I hope everybody is able to live their health style choices. During the corona and jewish holiday of Pesach- passover my diet went out of the window and my creatinine went up 1.2 -1.3 and EGfr went down from 63-57 . I went to my first visit to a nephrologist - I started dieting in November . She took out her calculator and started doing some calculations. I started talking about my creatinine and Egfr - she said lets talk about the " meat" , the real facts. She gave me a whole lecture about how creatinine and eGfr are terribly unreliable depending on body weight , mass etc and that the important tests were the 24 hour urine sample , and other blood tests which were good .She said I did not have CKD and any diet would be a health style choice , being hydrated and having a more plant based diet is good for everyone. My sugar HbA1c is borderline 5.7 , so my GP told me to watch my sugar intake . I am glad I started this journey , eating better , drinking more - we will see what my next blood / Urea says about me - good luck to you all
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Allank
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I am not sure why the doctor would tell you that a GFR of 57 does not indicate kidney disease. Yes it can fluctuate. But depending on you age, that is a decrease in function. Maybe she meant that you were only in stage 2. Now is the time to prevent further decline.
Creatinine based eGFR is terribly unreliable, in a person it can vary enormously from hour to hour based on things like hydration, when was the last time you exercised, etc. My Creatinine eGfr typically runs slightly below 60 which technically makes me CKD stage 3, but it has been as low as 40 and as high as 75 (just in the last 6 months). My Cystatin-C eGFR has never gone below 90 and is currently 115. So trust your doctor, she knows what she is talking about.
I agree with your doctor. GFR is an estimate, and to get a more accurate measure of the kidney function is more complicated and expensive. Your kidney function is a whole picture of all of your labs. My GFR fluctuates in warmer months, because I need to drink more, but I am not thirsty so I find that hard to do. Less meat is great, and a plant based diet. Just don't consume too little of protein. It can be dangerous for your body. Plant protein is not as readily used by the body, and contains higher levels of phosphorus. It is all a balancing act, and finding the right balance that works for your body.
Thanks for sharing. Just keep on your specified diet and the estimated GFR numbers can stabilize. Because eGFR numbers can bounce around depending on factors, I keep a record and do an average. I agree with Health Buddy, that it is a balancing act. I have stuck to the prescribed diet and eGFR numbers show an improvement. Sometimes modification have to be made according to other blood work related to kidney disease.
It appears to me that diabetes 2 may/could/will enter the picture as your doctor specifically mentioned watching your blood sugar. And THAT is the monster hiding in the closet. That is the snake that takes out your organs one by one. If you're overweight, which you seem to indicate you are, you will need to lose weight asap by whatever means...low carb diets (kills sugar quickly), fasting (stay hydrated), Mediterranean, etc. all work...simply lose that weight which fuels the sugars to do its deadly erosive work. And then keep it off. And I agree with Bassetmommer that you're starting on that path with the numbers you presented. You see, my husband had similar numbers as yours in his forties. He continued to enjoy his food, went on diabetes pills around 45, then progressed to insulin. His eGFR stayed around the levels you presented. So everybody was rocking along thinking "no problem, it's always this way. Test accuracies are so-so anyway. This is normal for him". Then boom, his kidneys, almost overnight, started to rapidly fail. So we implemented a low-carb diet, modifying meat portions, and he lost weight, got spectacular results. He was close to getting off insulin, but the kidneys were too tired and and couldn't hold their own any more. His blood pressure soared and was about to stroke out or have a heart attack. He was admitted to the emergency room just a few days ago and has just started hemodialysis. So please take action now. If you do, you will live to a ripe old age. If not, things will start to fail on you - the kidneys, the limbs, the heart, etc. Imo, diabetes 2 works like sandpaper...stealthily rubbing you out. The heavier you are, the more corrosive action you'll get. I'm glad you're reaching out...my husband didn't bother until it was too late.
Thanks to you all and Darlenia for the Pre-diabetic wake up call. I thought I new something about CKD , maybe the focus here on creatinine and eGfr made me overlook the importance of the 24 hour urine collection tests and other blood tests. I am 66, My BMI is 23.1 , I look to thin , I wish we could put on weight just on our faces , I do a lot of walking , 5kg weight exercises etc. Sugar is my issue. I eat a lot of oats , lots of sough dour bread sandwiches - plant . Chicken and fish mainly on Friday nite and saturday and it bit too much . I need to make a new diet plan - low carbs ? I am always hungry .
