Hi, everyone! I have wonderful news. In Oct 2022, my gfr was 42, stage 3b. I tweaked my diet, made sure I was hydrated, stayed away from NSAIDS, only took stomach meds as needed, and started walking for exercise. I had another physical yesterday and today my results were posted to my portal. My gfr is now 60 …no protein in urine!! I am now back at stage 2! I am so thankful. For those who are still struggling, there is hope. Read all you can about this disease and take action.
Went from stage 3b to stage 2: Hi, everyone... - Kidney Disease
Went from stage 3b to stage 2
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Vcr1406
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Great news! I am hoping I can get back there. I am basically Vegan, but had family in town and fell off the wagon, but back on now. You are giving me hope!
You can do it! ♥️☀️
thank you Bet! Today's food intake was a Detox smoothie with ginger, kale, and other healthy stuff. I made a vegetarian soup with the small pasta, but added sausage and shrimp for my hubby but not for me. I had the soup with 1 piece of garlic bread. My snack is an apple. Bowled 3 games and just walked 30 minutes. If I journal and track, I will do good. Finishing up 67.6 oz of water including the 16 0z smoothie.
Keep me in prayer!
Hi Babygirl,
I'm sooo happy! 😀I knew that it would all come together! You'll see, it will become a lifestyle! The least you think about it, the more mundane it will become!
If you have family, guests or go out to dinner, just make good choices. It's the company and not the food!
Your soup sounds amazing! Please send me the recipe!
Remember that I am walking right next to you, cheering you on! 👋...always!
And also in my prayers..🙏
Reach out and let me know what's up!
Good Thoughts!
Bet
Babygirl, hello, I'm glad to know we're allowed some pasta, because I love it. Don't even have to have spaghetti sauce to enjoy it. Also garlic bread, but I'm guessing we should have margarine instead of butter. This diet sounds like starvation to me, but if the rest of you can stand it, I guess I can too.😆
orangecity41NKF Ambassador
Great, keep up your routine.
Well done.
My mum's eGFR has reached 60 - from start of 36 post-nephrectomy - but has some proteinuria albeit below NHS level of concern at max of 0.44g/24h. Her urologist stated that there's always "some" protein.
She hasn't been re-labelled as far as we know!
sorry. I meant protein below threshold.
in reply to userotc
After going fairly strict vegan and being on Forxiga for about 18 months, my protein last 2 sets of labs is now "nil" from +2ish for a few years. My nephrologist, urologist and my naturopath are really happy!
Edited to say my egfr also jumped 12 points which I felt was pretty awesome, although my docs are far more concerned with the protein than the egfr.
userotc in reply to
"Interesting"/odd that your:
1. "Proteinuria is nil considering mum's urologist indicated we all have some.
2. Medics are more concerned with proteinuria (particularly if nil). My mum's nephro's unconcerned with hers at up to 0.44g/24h.
in reply to userotc
I don't understand why you think that is "odd".
My nephrologist (and my naturopath, who is medically accredited, and I see almost as regularly as my neph) have always been more concerned with the proteinuria than the egfr. My docs would not be happy with 0.44gm in a 24-hour, they be on me to get that down. But I suppose with your Mom's age (not sure how old she is) your doc is cutting her some slack perhaps?
Is it a Brit thing to refer to doctors as "medics"?
Edited to say, looking back on old labs through my portal, my protein was always nil before I had CKD, so I am not sure what your urologist is talking about!
userotc in reply to
Odd may be the wrong word but I was referring to the conflicting views between your team and mum's. Your response indicates you also find that conflict odd/interesting/surprising. And mum is only 14y older than you - but I personally prefer not to be ageist! Lol.I refer to medics to cover all medical practitioners incl nephrologists, GPs etc
Glad that you use a naturopath as I personally rate them eg Nutritional Therapists, more than medics.
in reply to userotc
I don't think I'd say it's Odd, but I am happy about it! 
