GFR drop-potassium high

[Hawaiilover]

Just had labs and my GRF dropped from 15 to 10 & creatinine went from 3.16 to 4.67. Potassium level went up too over 5( critical value). I drink at least 64 oz of water a day and watch my potassium, salt & protein intake. Started adding in some plant based proteins. I also take sodium bicarb twice a day with meals to help absorb potassium. Wondering if any thoughts on why this happened? I'm so confused and not sure what to do. I've been fortunate to not have to do dialysis and worried that I may need this before I get a donor & transplant.

[itzmich]

Didn't your Dr explain the test results and what that means. You really need to talk to your Nephrologist.

[Hawaiilover in reply to itzmich]

Result was over the phone. I was told to increase the sodium bicarb an have repeat tests before I see them on Wednesday.

[itzmich in reply to Hawaiilover]

That's good....have a list of questions for him when you go to the doctors. Hoping for the best possible outcome.

[NilsB]

I am so sorry to hear this. You must be very worried. Sadly, I can offer no advice or help, but stay strong.

[Hawaiilover in reply to NilsB]

Thank you

[Bond-007]

Hawaii, i can only speak from my own experience- different labs give different critical value to K. Some may be over 5, but they usually refer to it as High. Not critical. Of course the area from 5.1 to 6 i think can get critical but i showed avery void ER Dr a lab with 5.3 & i think he indicated he wasn’t concerned so much about K. May i ask what your diet consists of & what your Hg & iron panels are?

[Hawaiilover in reply to Bond-007]

I usually have cereal & fruit for breakfast. An apple & salad for lunch(or 1/2 sandwich of low sodium white tuna or chicken) & then supper varies. I've started getting Veggie Patties or plant based chicken nuggets, usually white rice & a veggie.( keeping in portions suggested) snacks are usually popcorn, craisens, fruit or fruit popsicles. Drink water contently throughout the day.

[Bond-007 in reply to Hawaiilover]

Only have oats for cereal. Use oat milk. Avoid dairy. Keep up the apple consumption. Cut the tuna & chicken, if you want add salmon/fish instead for one meal each day on weekends. Increase use of plant based substitutes. Stop the fruit popsicles if they have added sugar. MAybe this will help. Read: “how not to die” by Dr Greger. Use whole food plant based diet. Walk at least 20 mins a day 3-7 days a week as it is comfortable to do so. Get that GFR up to 20+ / get it out the teens. Maybe the diet will do it.

[Hawaiilover in reply to Bond-007]

Thank you for your advice, I will try harder to be more strict.

[orangecity41 NKF Ambassador in reply to Bond-007]

I walk almost every day and I find it helps. I have diet to watch my potassium per my GP.

[Hawaiilover in reply to orangecity41]

In the summer I walk every day about 2 miles but with the cold weather I've been riding my stationary bike inside instead. I try to do 30 minutes a day, usually 5-6 days a week.

[Michael__S]

I don't suffer from high potassium myself but 2 things I know can help are insoluble fibers and exercises. Makes sure to check with your health team first to know your limitations. Did you consulted with a renal dietician? I am pretty sure they'll have much more options at hand.

[Hawaiilover in reply to Michael__S]

I have had a consult with a dietician that told me I could be a little less strict than what I was doing.

[Hidden]

Look into sengal gum . That may help absorb excessive minerals that kidney can’t cope with. Similar situation here no transplant/ dialysis option . Gfr 13 .

[Hawaiilover in reply to Hidden]

Thank you, and good luck to you as well.💕

[rabbit01]

Your egfr is calculated by your creatinine so the two are mathematically linked. So you're never going to get a high creatinine and a high egfr. They are like the opposite ends of a seesaw. You have not mentioned your BUN which is actually far more important to health rather than creatinine which isn't particularly toxic.

Note also that you can have a bad blood test. You could have been suffering from a minor cold or something that could temporarily knocked your egfr lower. It may well pick up at your next blood test. So don't worry too much about one test in isolation.

Talk to your doctor about your concerns. And they can hopefully put your mind at rest.

[Hawaiilover in reply to rabbit01]

Thank you, I will certainly discuss at my appt in a few days. Hopefully next labs will be better.

[Skeptix]

Unless something halts it, CKD is a progressive (in the downwards direction) disease. Are you aware of latest science indicating low/very low protein diets as potentially disease slowing/halting. Per definition, this means no meat of any type (since meat is high in protein content).

What's your BUN reading, for if that's out of spec it can certainly be helped by reducing the amount of protein you consume down to prescribed low/very low levels. BUN is waste product from protein consumption - lower the protein and you lower the waste (BUN).

You say you've "added some plant" which indicates an awareness of plant vs meat protein.

Commiserations on the drop in any event. Unwelcome news always..

