Has anyone noticed increased cholestrol with CKD? If so, did it/you correct & how?
My 64-yr old mum's total cholestrol has steadily increased by 37% up to 7.4mmol/l (range max 5) in the past 3 years. We now believe it may be due to kidney disease in her sole kidney after having a cancerous one removed in 2017. This follows urine tests a few days ago confirming increased urine microalbumin (and related ratios) and reduced urine creatinine over the same period.
That despite steady increases in eGFR (except a 13% drop in past 9m) and decreases in serum creatinine. Her nephrologist seems to have focused on her GFR and missed the other markers - Oh and her cholestrol (strongly proposing statins!)
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I have had high cholesterol and my Doctor prescribed a non statin cholesterol medicine and omega 3 to control the cholesterol. You might want to inquire of your mother's Doctor about controlling the Cholesterol. I will add that am 79 and was diagnosed with CKD 3b almost 5 years ago. Diet has been a big help for me also.
Thanks. I'm encouraged that you used omega 3 in your treatment and it is part of a comprehensive, natural treatment plan we have now strengthened. I must admit Im less encouraged by a drug (albeit not statin) as they generally just suppress symptoms. So hopefully the natural treatment alone will bear fruit.
As mentioned, her nephrologist just pushes statins (eye off kidney issues!) and the nurse at her local GP surgery likewise.
I've read a few kidney.org articles and maybe the one you kindly sent?. At this stage, I'm dubious about the reference to statins improving kidney disease, particularly after my extensive research confirms much conflict re claims they (and other cholestrol-lowering drugs) can help with CVD. But I'll research more about statins and CKD.
I had been put on a very strict diet for CKD at same time I was put on non statin. Had been taking Omega 3 for years and had to add the non statin as Omega 3 alone not doing it for cholesterol levels.
Understood. But I think cholestrol rising is an indication of something wrong. If kidney-disease related, it may be interesting to know what happened to it's markers whilst cholestrol suppressed. Any urine or blood test results before & after non-statin?
I would be less concerned about cholesterol and certainly not take a statin. Taking a blood pressure tablet - ACE inhibitors protect the arteries , also try to improve blood flow dailymail.co.uk/health/arti...
Thanks but the chance of mum taking statins is about nil following our own research of websites, videos etc (several including the details in the article you linked). To be honest, we are against all medication as it generally suppresses conditions which we need to know about. So ACE inhibitors may also be off the agenda at least until we've tried a natural approach to address those conditions.
For the last 20 some years my cholesterol levels have averaged around 9.6, I'm 69. The lowest ever recorded with medication was 8.4 15 years ago, no cholesterol meds since then. Now I follow a CKD/ diabetic friendly diet without any medication at all, my Dr tells me my cholesterol is high at 6.4. He hadn't read my records!
Thanks to my diet it has dropped over the last year all by it's self, for me 6.4 is the lowest I have ever recorded.
My diet expressly prohibits highly refined and man made food or substitutes, I have little or no sugar, salt or red meat. I stick with fresh natural foods and only drink water. I stay away from herbs and spices for IBS and generally have little pleasure with my diet! But it has made a good change to the way I feel in general, my kidneys are holding reasonably steady and I'm getting on with life without too much fuss.
I have been poked prodded and tested over the years by specialist and invariable told there is nothing to find, get back to us if you think there is a change. I have not been back.
If somebody had told me I should be only be eating natural fresh foods 5 years ago they would have gotten a very rude retort. Now doing it and finding good results would be the proof in the pudding, but I don't eat deserts either!
Hi thanks, great to hear. Have your CKD markers improved too (figures appreciated)?
Broadly the dietary element of your protocol sounds similar to the one we have developed for mum. It's even more stringent than the one we put her on before since it's possible there's at least early signs of disease in her single kidney (separate post yesterday). But she hasn't recoiled in horror which is a good start.
I may pm you on your diet specifics later if results don't improve and assume that's OK?
It was not my intention to tackle the cholesterol but it is a welcome consequence. My GFR figure has improved a little but not quite back to pre medication levels, lost 15% through medication. I'm on a slow decline but I no longer take any medication for any of my health issues. I have little idea what my diabetes is doing and for the moment not much more of what my kidneys are doing, next test coming soon.
I watch the colour of my urine, for fluid intake, take my BP, because it is unacceptably high, watch my weight and exercise levels religiously. Actually there is very little exercise as I try not to rush at anything like a bull at a gate which was how I spent my life, workaholic. I need to control that because it requires more food to sustain that life style, not easy to do with health issues.
I'm feeling like I have been detoxed even though that is a myth. I have been on this track for some time now so hope it continues. I'm constantly waiting to hit the fan and find I'm wrong. So far not yet.
I feel that the lack of highly refined food or man made anything has been the step forward for me.
It was a struggle initially to have such a restrictive diet but now it doesn't bother me too much. I can cheat if I want, it is only me it effects. I'm used to being salt and sugar free, and have finally succumbed to drinking water. Now everything I taste is too salty or too sweet! The upside is I get to taste the real taste of everything I eat and I have learnt how to cook more than a can of beans!
I have come from failed kidneys, destroyed gut flora and starvation to where I'm at now. living a reasonable life with self imposed restrictions. Not wanting to go back keeps my on track.
To be really frank I have stumbled my way through my health issues and it is just by coincidence I have had an improvement. But now there is an improvement I'll not let it go. I stuck to my diet religiously and found some improvements. It is not a diet I'm happy with but it is what I have had to do for a more comfortable life. I have eased up a little on the strict diet but still follow it as much as possible. Dr's just want to fill me full of drugs that I react to. As yet there isn't a drug made I haven't reacted to, some mildly others have cost me kidney function and the rest have given me the rare side effects that I'm not supposed to get.
I understand my body pretty well now and try to look after it as best I can, I don't have a spare and they have stopped making this model! The one thing I can't answer is what has caused all the health issues I'm dealing with. Is it hereditary, the consequence of poisoning with PBB or is it a reaction to the initial kidney failure through campylobacter. Then again is it just dumb luck. Usually if I can find the answers I can deal with anything that comes my way.
Understood. Whilst we can be sure my own personal medical problem started with a prescription drug, it's less clear with mum's ckd. We believe its possibly a combination of taking hrt (I have a paper indicating that's possible) for >20y added to a high sugar load (hb1ac continuously near upper range) raising bp and inflammation. So hopefully her new, low sugar etc diet and wellbeing protocol will help.
The above paragraph constitutes far more thought than both her GP and nephrologist together since she was diagnosed in 2010!. The GP didn't even tell her she had ckd then and only reacted when she got a kidney tumour in 2017.
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