I am another candidate(30Y) who shares the diagnosis of Stage 3 CKD with GFR at 35 ;Creat at 2.1 to 2.4 . No symptoms or anything. I do leak protein in urine. Trying to process and read a lot about this condition. My Physician started me on Antihypertensive drugs and uric acid ones. I have been taking this since the end of Nov 2022.My family did have hypertension but even before i knew about this CKD condition, i had been monitoring my BP since 2021. It was around stage 1 hypertension.(Avg Bp was 140/100). I didn't think too much about it and surprised if such a value could inflict damage to the kidney.
Food perspective: I have been a person who had control on diet and food. Vegetarian all through my life without any meat intake at all. No Alcohol nor smoking. There may have been instances where i have had drink on ne year occasion but not a drinker myself. I don't buy or own alcohol nor drink alone. I had even cut out on soda pops and ice cream since 2020. I do take dairy such as milk from the stores. I have eaten processed foods/frozen foods. * any inputs on food is much appreciated*
my primary concerns:
1: does anyone know how long can one be in stage 3 with medications(antihypertensive)?. I am not able to understand how one progresses to stage 4 or ESRD . is it fast, sudden or slow? or does it vary from people to people based on their root clinical cause of the condition. Please mention answer in years.
2: I dont know my root cause. I havent done biopsy as the physician says kidneys are small(ultrasound report). kind of risky. Any other tests that predict root clinical cause? Does MRI help?. Anyone with a small kidney with a size of 8 cm gone through biopsy?
3: All my other organ parameters are fine except this kidney one. I dont even have a family history of this issue. I dont get it. Does this GFR ever improve at all?
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kanna089
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You sound remarkably disciplined, so congratulations to already be on a healthy diet. I have found that eliminating as much salt/sodium as possible, together with medications, brought down my blood pressure. Be careful about processed food, as you want to cut out as much salt/sodium as possible, and processed food usually uses sodium as a preservative. Your best move is to get a referral to a nephrologist and to ask for a renal nutritionist.
You were right when you said progression depends on your specific case. For stage 3 I'm guessing years, but I don't know, I think it depends a little on your age and how much proteinuria you have. Since diet and BP management are our only tools at this stage, and your bp is managed, and you are able to control what you eat, I'd suggest going all out with diet and drinking lots of water and little or no salt. Lee Hull is a guy with kidney disease and proteinuria who describes his journey with diet in a book (don't remember the name) and founded kidneyhood.org, which sells protein supplements specifically for kidney patients that has magnesium rather than nitrogen as the "backbone" of the protein. They are about a dollar per pill though, and they recommend 6 a day to supplement a purely vegetarian diet. Years in stage 3 also depends on major illnesses or other bodily trauma, and somewhat your anxiety level and other non-diet variables.
From Web MD: "progression of kidney damage into stage 4 kidney disease was sporadic. The study found that people with stage 3B were often more at risk for mortality and other diseases than people with stage 3A kidney disease." I guess you're just going to have to wait and see what happens in your case. Best of luck.
As stated earlier, stage 3 kidney disease does not often statistically lead to stage 4 kidney disease. However, it also does predispose someone to mortality more than not having any kidney disease at all.
If you have stage 3 kidney disease, you shouldn’t expect to feel many severe symptoms. It should be a time to reevaluate your habits, make treatment plans with your doctor or doctors, and focus on staying healthy. The most important elements to preventing kidney failure are keeping medical appointments, taking your medications, having a healthy lifestyle, and monitoring your blood pressure and blood sugar. "
I would stay as far away as possible from the so called protein supplement pills. This reminds me of the two scam supplements I see advertised on the Fox news channel in the US. They are Balance of Nature and Relief Factor. None of these are FDA approved, are most likely placebos, and have absolutely no health benefit whatsoever. It's just somebody lining their pockets and making a ton of money. Six pills a day at a dollar each? Sheeeeesh!
On the age part of CKD. I am 81 and was diagnosed at 3b, 6 years ago, and put on appropriate CKD diet , and the progression has slowed. I also exercise. BP in normal range.
You're right to suggest that diet is important but personally I think it may be wrong just to repeat others' since we are all different with some different reasons for the cause CKD. For example, my mum has almost doubled her eGFR to ~60 and weaned off a BP tablet (now drug-free) in ~5y by following personalised, Nutritional Therapy guidelines. She has not followed a CKD diet although there are some similarities. And her eGFR has slipped back if she slips off the diet.
For the reason stated in my 1st paragraph, I suggest you seek a Nutritional Therapist.
Glad to know the possibility of doubling one's GFR. I certainly would like to minimize tablet intake going forward. will look into and find out a nutritional therapist/renal dietcian. Thank you for the input.
