Stage 5 CKD - foods to avoid?

[Nitula]

Hi

I am 52yo with stage 5 CKD with kidney function at 11%

Are there foods that I should avoid/cut out to preserve what kidney function I have left?

TIA 🙂

[Kbress]

Recommend renal diet and find a kidney donor for transplant.

[Nitula in reply to Kbress]

Thanks for that

Will start renal diet pronto

[Jayhawker]

I’m also at Stage V. My renal function was as low as eGFR of 8-9. It now comes in ranging from 14-16. I have stopped eating meat (I was only eating boneless, skinless chicken breasts before) and fish. I rely on plant based protein and egg whites now. I made this change following the recommendation of my nephrologist nurse practitioner last summer.

I wouldn’t make any dietary changes without consulting my nephrologist or a renal dietician though. Have you been referred in to see a renal dietician yet? Also, are you on dialysis yet? (I’m not on dialysis yet but it may be very close—I have an appt with my nephrologist on July 17th to talk about dialysis. There was real confusion about the issue for me when I met with the nurse practitioner about 4 weeks ago.)

Jayhawker

[Nitula in reply to Jayhawker]

Hiya

Thks for your reply

I’m not in dialysis yet but could be close I feel

Have been sitting btw 10-11% since mid Sept last year & feelin more fatigued, nodding off etc

I do eat a fair bit of red meat, will make change pronto to non red meat as I’ve heard thru grapevine that red meat was not favoured

[Jayhawker in reply to Nitula]

Yes, moving away from red meat would likely be wise. It’s also recommended for heart health, etc.

Jayhawker

[Shellyr777 in reply to Jayhawker]

Hi...I know this post was sometime ago but how are u doing? Did u end up staying off dialysis? Best wished

[Jayhawker in reply to Shellyr777]

I’m still off dialysis. I’ve switched to a new nephrologist. I saw him for the first appointment this past October. I see him again in two days, Monday afternoon. We didn’t discuss dialysis last October. We talked about how long I’ve been actively waitlisted for a deceased donor kidney. He gave me a specific daily fluid target. He set another appointment in two months. That second appointment is two days away. When I see him Monday afternoon I’ll talk with him about dialysis among other things.

Jayhawker

[PattyM_NKF Moderator]

Hello Nitula - others have given you good support and information. Diet is important in preserving any kidney function as well as heart health. There are many resources and here are a few: kidney.org/nutrition

For any questions re: kidney disease, please reach out to NKF Cares at [e-mail]

I am sure others will offer good resources in addition to these! Take good care.

[Nitula in reply to PattyM_NKF]

Thku so much

That link was very informative

[Sammi_n_Munk]

Hello Nitula! Not sure if you’re familiar with many of the kidney diet “rules” or not, but here are a few tips to follow just in case:

1. Stay away from any anti-inflammatory meds, such as Advil, Motrin, Aleve and Aspirin. These are evil for the kidneys. Tylenol is a better choice, providing you have no allergies to acetaminophen or any liver issues.

2. Some food choices to steer clear of are: red meat (certainly), but also, any processed foods, beans and legumes, nuts and seeds, any whole grains (including whole wheat breads, pastas, rice, barley, etc.), protein bars and shakes, chocolate, dark sodas, regular coffee (decaf is better), and basically anything high in sodium, potassium and phosphorus. Your protein intake should be on the lower side, and should come mainly from lean options such as chicken, fish and egg whites. Try to consume more fruits and low-potassium veggies (you can find some options online at DaVita.com).

3. No strenuous exercise, especially weight-lifting. Try to get in some daily walking (I know it can be difficult with the fatigue). Speak to your doctor, as it is important to get some daily exertion in order to keep your heart rate up. It can help to oxygenate your blood and to energize you somewhat.

4. Speak to your doctor also about how much fluid you should be taking in daily (water, that is), as it is important to keep yourself well-hydrated. This can help to flush your system and perhaps even improve your eGFR. Dehydration is a no-no. Lol.

