Here I am, I’m 41 and went to a optometrist and they noticed issues with my eyes. They referred me to a specialist and it was determined in had hypertension. I began a regime of pills that cause my anxiety to flair up and I was eventually admitted to the hospital. I was in ICU for 3 days worrying if I’d ever see my kids again. I got out and had a goal to crush hypertension. I lost 40lbs and my BP is under control. While in the doctors care I was told about my kidney condition and that my GFR was impacted by my BP and had caused acute kidney damage. I was advised that it could be turned around if I lowered the blood pressure. Prior to leaving the hospital my GFr went from 37 to 44. My blood pressure has been below 130/80 for about a month and I went to get labs and there was a improvement from 44 to 48. Although I’m happy it improved but I was hopeful that I’d see a bigger jump. Perhaps my BP has not been low long enough for the kidneys to heal some and regain more function or this is where I actually am. I’m not certain but I’ve read many posts and I see many success stories and I know I’m not alone . My anxiety is killing me since I got the news a few days ago but reading everything people are going through and succeeding for many years has helped. I know I could possibly stay at this stage for many years without progressing but the worry won’t go away. Just thought I’d share my experience and get this off my chest. I have a follow up in 4 months and hopefully things have improved.
Wow CKD, I couldn’t have imagined - Kidney Disease
Wow CKD, I couldn’t have imagined
Welcome. You have come to a good forum for support and information on CKD. Please keep us posted on your progress.
Thanks. I most certainly will. This site is just what i needed
Hi and welcome to the community. Lowering your blood pressure and keeping it under control is a great first step. A kidney-friendly meal plan will be a big part of slowing the progression of CKD. Ask for a referral to meet with a renal dietitian. Bring as many hard copies of your previous lab reports and togetheryou can design a meal plan that will work for you. If you want to find one near you go to eatrightorg and once there look in the upper right-hand corner for a Find An Expert box and click on it and enter your zip code to find ones near you. Be sure to keep your sodium intake under control as excessive sodium can raise your BP and further hamper your kidney function. In addition to controlling sodium, you'll have to keep your protein, potassium, phosphorus, and calcium under control.
I have CKD and both my diabetes and hypertension were the cause. I take medications for HBP and control diabetes with proper eating and exercise.
Be sure your physician(s) work with you to develop an exercise regimen that will be safe and doable for you.
You might also go to davita.com and register for a free, virtual, Kidney Smart class. You'll get plenty of information and resources to help you on your journey.
Also on the DaVita site look for their RECIPES tab and check on those. You will have to adjust each recipe to fit your wants and needs. The RD will show you how to manage those changes.
Finally, the best way to lower your anxiety level is to be proactive. Learn all you can about CKD and your other health issues and then you can feel more in control and be able to handle dealing with a chronic health issue.
Best of luck.
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Thank you for the information. Much appreciated
Hi, Hamp92, I remember how shocked and frightened I was when first diagnosed with CKD over a year ago. I also am on meds for h.p. and was diagnosed with pre-diabetes.
My first move was to research and learn as much as I could about kidney disease from Mayo Clinic and national kidney sponsored sites.
Finding this H. U. patient forum was the best confidence boost I could have discovered because like orangecity41 and Mr._Kidney, there are additional, long term, highly knowledgeable kidney patients on this forum who are generous in sharing helpful links while also sharing what they've learned that has helped them and now so many others along the way.
Seeing a nephrologist, and learning how to interpret and track my kidney labs from the kidneyschool.org (which also has other learning modules), along with a dietitian's great meal plan for combined diabetes and ckd were instrumental in my improving both my diabetes and ckd scores.
While we aren't docs here, we are here to support one another and importantly, we understand that while there is no cure for CKD, we can learn better ways to manage and maintain our individual kidney function.
Hope you'll check in regularly with your questions and progress knowing that you are not alone and that you can take self-care steps with diet and exercise along with questions to your doc for help along the way.
Yes I will do all that you suggest. I can’t stop researching and finding ways to halt the progress.
My blood pressure was normal and the Rheumatoid in remission then bang I had a reaction to a common and well known medication. It's rare, in fact very rare, and I spent 14 days in the ICU and came out with GFR of 8 in October 2018. It's now a GFR of 22/24 but its been a slow recovery. I was advised no grapes, bananas or baked beans and drink lots but otherwise it's up to luck as nothing else could be done. I had had steroids in high dose but that didn't work and so just had to be patient. It hasn't been easy and the fatigue has been dreadful but it has got better and if I can get to GFR 30 I'll be content. It's changed my life and along the way I've learnt to take each day as it comes and accept that I can't just rush around as I used too. I do exercise and am otherwise healthy in fact my blood is really good except for the GFR.
Great advice. One day at a time. I have to keep reminding myself.
I am an insulin dependent diabetic. My blood pressure is good. I have always used a lot of salt. My GFR was 29. Boy, did that information hit me hard! I had been on Metformin for my diabetes for many years. My doctor had me stop that and I put away the salt shaker. My cardiologist checked my labs about two weeks later and my GFR was up to 37. I’m still staying away from added salt, reading nutrition labels and drinking more water. I just pray that number goes up or at least stays the same.
Stage 5 CKD 
Do I need another opinion?
Still here.
How can I make my GFR go up? 
