Why UK doctors don't take CKD1-3 seriously!?

[Cyclyingjac62]

Found this site invaluable for educating myself since finding out by chance I am at stage 3. Having now got access to my medical records online I can see back in 2000 I was at 60, 2014 at 59 then in Feb down to level 52 but still the doctor just says it is part of getting old! I said Im only 57. After pushing for blood tests I have Vit D deficiency which I guess is from the kidney function but the US scan has shown no problems. It seems odd that here in the UK doctors are not interested in supporting us and I wonder if it is due to the nhs financial budgets? Be interested to hear if other UK patients had the same response from their doctor?

[Bassetmommer NKF Ambassador]

It is not just UK. Many of us are not told about CKD until late stage here in the States. I think this is because there is little a doctor can do with medications for stage 2 and 3. There is a lack of nephrologists who are swamped with folks with later stage CKD.

The thing is to educate people about CKD and what to look for. We need to get the word out better and everywhere because I believe that through early detection and then through education and lifestyle changes that CKD decline can be slowed down and in some cases prevented. You would think the money saved by government health care, that preventive education would be used more often and better funded.

But for the record, the kidneys do decline in function with age.

medlineplus.gov/ency/articl...

[orangecity41 NKF Ambassador in reply to Bassetmommer]

Agree completely with your analysis.

[Jenkea]

My Dr never told me I had CKD stage 3, I found out by accident, currently my GFR is 49, had a second opinion and it’s considered mild and no changes in eating except for no red mead or soda (didn’t eat/drink that anyway)

[Barbee44]

My doctor said the reason is because often a person never goes lower than stage 3.

[lowraind]

I agree with this statement of Bassetmommer: "It is not just UK. Many of us are not told about CKD until late stage here in the States. I think this is because there is little a doctor can do with medications for stage 2 and 3. There is a lack of nephrologists who are swamped with folks with later stage CKD." However, just because there is little a doctor can do with medications for stages 2 & 3, that does not mean that there is little we can do for ourselves, and this is where nephrology is failing us. As I has said many times, If they helped us know what to do at the earlier stages, they could prevent being swamped with folks with later stages. Once I was diagnosed in Nov. of 17, I made many dietary changes, and at my next blood test, in Feb. of 18, my egfr and creatinine levels both improved. If we do now what they are going to tell us later, we may never get to stages 4 & 5. I am 77 and am living proof.

[Trill]

Yes - my story too. About 10 years of it showing up on annual blood tests and varying in the 50s to 60 maximum, but found out by accident, and, yes, online. I queried it with my new doctor and on the phone she apologised a lot but it wasn't her fault, and just said I need to stop it getting any worse (drink water, don't use salt). I am now 69 and my GFR is 55. If you look up tables you can find out what it should be at a particular age and mine should be around 70. I have cut out as much salt as I can, and am eliminating meat as it's the protein overload most of all the kidneys can't stand.

I did find out that the first two stages cannot be detected by blood tests.

If the next blood test shows a significant decline below what it has been before I will change diet more drastically.