Update

[amanda0675]

Sorry all for not posting in a while. I am a high school counselor and we have been on summer break. I have been doing some mini renovations around my house, traveling and honestly getting caught up on sleep and family time from the craziness of the last year and a half.

I went to my GP last week for lab work. My creatinine level is now up to 1.4 and my efgr is 41. She tried to make a referral to a nephrologist back in the winter and their response was for my GP to monitor me...no we will consult with you and follow her, nothing. Needless to say my GP is not very happy with this group. (Please know that I live in a small town). She is going to make a referral to this group again and if they act they way they did the last time, then she is going to make a referral to nephrologists at Baptist Hospital or UNC Chapel Hill Medical Center.

I am on a low sodium diet and also trying to balance my fluid intakes as well. Hope everyone here is well!!!

[orangecity41 NKF Ambassador]

Thanks for the update. Hopefully things will work out with your next appointment. It is good your GP is monitoring this, and will help you get a referral to a Nephrologist. Your diet is important too.

[drmind]

Insist on going to a nephrologist at the hospital or medical center. You already know that the local nephrologists are either too busy or not interested enough to give you an appt. It seems as if nephrology as a whole has some unwritten laws as to when and if they see patients and then don't let us know what the rules are! Given your numbers, it seems as if you should be seen at least to guide you into slowing the progression. Too many of us have been left without help in our early stages when we could have been more proactive in our own behalf. Please let us know how things turn out. We care .

[amanda0675 in reply to drmind]

Thanks and I agree. I did tell my doctor I would prefer one of the nephrologists at the medical centers (which in doing my research I have heard great things about), as opposed to the previous group she made the referral too. I am with you it seems that they would be more concerned with helping slow the process and at least talking with me instead of just making me feel as if I am not important enough to them.

[Skeptix]

Low sodium and balancing your fluid intake?

Whatever about the various views on here, you becoming chief medical officer for your condition appears to find universal agreement.

It appears there are a few more steps you can take than salt and h2o. Lee Hull's "Stopping Kidney Disease" is a good place to start educating yourself. There is no one size fits all but that book will begin to get you into the zone.

I'm egfr mid 30's and I don't balance fluids .. for instance

[amanda0675 in reply to Skeptix]

I appreciate your feedback, but all of this is on the advice of my GP for the time being

[Skeptix]

Understood. The point was more "sodium and balance fluid intake - that's it?? At eGFR 41??" and that you need to begin to exceed the very limited knowledge of your GP.

Indeed, if your nephrologist is operating according to ancient wisdom (a not-uncommon observation around here) and not according to the latest science, you'll probably need to exceed there too.

[Boxster2]

I agree with Skeptix. You are the Chief Medical Officer for your health or atleast until you are able to obtaun the services of a more knowledgeable health care provider. There is a wealth of very reliable information on line that we all have access to. We just have to do some work. I think our kidney health is worth the effort. I have read Lee Hulls book and it is a treasure of information but some people find it difficult to read due to the medical jargon but at the end of each chapter, he often summarizes the effective take aways. In addition, i have found Dadvice TV on you tube to be easy to understand and very helpful. The host has regular guests including a knowledgeable renal dietician and an extremely experienced researcher and nephrologist on each week. He has written a very easy book to read as well. I have no official affiliation with the site but pls check it out. Very cheeful, upbeat and encouraging with very real life experience thrown in. Good luck!