My kidney function blood test which I have annually as I am treated fir high blood pressure (well controlled) dropped from 82 to 66 in a year.
I have to have another test soon but I am frankly terrified at such a large difference in numbers. Also there was a little protein in urinr
Can anyone help ? I know we are not drs but just wondered if these things can fluctuate ? Looking fir any info or experience or anything really
Hi Altarica, stay strong, Im going through the same journey. My PD whim I have seen fir the last 5 years doesn’t seem to be concerned about my protein leakage but I am. After my next blood tests I’m going to ask fir a referral to a nephrologist. My numbers are similar to yours..
Each blood lab is but a snapshot of that point in time. Tests can vary from week to week. To ensure the most consistent numbers be careful with what you eat, how much you exercise in the two to three days prior to the lab draw, don't skip any of your medications, and stay well hydrated with water.All of that is critical to slowing the progression of CKD and must be followed to keep you healthy and provide the most consistent labs possible.
Best of luck.
Thank you for the sensible advice. So with what I eat maybe keep, protein low? And skip any alcohol? And exercise ? Is it good or not? Also I have piled on some weight during lockdown and wonder how that affected the reading? As I don’t know how they calculate the egfr and have read it may be skewed by increased bmi? So sorry for all these questions and thank you for your time
Keeping your protein low is a good start. How low will be determined by you and a Renal Dietitian based on your lab reports. Other numbers on the labs they will look at in addition to your protein are your potassium, phosphorus, sodium, and calcium. Serum creatinine and albumin are other numbers that will be looked at to develop the meal plan specific to your needs.Minimizing alcohol consumption will be another positive step. No smoking will also help. Some exercise, determined by your physician(s) will also be a positive step. Talk to the doctors and devise something that you can do year-round, indoors, or outdoors. Just avoid doing something too strenuous a couple of days prior to labs.
Having a chronic illness, like Kidney Disease is about lifestyle changes. You must be consistent and stick with it every day to slow the progression. I was diagnosed in June of 2017 with a GFR of 32. Since then, and doing all of the things I've mentioned, my GFR has gone up substantially and my average GFR has been 53.
You can go to the davita.com website and sign up for a free, 90-minute Kidney Smart class. You'll be given a wealth of information and resources to help you get started. If you'd also like to go to kidneyschool.org and view their learning modules. Take lots of notes and ask your nephrologist any questions you come up with.
The nephrologist may also order an ultrasound to try to determine the cause of your CKD. Diabetes and high blood pressure are the two leading causes of CKD but there are other ways so be prepared for that.
Best of luck.
Thank you so much for all the information, I will be having a look at the things you suggested and learning all I can . Your help has been much appreciated. The more I can learn and understand the better I will feel
There are a couple of other sites I can recommend to you. You might want to use labtestsonline.org and then go to TESTS. Anytime you receive copies of your lab results and have questions you can go there and enter the name or initials of the test and get an easy to understand explanation of what the test was about. The other site is drugs.com and they have a free app for your phone. When my doctor wants to prescribe a new med, I first check it out there. I look for interactions with food and other meds. I can then question my doctor about the interactions and side effects of each med before I spend money filling the script. You can set up a free account and list all of your meds and receive instant notification of any possible issues. Not every person will have to deal with each side effect or interaction but it will give you things to watch for should any develop.
Best of luck.
Thank you again - this is all so helpful and I will learn all I can to be proactive in dealing with it. The links to the other sites are very useful too - I am inspired to know you raised your numbers as I didn’t realise it was possible so that gives me much hope that I can improve things
Mr kidney, I just want to say you’re super informative with CKD, BP, and DB2 info ... Bless ur ❤️ With the knowledge you pass on.. I sure improved my Labs numbers to the point am now going to Dr’s every 6 months..as my GFR is now 77, A1C 5.6 am off meds , Creatinine 88, cholesterol all below normal... followed by my Plant Base life style changes ... be safe , Happy Thanksgiving...
Congratulations on your progress Gemcar13...you give us hope. Life style changes while hard definitely make a difference. Do you eat meat, chicken or fish or is it all vegetarian?
I eat fish, shrimp mackerel, salmon, yellow snapper, sardines, in moderation an all vegetables , No cans or process foods...it’s hard in the beginning but after 10 months.. an great Labs an off the DB2 meds, no more cholesterol issues.. .. just watch the potassium, sodium, an it’s all good.. as I mentioned I read a lot of the Info Mr kidney listed..all the sites. Good luck you can do it. Just remember it’s a lifestyle changes .Be safe ... Happy Thanksgiving.
A leading kidney organisation quotes to have daily 1g of protein per kg of body weight. So one effect of raised BMI on diet is implicit from that.
Here is a link to eGFR calculation and information. There are 2 kinds of tests, EPI and MRD. As the test results may vary, depending on many factors, such as what you have eaten , or drank etc. . Was the test taken at the same Lab? Suggestion to keep track of your eGFR test results and do an average. Do you have a diet plan? kidney.org/professionals/KD...
Thank you for the link - It will help me when I get a printout of my blood tests to understand how it was calculated. Yes I guess it was same lab each time as tests done at same drs practice - but I wondered if the weight/ bmi increase in a relatively short time would have skewed the results at all as they seem to be based on an average weight person. Well I am certainly dieting to reduce it now - don’t have actual diet plan as yet . Just eating less and checking calories
Here is a link to article by NIH which gives link to a pdf file for tracking CKD test results.
See if your dr.'s office has a website. I am very lucky to get seen at the local hospital, so all my bloodwork/tests are listed, for 10 years, so I can go on there and print out my last 20 creatinine levels, etc... it's REALLY helpful to see if what your doing is working well or not, and meds too, you can keep an eye on BP meds and electrolytes too. I can print out graphs of egfr, etc.
as mr kidney says - one lab does not present your outlook. It could have been you were dehydrated , weight gain, etc. Eat healthy, stay hydrated and try to get back to your original weight and redraw again. Im betting you will be shocked by the difference 
At first I was shocked that my egfr was like a rollercoaster driven by a blindfolded drunk monkey! Now I monitor my labs, and follow an esrd diet (most times), take my meds religiously, and it still fluctuates around 40-50's. I have accepted as long as I am doing all I can, and it stays there, I'm not on dialysis, all is GOOD!
Thank you for telling me this - i thought at first that we couldn’t make a difference but it seems we can so I am now dieting , hydrating more and learning all I can to improve things
No matter what; I just try to think that all this, is WAY better than the options......... (nothing at all, no treatment, no meds, etc) This crap in 3a is like being hungover and itchy, bitchy and tired all day, and retaining water, but STILL, is better than the other choices........... I've made it 57 years, and I refuse to let this stuff take me out of the game! I mistakenly think going onto PD at this point would be a blessing, get all the toxins out on a daily basis, but it would just be a new set of pros and cons....
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