I recently have been diagnosed with kidney failure.
I don’t know much about what the numbers mean and what I need to do to keep them improving. I know diet and exercise is considered to be the treatment, am I right?
Knowledge is power so I need to learn all I can about what has happened to me.
Welcome to a forum where we share information and support. Many of us a prescribed diet has helped. National Kidney Foundation is a good source for information. I was diagnosed at level 3 when I was 75 years old. I also attended a class given by Davita which was a big help. Here is a link to NKF that explains the eGFR (estimate Glomerular Filtration Rate) levels. kidney.org/atoz/content/gfr
Thank you that was very helpful.
Hi Daneal,
Welcome to our community filled with many knowledgeable, compassionate people who will always be here to talk and share our journeys.
You mentioned that you are in kidney failure; be it from CKD or another kidney disorder, so I can well imagine the frustration that you must be feeling not being able to decipher your labs and how to go forward to improve.
At this point, make a copy of your last two sets of labs as well as a list of questions regarding your kidney issues and make an appointment with the nephrologist who diagnosed you.
If you have a family member or close friend who can accompany you to the appointment to scribe for you ask; this will give you the chance to focus on the discussion and have a second set of ears noting what is said.
Make sure all questions have been answered, treatment is discussed and that you leave with a Health Action Plan is set up for you.
You are absolutely correct about diet, exercise and water consumption are key to improvement or stopping progression.
Kidney patients eat a diet which is low sodium, low protein which avoids red meats, processed foods and foods high in potassium and phosphorous. Fresh or fresh frozen vegetables and fresh fruits are key.
Ask your doctor for a referral to a renal dietician who will make food suggestions and quantities based on your labs which are appetizing, nutritious and geared to your needs.
You will hear about plant based or partially plant based diets, which are good for some but not for everyone as every patient is different. What may be good for one person may not be best for another.
Orange City has given you great advice and links to get you started. Take a look.
Below is a link to Davita and their Smart Class. See if there is one in your area. It's informative and free.
Many of us have taken the class and found it great.
davita.com/?gclid=Cj0KCQiAu...
Remember that this is all a process.
Please stay positive and feel free to reach out to any of us at any time. You are among friends.
Bet
Check out the book: "Help, I Need Dialysis!"Also kidneyschool.org
AAKP
NKF
AKF
Home Dialysis Central
Blessings
I wish I can catalog my sharings so it can be searchable. But the link below should provide some semblance of preparing for your long journey. I have a few others shares that are also applicable - hope you can look at them.
Take care and hope this helps
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Welcome and yes kidney disease is scary but knowledge is powerful . Yes Davila has great info . Your doctor should tell you what stage you are in . If he did not on the davita web site there a gfr cavil put put in your age and whatever your lab creatinine show like 3.1 4.0 ect your gfr is what your kidney function is . I was able to control by diet for years but now I’m in kidney failure but my is polycystic kidney disease . Find out from your doctor what cause your kidney disease it could be many things from diabetes high blood pressure different kidney disease and even medicine
Best of luck to you
Hi Daneal. I'm a caregiver to my hubby who went into kidney failure, was placed on dialysis, and then recently received a transplant. Since you've been diagnosed with kidney disease, now is a wonderful time to find out why they're struggling. Kidneys rarely fail on their own - there's generally a reason behind it - be it diabetes, high blood pressure, autoimmune disorders, and more. The reason will determine the path to take in correcting and/or halting it. So push for clarification now. Sending positivity your way that you will soon see your way to a great outcome!
Oh my gosh, where to start. I'm Ron, age 68. Not too far from starting dialysis. Be happy to share my road over the last 10 years with you, but other's have given you a great start already. It's a process, but very doable so far for me (easy for me to say since I don't have some of the complications that others have on here). And those complications will determine which path you will eventually take. I have PKD (Polycystic Kidney Disease), which is a different path from those who's kidney disease comes from diabetes, or an accident, or medication, etc. So share what you will of your diagnosis and others with a similar "path" will jump in and offer their story. I also wish there was a easy "library" of posts on here that a newbie could be directed to, but that might be a tad overwhelming, (trying to remember when I first joined on here). But just know, if you keep coming back to this forum, over time, you will gain a ton of information that your doc will most likely never give you. Some you will be able to apply to your "path". Other info will not apply to you at all (like my PKD stuff). But reading some of it will make you much better aware of the total kidney disease picture and community that you are now a part of. Feel free to ping any of us with a "reply" whenever you have a question or feel like sharing more of your "story" or path, either superficially, or digging deep into the lab results numbers and all that.
Hi Daneal1,
Welcome to the forum.
Just want to make sure you mean failure and not kidney disease as they are vastly different.
I hope you've found a Nephrologist that you trust, and a good renal dietician. If you are in failure you will be getting info on dialysis when your eGFR reaches a certain number or depending how you feel. There are DaVita Dialysis Centers in most big cities.
You can also go to the DaVita Website and take their online classes. I'm taking one tomorrow. I was signed up last month but my computer speaker broke and I couldn't hear anything. I hope I'm all systems go for tomorrow.
There are classes weekly at different times of day.
If you have high BP or Type 2 Diabetes make sure to get and keep them under control.
Best of luck to you. I hope you'll check back often and join in with the forum.
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