[Hawaiilover in reply to Skeptix]

Thank you for the information. My BUN went from 55 to 76.

[Skeptix in reply to Hawaiilover]

I take it that BUN reading is mg/dL? The normal range tops out at about 24 mg/dL.

What you ideally want is your reading to be close to normal as possible. Which means you need to consider reducing the amount of protein you consume. How much do you consume (gr protein / kg body weight?).

It can be tough to hold to a strict diet - especially when the really tasty stuff is the stuff you've to quit! But it does help alot when you see the blood results - you begin to see food as a medicine and get more interested in helping your ailing kidneys. My BUN when from something similar to yours (ca. two times max range) to back within range within a few months of chopping the protein intake right dow (which necessitated going veggie). If you take your foot off your kidneys throat, it's no bad thing.

[Hawaiilover in reply to Skeptix]

Thank you for that explain. I never knew or was told what effected the BUN result or how important it was. Dr always just focused on GFR & Creatinine. I was told to limit protein to 45-50gm/ day but it sounds like I really should be reducing further or cutting it out. I'll discuss further with nephrologist tomorrow.

[Skeptix in reply to Hawaiilover]

If you haven't yet, I'd recommend you buy Lee Hull's "Stopping Kidney Disease". It's a fantastic first-base book to get you into the saddle of driving what's best for your kidneys. Whether you take on board all or some of what he says is less the issue - it's more that you get geared up in your knowledge of things kidneys.

There is hardly a day that goes by here that someone doesn't arrive having being told "not to worry" about their declining kidney function. That from GP's and nephrologists. It was reading Lee Hull that awoke me to protein reduction (something advocated by the 2020 KDOQI guidelines issued by the NKF). Up to then I'd been told to limit red meat, and that was about it. It was me, upon doing my own reading that suggested to my nephrologist that I bump my ACE inhibitor meds. It was me who suggested not going on statins but seeing whether a plant based diet could lower cholesterol (it did).

You in the driving seat. And Lee Hull as first driving instructor.

[Hawaiilover in reply to Skeptix]

Thank you, I will look into getting that book, every bit helps.

[Skeptix in reply to Hawaiilover]

You can get the jist of it using the Look Inside feature on Amazon. It's an overly long book but if you skim it and just read the section of half of the papers he references you'll get quickly up to speed. I gather he's going to edit it down next edition.

You could also trawl through the KDOQI 2020 nutrition guidelines. A dry read but again, useful grounding information.

[Hawaiilover in reply to Skeptix]

Thank you.😊

[Irelandy]

Hi 8 months ago my egfr went from 17 to 14 and I was transferred to a pre dialysis clinic.I Immediately cut out any red meat and upped my water intake my bloods improved to 15,16,17,and 18 ( monthly readings) I replaced with vegetables. I don't feel any better but I've postponed dialysis.

I hope this helps good luck and stay strong.

[Hawaiilover in reply to Irelandy]

Thank you! I feel that plant based is what I need to do all the time now. I'm trying to get used to it, but there are alit of veggies I don't like so that's where I have issues. I'm always hungry and trying to find things I like that taste good. It's a process I am working on.

[Irelandy in reply to Hawaiilover]

I still eat chicken and salmon two or three times a week and I prepare a tomato sauce onions, peppers, garlic and mushrooms. I have this with wholewheat pasta, then I add barlotti beans and chilli to make a chilli which I have with rice. I also have lentil curries, and a chicken risotto. I also make soups using a blender to get them nice and thick, they're also very filling.After a few weeks I didn't miss meat and I was encouraged to stay on the path once the egfr began to go up. I wish you well.

[RhenDutchess123]

Try to stay with your plant based diet....But if you need to go to Dialysis...its okay..You will feel better and be able to feed your other organs and easier to keep stable labs with alot more food choices...I have been on PD for a year now...and Life is good...do my Dialysis at night while I sleep and my days belong to me...and I actually feel like doing things again...let us know how your Doctor Visit goes...❤

[Hawaiilover in reply to RhenDutchess123]

Thank you, I'll mention discuss that at my appt.

[orangecity41 NKF Ambassador]

I too was hungry when I first went on prescribed CKD diet, but system did get used to it and after a while was not hungry.

[Hawk12]

I also had high potassium and was put on Valtassa, which worked very well to lower my potassium and allowed me to eat things that were high in potassium. Comes in a powder that you stir with water. Only side effect was some constipation.

[Hawaiilover in reply to Hawk12]

Good to know, thank you!

[Blc2345]

Some of the plant based meats can have potassium additives, so you may want to look out for that if you suddenly had high potassium after starting to include those in your diet

[Hawaiilover in reply to Blc2345]

Thank you, I'm really trying to read labels more closely.