The good news is you might never go to stage 4 and the bad news is it could happen at any time. Without a true cause, it might just be the way you are. Keeping a good CKD diet will certainly help. Seeing a dietician who is well versed and up to date on CKD diets, plant based information is the way to go. Even if you don't go totally plant based, making foods that are not animal based protein your main consumption will help. Stay away from processed foods. Keeping you BP low, 120/60or70 will be a benefit. Not having diabetes, or other comorbidities will also be a benefit. It may be years or never and with making those few changes you might even see an improvement. Best to you.
thank you for this info. Certainly helps me learn that there is positive side of not progressing at all. Some comfort in a possibility . will explore option of CKD diet. My current source of animal protein intake has been dairy products. will try to move away from them. fortunately no other comorbidities,
Of all the animal protein hardest to process for the kidneys is dairy, milk and cream especially. I switched to almond products and love them. In response to your number below, 120/90... the 90 is very high. So you really are not in control. The top number is good but it is way more important to get that 90 down to 70 or lower. Yoga is good for stretching, breathing but it is not aerobic. Walking, swimming, biking activities are. See if you can incorporate on of these. Start slow, find a group of people to work out with and have fun doing it. Makes all the difference.
Leaking protein is your biggest concern. Studies show go plant based and reduce your protein intake to 20 to 30 grams. Do your research. And get on an ACE or and ARB to control you highbp. Last if you are not exercising. Better start because your heart is directly linked to your kidneys
yep. I am on ARB. it does seem in control now. 120/90 range. Definitely getting some exercise. As i think while i type, a question that came up is can one can do Yoga.?
Keep an eye on ALL of your lab values not just eGFR. I did the low protein and it dropped my ALB (serum protein) to 2.9 and I'm having a devil of a time raising it. Get either MyFitnessPal or Chronometer and tracks all of your food. Check sodium, potassium, phosphorus levels. I couldn't get enough calories on plant based to I eat some chicken once or twice a week.
it varies person to person. I do leak proteinuria, and they decided not to biopsy me either. That said, with good exercise, healthy diet, and drinking water, it took me about 12 years to move from stage 3 to stage 4.
I’ve been stage 4 since 1996. I was initially diagnosed with CKD and suffered from a treatment mistake by an ER doctor that led to multi-organ failure and I crashed on the ER table. Woke up 5 days later on a ventilator in the ICU. My wife and parents had procured another group of doctors, my lead doctor a gastroenterologist who had been in practice several years first words to me were, “my apologies Todd but you are going to die in the hospital. I’ll do all I can as will my team and he proceeded to then introduce my other 3 doctors. Other than the initial shocking statement from him, they worked their ass off administering treatments not yet officially approved to save my life. No eGFR tests in 1996. In the hospital that first week when both my care team and my loved ones were sure I was going to die, since they never told me, I didn’t realize how sick I was. Four years later both my primary doctors shared with me their conviction I would die in the hospital most probably in that first month. Between their care, innovative efforts, and real concern over how sick I was (never told me that scary news!). Anyway, I was initially diagnosed with CKD stage 4 due to (most likely) undisclosed but diagnosed HBP and hyperlipidemia at age 17 and 19 respectively. on at least 4 of my Army physicals in my 10 years of service. 8 days later I had the multi organ failure so I really don’t know if the multi-organ failure made my already diagnosed condition worse or if it really didn’t matter considering I made a complete recovery lab values measuring kidney function we’re basically the same pre organ failure versus post after a years recovery. I firmly believe the doctors efforts, genuine care for my well-being and innovative/treatment protocols (along with the hand of God) saved my life. Further I have been stage 4 since 1996, with an average eGFR lab value of about 17-23. So I’m coming up on 27 years since that nearly fatal health crisis. Then beginning about two years later, over a period of about 10 years had 20 orthopedic surgeries culminating in bilateral total knee replacements (ages 32-45ish). Surgeries caused my numbers to decrease as they stressed my body but kidneys always bounced back. I made a point to live a life as I had been trained to do in the Army and by sports coaches in high school and college, Work out as often as I could trying to average at least 4/5 days a week of aerobic exercise and 3 days of light weight high repetitions strength training. I maintained that as well as eating as healthy as I could control portion size and number of meals per day. However, I cannot stand the taste nor texture of most vegetables and eat a modified Mediterranean diet without red meat (okay 1steak a year on New Years Day(I enjoyed the Rib-eye today!) mostly for me and my specific disease as long as I keep weight below 210 and exercise at least 3/5 days a week I can keep my BP in check. Oh during the additional 27 years(so far!) the doctors and the Creator have granted me, I remarried, had two beautiful kids now 25 and 21 (who I never see anymore…lol!) opened a small business and spent nearly 25 years helping 500 plus folks reach their financial goals. I’ve been blessed with an awesome life and truly believe every year since ‘96 has been a gift for God. If you eat correctly, educate yourself about your specific conditions to the level you are the smartest person in the room on your specific