I do hope you will find this helpful. This is, by no means, an easy journey that we are on. I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers dear. Do take care of yourself and stay well. I wish you all my best, and many blessings. 🙏😊👍✌️

[Marvin8 in reply to Sammi_n_Munk]

Do you have more information as to what you consider "strenuous exercise"? Also, why no weight lifting? If you don't lift weights or do body weight exercises, you'll lose muscle mass and that's not healthy.

[Nitula in reply to Marvin8]

Yes interesting point cause I’ve just started lifting weights for that very reason to not loose muscle mass

[Sammi_n_Munk in reply to Marvin8]

Hey Marvin! Well, from the things I’ve read online, and right here in this forum, it’s all in the muscle metabolism. It is said that our muscles release creatine into the bloodstream when they are being worked, and this raises our creatinine levels. It really is a discussion to have with one’s physician as it may be something that can differ for each individual, and perhaps may also depend on what stage of CKD that person is in.

Some doctors may allow very little, and very low-weight lifting, but again, that may depend on how far along a person is in their CKD journey. But then some might say that it’s never too soon to begin slowing down the progression. I suppose it can also depend on when a person is comfortable or believes it is the right time to start making serious life adjustments.

And you and Nitula are absolutely right. I feel that ever since I was diagnosed, everything that I previously knew to be healthy and good for me, has all changed. It can be a little confusing, especially in the beginning, to try and “unlearn” everything you once knew to be healthy and right.

[Sammi_n_Munk in reply to Marvin8]

Hi again Marvin & Nitula! I found this link (below) that talks about exercising with CKD. It emphasizes no “heavy” weight-lifting, but a little light weight-lifting sounds not that bad. But they really push continuous exercise (walking, swimming, jogging, skiing, etc.) I’d love to know your thoughts, guys! Bye for now! 😊👍✌️

kidney.org/atoz/content/sta...

[Nitula in reply to Sammi_n_Munk]

Ok thks for the link

I will check it out & let u know my thoughts

[Marvin8 in reply to Sammi_n_Munk]

Thanks for the article, Sammi, but unfortunately it's vague and lacking in research support. I'd prefer to see actual controlled studies, but unfortunately, those are few and far between. My doc said that as long as I could do 15 reps, that's light enough, but that's a crock too because when I asked what scientific evidence he had, he couldn't think of anything. And if you use light weights...ie...let's say 100lbs sitting in a squat machine and super easy for me, does that mean I should go to failure? What about 50lb squats? Go to failure? If you want to increase strength, you need to push it a bit, but how much??? Nobody really seems to know, and since ckd frequently leads to muscle wasting, I find that very concerning. Thanks for the attempt, though.

Best of health to you.

[Sammi_n_Munk in reply to Marvin8]

Hey Marvin! I agree with you! It’s something of a catch 22, as they say, isn’t it? We want (and need) to do our best to remain as healthy and strong as possible for as long as possible, but then there are some doctors that say “Be careful because it could cause further damage.” But what can we do? We would never want to drop exercise because it does help to maintain muscle mass (which we need), but at the same time, nobody can give us a straight answer as to what is too much exertion. Sometimes it can be depressing. I completely understand.

If your current exercise regimen is working, and not impacting your health in a negative way, then I say, “Keep up the awesome work, buddy!” I think too, that it can sometimes depend on us as individuals. Everyone is different, and perhaps that is the reason why we’re not able to get any definitive answers from doctors or the Internet.

We need to do what we need to do, whatever that might be, to keep well for as long as we can. All my best to you, Marvin! Many blessings. 😊👍

[Nitula in reply to Sammi_n_Munk]

Very informative indeed

Sad to read the no go list of foods though 😞 but need to be serious about my diet

Many Thks

[Sammi_n_Munk in reply to Nitula]

Yes. I’m definitely with you there! ☹️☹️ I miss my potato chips! Lol! 😃

[KidneyCoach NKF Ambassador]

Check out kidneyschool.org

[Nitula in reply to KidneyCoach]

Thks for the tip