16 years is a long time in kidney years, I still have teenagers! lol
Edited to say, I have had a naturopath since before I had my kids, so a long time.
userotc in reply to
14!! 😀
in reply to userotc
Whatever, you sound "old" and my kids are much younger (had them in my mid 40s) and you are posting on behalf of your mother which gives the impression that she is unable to post for herself, or is not internet savvy, which makes her seem "old" when she's very much NOT.
I would never let my kids post to a forum such as this on my behalf, that would be ridiculous.
But anyway...
userotc in reply to
I really don't have to explain to you why I started posting on HU & why mum chooses not to. Look after your own affairs.
in reply to userotc
Wow, you certainly are one unpleasant young man.
All the best to you and your Mum.
You take care of your affairs, and please never again post to me, you aren't welcome.
Good day.
I also went from 43 to 62, labs due again in 3 wks so hoping it’s stayed normal
VCR please give us what you did different for your diet. Thanks.
no red meat lots of leafy greens and plant based protein. Veggie burgers and water water water
Thanks. Did you lose weight? I walk 4-5 miles 3-5 times a week and drink 72 -77 oz water. Eat no red meat. Actually, no dairy, to include cheese that I love. Most of the time I eat vegan. Ocassionally, i fall off a little bit. i love pecans, dry beans, sweet potatoes and peanut butter. Not to much, but i don't have a potassium issue. Hoping my numbers will be better with my next labs. Great job getting your numbers better.
Thanks from me too, Vcr1406. That information was helpful to me too. Guess I can go make my smothered spinach dish.
that great you were able to to that
in reply to Beachgirl32
How are you doing?
Beachgirl32 in reply to
I just started dialysis doing manual pd until I get my machince . I’m exhausted right now but doc said it will get better. I usually walk a mile a day but this week haven’t been able to so hope to get back to that soon.
in reply to Beachgirl32
Hope things get better for you keep us posted! 😘
@Beachgirl32, I am brand spankin new in here and reading posts to get started. I'm encouraged that your doc said things would get better. Does he mean your CKD will get better or you'll feel better after each dialysis treatment? Either one would be a plus!
that I will feel better on dialysis I have polycystic kidney so I know my will not get better
Even so, that sounds like good news to me. Thanks for your response, Beachgirl32.
I love a positive story. Congratulations!
That is absolutely the most Wonderful news!!! Congratulations on successful lifestyle changes. The same thing happened with my son. It’s close to a miracle 👍. So happy for you.
Congratulations!!
I too have good news. In Jan my egfr was 55, then this week first of March it is up to 69! I drank more water, super limited animal proteins intake, watched potassium intake, and upped Ckd recommended vegetables. So, my take away is that one’s efforts can possibly have an effect on gfr. I too avoided NSAIDs and TRAZADONE. Unfortunately, my blood acid level went slightly too high out of bounds and that’s a new development for me. Gaining balance sure is tricky!
Yes it is. My blood acid levels were high also and my Doctor prescribed a gout medicine which is working for me.
@70Beach, I just read your post about Ckd recommended veggies. Can you share any of those veggies with me, as I'm absolutely new to this and need any information I can get. Thanks for any ideas you can give me.
I’m new to all this as well so maybe not the best to answer but here goes. I avoided white potatoes (except for licking the spoon that had served mashed potatoes to my hubby), almost no tomatoes, ate lots of red peppers, green beans, cabbage, onions, garlic, some mushrooms (shiitake) , steamed and stir fried broccoli, good olive oil imported from Greece, a dusting of Parmesan cheese on white basmati rice and rice/lentil spaghetti, coffee with almond milk, macadamia nuts, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, black grapes, no oranges, no grapefruit, jackfruit (an acquired taste me thinks), oatmeal, lots and lots of apples, a big bowl of popcorn each night (never pooped so good in my life thanks to all that ruffage, and so much water I felt I would float away (well to be fair, before I never drank water so I was probably dehydrated for decades and didn’t know it. I was neurotic about weighing and documenting everything that went into my mouth and suffered great guilt whenever I deviated even a little. But I couldn’t keep that up and now that the numbers are not quite so bad, I’m really watching my meat intake- basically I’m of the opinion I should just give up all meat and fish but OMG that is hard, very little milk and cheese- really only a taste. I haven’t seen the nephrologist yet so I’m really kinda on hold until I get someone I can trust to guide me. My GP is of the mind that all is well unless you are on dialysis and what am I going on about. That attitude was completely unaccounted me as I want to be as healthy as possible and if giving up a few foods will keep my kidneys working then that’s a price I’m willing to pay (with the occasional skip up). I’m thinking it’s going to get easier as time goes by and my taste buds adjust. The other day we ran out of almond milk and hubby used cow milk and I said yuck what is wrong with this coffee and he laughed and said what he used. So I had completely gotten used to the almond milk vs cow milk in just a few weeks. Gives me hope that eventually this new diet will be normal and I won’t feel so deprived. Attitude is everything!
