I am GFR 49 and have stayed steady for about 6 months. I want to know if gaining weight suddenly is significant. Just a couple of pounds, but very unusual for me.
I am vegan since my diagnosis 1 year ago and am 70. No diabetes or heart disease or high blood pressure. I am overweight and trying to lose . Since going vegan I am losing slowly. My kidneys were damaged by a drug I have taken for 30 years for Ulcerative colitis.
Is weight gain a cause for concern?
Couldn't say. Fluid retention could cause it. I put on a kg when I started bumping my hydration - it stabilised out at that.
You weighing yourself at a standard time (like before breakfast/fluid intake and after relieving yourself?
What was the med that caused the problem if you don't mind my asking?
And what drove you to the vegan diet?
The drug for Ulcerative colitis is Mesalamine. They put everyone on it. I have been on it for 30 or more years.
As for the vegan:
I did a lot research in medical sources and found something I had never seen before. All animal protein meat, poultry, dairy, fish etc is acid . The kidneys have a had time processing acids and do better on all vegetable proteins which are alkaline like beans. You have to be careful to watch potassium and phosphorus, . but that has never been a problem. I eat a lot of green peas and beans, almonds, There are lists for this online. I don't eat potatoes, tomatoes and some fruit as they are too acid or too much potassium or phosphorus. I went no salt and sodium. I have cut Mesalamine dose by half successfully. The vegan diet has improved my Ulcerative Colitis remarkably. I am just trying to have a stable GFR and creatinine.
Interestink!
I had a proctitis flare (3rd in 18 years or so) in mid June which is dragging along. The other two cleared fairly swiftly after some budenoside and mesalazine suppositories.
I had Covid in Jan th8s year and got the start of a flare as I was on the mend, but it halted of own accord. Then I switched to a vegan, low protein diet mid May and a month or so later this latest flare started which persists to date
I've backed off the fruit part and the last few days have seen me halt coffee, beer (4-5 a week), onions & spice foods. I feel a little better from that so will see how it goes.
Any suggestions for what else to do (procitis specific)
Noted on the mesalazine. Not keen on it myself and dodged a bullet (in retrospect) when a gastro wanted to put me on maintenance mesalazine for life after the previous flare cleared up. That was about 5 years ago. 1st flare (as it was then) in 13 odd years since the very first one ... and a life med???
Interesting you found that diet - a lot of folk reading a guy called Lee Hull who promotes low protein, vegan diets.
If you can control your proctitis without the mesalamine maintenance dose , I would. On the other hand, a maintenance dose may not be as harmful as the dose I took for 30 years. I was on Maximum dose of 12 capsules of 400 mg ( 4800 mg) each per day to stay in control. During flares I was hospitalized twice and given steroids to stop the flare. I hate the steroids as much as any drug I have ever taken. I was on a high dose for 4 or 5 months with a taper each time. You have to make the diet changes that work for you and see how it affects your proctitis. I have been unable to go below 2400 Mg of mesalamine in spite of what I know is happening to my kidneys. My only other option is to have my colon taken out and in this time of covid I don't want to be in the hospital. In my state there are no beds anyway, so not a choice. I feel good on my vegan diet( i am very strict) so will carry on as I am doing now. I am also, low protein. Not by choice, it is just difficult to get enough protein on the vegetables I am allowed to eat. That turns out to be ok since a little lower protein is easier for kidneys. I am learning as I go, what is good for me and my Kidneys, as I study the science .
Are you still taking Albutrix? I thought you took a break from it when you had your flair? If you did take a break from it, where do you get your protein from? I am still struggling getting enough protein since I stopped it.
HI, One or two pounds can be simply water weight or constipation. The rule we were taught for nursing homecare was 5 pounds, call the doctor. My normal is to put on 2 pounds from the morning to the night, unless I work out. That is all the fluid I drink during the day. Weigh yourself in the am, naked and after you have your morning constitution. The do the same thing, same time. If it is 2 pounds gained every day, then call the doctor
Bassetmommer is correct in that your weight gain is probably water weight. As she suggested weigh yourself everyday at the same time. My nephrologist said to worry if it's in the 3-5 # range gain. It could be that you need to cut back on your salt intake. CKD patients usually are on a no-added salt diet. For me, the water weight was settling in my feet and ankles, edema. My doctor said that this was a sign that my kidneys were not working as well as they should be.Make sure you keep track of your weight and talk to your nephrologist or PCP about this. I t may be if it continues that you will need to take a water pill like Lasix. Your doctor will decide though if it's time to take a water pill or not
If it's less than 3lbs I'd write it off to water retention in myself. I am on a diuretic but I'm supposed to limit its use as much as possible due to my CKD as it is harmful to the kidneys. On the days I don't take Lasix I gain one pound per day. I've gained as much as 6 - 8 pounds in one week and my feet are so swollen I can't fit into a single pair of shoes. Press your index finger into the side of your foot, the front of your shins, or the tops of your feet and see if it leaves an indentation. If so, you have edema. You should discuss it with your PCP or Neph. if it continues and nothing else is changing in your diet or fluid consumption or salt consumption. There are foods you can add to your diet that are natural diuretics like cucumbers, beets, melons, etc. Good luck.
Weight Loss
Losing weight, but not intentional.
Nearly Hit Stage 2
On A Plant Based Diet I Raised My GFR From Stage 4 26 to stage 3b 41