Ooh, Allank! Your added comments changes the picture a lot. My husband is also too thin at this point. The fact you're 66 is extremely reassuring. My husband's problem started decades earlier. As you age, your numbers will gradually change/worsen...blood pressure naturally usually rises, A1C rises, gFR lowers, etc. In this regard, your numbers may not be that unusual for your age. (For example, I can't be a donor for my hubby as my kidneys have "aged out". I'm in my late 60s. ) I would discuss with your doctor whether you should focus more on avoiding sugar or protecting your kidneys with your diet if she says this is important. The problem is that the kidney diet doesn't mesh well with the diabetes diet. The only diet that will satisfy both kidney and diabetes concerns seem to be the vegan diet which relies principally on on fruits and veggies...no meat or dairy at all. We tried it for a week and it nearly did us in...we were always hungry and also wound up running to the bathroom continuously due to the high fiber content. So place a call to your doctor and see what she says. She may have a few simple, concrete things you can do. Blessings!
Thanks for your perspective." As we age our numbers don't get better " should encourage me to more healthy eating. I don't need to be on a kidney diet , but as I said being hydrated and not over-eating meat is a good thing , as far as sugar goes I can start cutting out the junk as a start, going for healthy eating
I agree with both Orange City and Darlenia, that this is all a balancing act and a lifestyle change rather than a diet. Look at it that way.
It appears that you have a couple of issues running simultaneously which have been identified early which is to your advantage.
Your nephrologist is thorough to draw the labs that she has as well as the 24 hour urine catch; as annoying as it can be, as it presents a wider picture of what is going on. Nephrologists consider the 24 hour catch the " gold star" marker as it is an average of what your kidneys are doing over a 24 hour period. I do a 24 hour catch as well as a spot urine which I leave in the office and he spins and evaluates himself.
You are putting together a Health care team who should communicate openly with both you and each other. If your GP and nephrologist are not in the same medical group, I would ask that labs and visit summaries be sent between them so that they are always on the same page with your care. Bring a copy of your labs to appointments and review any areas of concern with your doctor at that time. Keeping a running record of your labs is a good idea as results will vary and you can best monitor your self going forward.
As far as food choices are concerned, you may want to consider asking for a referral to a dietician who will review your labs with you and make suggestions which will be healthy, nutritious and appealing to you as well as work to both lower your A1C and be kidney healthy; as much as they are connected, they are also different in content. Don't view this as a diet, but a lifestyle change that you will adjust to.
Bear in mind that every person is different - what works for one person may not be good for another; that includes medication and amount/ type of exercise as well.
I have found that a diet filled with steamed, grilled and roasted vegetables, salad with lots of fresh vegetables, chick peas, hummus, oil and vinegar or low sugar, fat and sodium dressings are great.
I eat 1/2 cup of fat free greek yogurt with chia seeds which helps with digestion; this was at the suggestion of my nephrologist.
I don't miss the junk a bit as fresh fruits as strawberries, blueberries, apples and pineapple have worked well for me. I eat light wheat or rye bread, cream of wheat, watch sodium and sugar contents. I even put hummus on a piece of toast or half bagel.
Again, this works for me.
I am not diabetic, but it runs in my family and I have a kidney issue so I have adopted this for myself with suggestions from my nephrologist, GP and a dietician.
It will all come together..
Please reach out and let us know how you are doing as we care and will support your efforts ..
I went to a dietitian who limited my fruit intake , bread -8 slices , I eat a big portion of oats , eggs and goat yogurt during the week , fish and meat Friday night , saturday lunch - tend to over-eat on Friday night and Saturday. It was pretty balanced and addressed also my love for sugar .I think we all know what to do , we just have to make a decision and that includes throwing out food instead of eating it
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Finally some good news!!!
83 years old with CKD
Looking for a natural homeopathic nephrologist
Creatinine GFR getting worse in one month-why?
Why do some health professional behave in a nasty manner?