70Beach, that was a lot of typing and I appreciate it. I'm going back through it to make special notes of things that I need to add to my diet. I already know about the loads of water I'm supposed to drink, but the first 3 months I was practically floating, and she said I didn't have to drink so much from now on, but still plan on 6-8 glasses a day anyhow. My doctor also told me that I don't need to worry so much, but that may keep me from getting too excited. Guess I'd better be prepared to lose a few pounds!
I got a jug that is 1.5 liter and I fill it up in the morning and I suck it down during the day. Sometimes I’m away from home and get a few extra drinks but it is usually 1.5 -2 liters a day of water. I’m not drinking anything other than plain water except for the rare times I got out to eat and then I get 50;50 sweet/regular tea. Gosh that tea tastes so amazing. But at home it’s just plain water.
70Beach, I just ran across your response to me about diet again, and out of curiosity re-read it to see how like yours my new eating habits are. It looks like it's been about 12 days.
I'm eating very much the way you are, except that I use a non-dairy creamer for the rare cup of coffee I have; that looks safe to me, and I'm used to it. For cabbage, I eat cole slaw. I have a FanTAStic looking cabbage recipe that I've copied from youtube. It's way to much for me, so will try to halve it. I eat popcorn occasionally, just holding off on the extra butter I used to add. In general, my diet is much like yours now. I can't get anyone to explain to me what shiitake mushrooms are, so I just get the white sliced ones. Saute them in olive oil and tiny bit of butter variation, (ugh).
I wish doctors wouldn't have the blase attitudes that yours and mine have. Don't go on about things unless we're on dialysis??! Well that's exactly what we're trying to avoid. Anyway, I had a thin breakfast pork chop one day for lunch and nearly keeled over of happiness. Also the occasional slice of bread, but generally speaking I'm being very good.
Wishing you well..
shiitake mushrooms are a variety with different attributes from plain white button mushrooms. Different texture and tend to be more expensive. $5 here in NC at Whole Foods. From what I read mushrooms have some very special traits that are good for us so I just pay the extra and hope tor the best. My hubby makes me pop corn on the stove- he’s experimenting with how much oil to use and gas found out that half the recommended amount works just fine. I don’t use any salt or butter cause I like it plain- it’s my substitute for potato chips. I just need something with a lot of crunch! It is kinda sad to have to deny myself so often- I’m still hoping I’ll get used to this and stop feeling wistful when I sit down with the family and I don’t eat what they all can eat.
70Beach, I'm just now seeing your response about mushrooms after 19 days! So sorry about that; when will I ever learn this system? lol
I too like mushrooms, but when one person is eating them all over a period of days, they do get tiresome. Guess I don't have to get pre-packaged, do I?
Like you, I get wistful, and well, a little panicky when I look down the road at such a blah list of foods. But I've learned in my health challenges that it's never wise to look down the road. So far, my GP practically swears that I don't need to watch my diet so much, and so when I fudge a bit I feel more 'human'. Still I try to be pretty careful. Thanks for your replies. You've been most helpful.
the hardest time for me is when family gathers. I do lapse then. Guilty feelings and self recrimination is inevitable but followed by renewed determination to do better while at home without company, It is the best a I can do. My PCP is useless but I have hope for the nephrologist appointment that I have been waiting for 3 months to see. And the endocrinologist that I have been waiting 5 months to see. We surely wouldn’t want to expect speedy healthcare now would we? Feeling snarky today, sorry.