issues, follow the conservative measures you can control to help manage your specific disease, find a trusted medical professional willing to spend time with you, takes an active interest in managing your disease, answers your questions directly and plainly without shying away from explaining all health issues and concerns even the bad news that we all occasionally receive, and refers you to specialists as needed that is a key tool. Educating yourself on quality websites to at least have a firm understanding of your health concerns to have intelligent discussions with any doctor who may be treating you, without putting complete trust in said doctor I also believe is essential. There is no better advocate than you for you and your health. If you grant the doctor the position of complete trust I believe you run the risk of suffering, as I did, from a doctors mistake that might put you in the hospital for several months or cost you your life as it nearly cost me mine not from negligence but just a human mistake. While we must rely on doctors don’t give them the power of control over your specific care always maintain control of your health care by being as educated as possible in your health conditions and working with your doctors as a team. The best type of relationship you should be actively looking for and don’t hesitate to change doctors until you find the best doc available who works with you DOESN'T dicta what’s best and doesn’t include you in your own care. Our disease is progressive and while you may read occasionally of just a change in diet or lifestyle modification did raise an individual reading 30 points or by just reducing sodium and protein they went from CKD stage 4 levels to much higher those are the exception not the norm and might be AKI mistaken for CKD which often times allows for such improvements. Most of us don’t improve lab levels to that degree and your goal is to maintain (or improve but don’t set yourself up for failure killing yourself with strict adherence to diet, thinking you are doing something wrong if those aren’t your results. If you’ll provide me with the country you live in, I’ll gladly list 3/5 websites to use for education if interested. My best ti you in your CKD journey and welcome!
Oh wow. I had to like read your story twice. Man, you have seriously been through a lot here. Good god. Surely some fighting spirit. I am glad to hear that with all the crazy rollercoaster ride, you were also able to live and assist others. Multi organ failure and back is no simple comeback. Glad it worked out well for you.
I try not to be overcritical with myself. I am cautious of salt and other sugary things. Cutting short on processed foods. keeping things to a minimum.
you are right. I am my best advocate for myself.
I did meet the doctors again and they suggested biopsy. I am still in the process of thinking about whether to get it done or not. I was told that medication may or may not alter irrespective of their finding of clinical root cause. It is believed that the disease could have caused my hypertension to flare up rather than hypertension causing it. I have previously been in the range of stage 1 hypertension though now i am hitting normal levels of 120 /75.
Potential cuplrit behind my situation could be IgA though it is not confirmed.
Thank you so much for the story and yes i would like some potential sites for education. I live in the US currently.
Well thanks to you both as all I was trying to do was relate to the OP that I was about her age when initially diagnosed and DESPITE a doctor who TRIED to make me food for worms(lol) he did ent succeed. I read another post today from someone my same age with very mild disease. Too many give up on a “normal” life after a severe diagnosis. I hope to one or two of those I can give some hope. That’s all I wanted the OP to know, just because you are 30 doesn’t mean life is OVER just a little difficult deferent. After all any of us could die in the next 10 hours/days/years. Heck every 7/8 years it’s another PANDEMIC coming to wipe us all out. Bill Gates and the UN (oh and AOC {Congresswoman from New Yourk in the US} all say we need to move to Greenland. Anyway, you get my point. Thanks for the kind words y’all both made my day!
I was diagnosed type 1 diabetic in 1984 and got a kid panc transplant in May 2022.
I recommend getting a hemoglobin A1c test. The two most common reason for kidney damage are high blood sugar levels and high blood pressure. They claim obesity can be a cause, but typically the obese to which they refer also have high blood pressure and Type 2 diabetes, so the stats are murky. My guess is the docs will blame your CKD on BP and not investigate further.
You should have a goal of lowering your blood pressure. Walking is awesome, b/c if BP is high, it will lower it. If BP is too low, walking will raise it to a more normal level. I raised my BP to normal range by walking. I started with 1 mile/day and after 1 year I was walking 3 miles in 45 min every day.
Make sure your HbA1c is at or below 6.0 % (42.1 mmol/mol), if you can. Normal HbA1c in US used to be 4.5-5.5%, but now it is 6% or below. If you are diabetic, they tell you to stay below 7. At 7% your kidney function declines, and your eyes continue to get damaged, etc. My personal goal is to keep it below 5, but i haven't achieved it yet.
Thank you for the recommendation. I did have my hA1C test. it is within normal limits. it is less than 6%. They suspect the disease could have led to hypertension. They recommended a Biopsy as its still unknown what i have. I am still thinking about whether to get it done or not
I’d recommend the biopsy. In order to be your own best advocate you have to know the underlying cause. My case was fairly simple HBP and Motrin. Also in my case if I keep weight below 200Lbs I’m usually okay but that has become an issue. Anyway just IMHO. Keep us updated if you are willing and as always my best in your CKD journey.
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