gmagolf]

Yes, but I was at that level for 15 years. Didn’t take any otc pain meds other than Tylenol as they affect the kidneys. Also if you were dehydrated when you took test that can affect results too

[catnip1268 in reply to Gmagolf]

Ahh, ok. I was watching a video last night on youtube where a nephrologist was talking about GFR levels and creatinine levels. She said that GFR can fluctuate throughout the day as blood pressure numbers do. but my nephro says that my numbers haven't really changed all that much from last year and to keep myself hydrated and watch my weight and blood pressure levels which i do religiously.

[catbode1956]

Did your nephrologist tell you? Ask your doctor for more information on this.

[catnip1268 in reply to catbode1956]

He acts like it's no big deal. Says my numbers haven't changed all that much from last year. Last year I was in stage 2. So I guess that's why I'm confused. My numbers last year were 52 and my creatinine was 1.12.

[Patient-Empowerment NKF Peer Mentor NKF Ambassador]

A GFR of 53 falls into stage 3, which is considered moderate to severe loss of kidney function. Now is a good time to educate yourself and learn from others. I applaud you for joining this forum. Being open to incorporating changes that can help you slow your progression will be key. For example, following a healthy diet, acceptable forms of exercise, maintaining a low-stress lifestyle and healthy blood pressure levels can be key. Of course, stay proactively engaged, could be your winning ticket here. Hope to hear from you again soon.

[Granny401]

I'm new here too. I just got out of my medical documents and sure enough renal insufficiency is listed as a condition I have. The Doctor has never discussed this with me and not knowing I didn't think to ask, of course. This discussion group and DaVita are all new to me but I'm sure glad I got curious enough to start looking. I'm guessing because my Gfr has been stable in the 60's and my labs had been coming back normal it just wasn't something the MDs thought to make me aware of. I've been told many times that what ever I'm doing keep doing it because in all exams things were looking really good. I really didn't have a clue that I have CKD! Another shock of my life time. I applaud you catnip for arming yourself with plenty to ask your Dr. I have not yet spent much time in DaVita.com but what I did see makes me know it's a good place to go for answers.