70Beach, wondering how you're doing these days? You've been so faithful about keeping in touch with me from the beginning. You were talking about your nephrologist appointment, and I never heard you say how that went. My appt is about an hour from now, and I must say, I'm curious! I don't remember your saying what your stage is, and mine is 3a unless it's changed. So I think we don't have to totally starve ourselves.😗 Anyway, I hope you'll let me know how your appt went.
I have to wait until June 20 to see the Nephrologist at Duke. So, I technically haven’t been staged officially at this point but I’ve looked at the test results and am 3a- but the most recent set of labs would put me in 2. Borderline, I’ve been getting calmed down about the changes- I still fill my jug and down water like a camel and I still eschew most meat but I do get a literal bite here and there. I must admit to not really missing meat but I don’t like tofu at all anymore- I guess I don’t know how to cook it, I’ve decided to just amp up vegetables and I eat mostly the so called good ones but I do get a variety and I like a lot of vegetables so I’m hoping I’ll get enough micronutrients to balance it all out. One thing I really want to know is if I’m getting enough vitamins and minerals - I do question limiting not only meat but also fruits and vegetables so I’m eating mostly what’s on the recommended lists but I do augment with the iffy stuff - so long as I’m eating real fruits and vegetables- fresh not processed I’m convinced their benefits outweigh the risks, I’m really cutting out sugar and processed food of all kinds- frozen, caned , boxes etc. I think cutting out the the junk processed foods as well as most meat, upping water intake, no NSAIDs at all , and working in the garden/walking for vit d is enough until the nephrologist tells me some different, How did your nephrologist visit go?
Beach70, it was a very good visit, and I gave a report about it , but couldn't tell you where the heck it is. Somewhere on my page, under the heading about achy legs? (hate to be so dense) He mentioned some of the things you're talking about, especially NSAIDS and keeping up with exercising. He also mentioned checking my B/P every day till some of his instructions start taking effect. I'm so glad I went, I told him I wish I'd known him a long time ago; I might be living a different story now. I'm glad you have something set up for June.
wow very uplifting report. I hope I do as well as you- keep in touch!
hi I have been on trazadone for 9 plus years and wonder if it damanged my kidneys bc I have 3. My doctors didn’t even know anything about trazadone being not good for kidneys so that was not helpful. Did you doctor tell you to immediately stop it ? Thanks
Congratulations, I to had the same thing happen to me on my last bloodwork. You did everything just right. I've been a weightlifter since I was a kid, but now that I'm an old man I had to lift liter weight because my creatinine was to high. At one point I was about to fall off into stage four. My number was 31 and that scared me. Hydration, not taking to much protein and like you eat the right foods.
in reply to VGC3
High five to a fellow weight lifter!
congrats!! This gives us all hope!
congratulations!!!! I love reading about other’s success stories ♥️
Congrats! That is major news. I am at stage 3b right now, but am working towards stage 2. You have given me hope that is can really happen. Thanks so much for sharing. 🤸
MoeAndMoot, in addition to the steps you've taken, I included lumbrokinase enzymes to clear fibrin and scar tissue that may have created flow resistance in the nephrons because It may offer advantages over Nattokinase and Serrapeptase. Bottom line my egfr improved from 51 to 74. Check with your doctor before using any supplement.
wow that’s a big improvement! Do you think all the change is due to you using lumbrokinase enzymes? Or are you also doing other things to encourage such a wonderful improvement? My doc won’t entertain any supplements. Are you seeing a nephrologist or some other type of doctor?
70Beach, my doctor only said "We'll keep a watch on it and test you in three months." I took the initive to make a comprehensive approach to improve kidney function. I enlisted a personal trainer, included various vitamin and mineral supplements, emptied the kitchen of sweets, and followed an appropriate diet for low kidney function along with staying hydrated. I enlisted lumbrokinase enzymes when I became aware of possible scarring in the nephrons as well as fibrin that may also interfere with blood flow. As we age the body produces fewer systemic enzymes to manage fibrin so I investigated systemic enzymes and found lumbrokinase enzymes to be to my liking for their effect on scarring and fibrin. So I can't point out to anyone component but like any team I give them all credit.
what other vitamin and mineral supplements are you using? How did you pick your supplier? Seems that there are lots of sketchy supplement suppliers.
vcr1406, I have to tell you that yours was the first post I read since joining a couple of days ago. You said in October, 2022, your gfr was 42. Assuming that gfr stood for girlfriend, I wonder how that information segued into your diet and medications, and how your girlfriend aged to 60 in one year! I had to share that with you because it's one of the few things I've found to laugh about in a few days. lol
love that post- humor is so important to keeping me from sliding into depression. Thanks so much for the chuckles!
That’s great for you and your CKD. I applaud your lifestyle changes and the benefit it has had in your physical health as well as I’m sure, your mental health.
However, to be completely frank and 100% honest, I hate posts like this. Not the person writing the post nor their intentions as any improvement should be celebrated! Yet, these types of posts can give “false hope” especially to the newly diagnosed. While some have success as articulated in the OP most of us don’t. CKD is progressive and while labs may have improved, any damage to kidney nephrons is permanent and those cells can never be replaced. EGFR and creatinine are tremendously inaccurate lab measurements that can fluctuate wildly from lab to lab. For example, my eGFR last year was 17, 21, 23, 29 and 17. 17 to 29 is 12 points at an average eGFR of say 21 that’s nearly a 60% variance. One reading should never be used to gage kidney function. Instead a series of reading should be used to understand if your kidneys are stable or continuing to decline. Yes the lifestyle changes can make a huge difference in preserving kidney function longer. However, CKD doesn’t “get better” and despite some dishonest claims on websites, Facebook groups, or YouTube there is no “cure,” yet. Those who are newly diagnosed or seeking education visit sites in the US like
Kidney.org
If in the UK sites like:
nhs.uk/conditions/kidney-di...
Educate yourself and understand how CKD works. Then talk to your trusted medical professional, ask specific questions about your CKD and how it affects you. Then you’ll better understand YOUR disease. Don’t rely on other people’s experience except for perspective and don’t become discouraged if your lifestyle changes don’t have the same results of a significant increase in lab values (or decrease depending on the labs you are following). Link on eGFR and it’s inaccuracies:
healio.com/news/nephrology/...
Also:
Please note I don’t condone what they are preaching just hope this better explains why, as so many have wondered.
Estimated GFR: time for a critical appraisalEsteban Porrini et al. Nat Rev Nephrol. 2019 Mar.Show details Abstract PubMed PMID
Full text linksCiteErratum inAuthor
Correction: Estimated GFR: time for a critical appraisal.Porrini E, et al. Nat Rev Nephrol. 2019.PMID: 3056396Abstract
Since 1957, over 70 equations based on creatinine and/or cystatin C levels have been developed to estimate glomerular filtration rate (GFR). However, whether these equations accurately reflect renal function is debated. In this Perspectives article, we discuss >70 studies that compared estimated GFR (eGFR) with measured GFR (mGFR), involving ~40,000 renal transplant recipients and patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), type 2 diabetes mellitus or polycystic kidney disease. Their results show that eGFR often differed from mGFR by ±30% or more, that eGFR values incorrectly staged CKD in 30-60% of patients, and that eGFR and mGFR gave different rates of GFR decline. Errors were unpredictable, and comparable for equations based on creatinine and/or cystatin C. We argue, therefore, that the persistence of these errors (despite intensive research) suggests that the problem lies with using creatinine and/or cystatin C as markers of renal function, rather than with the mathematical methods used for GFR estimation.
Finally, please understand I am NOT ATTACKING any individual who shares their success in their lifestyle changes or their enthusiasm for better test results. I celebrate their success and hope it continues. I just wanted to add some perspective and relay some trusted websites/important medical studies to bring some levity to those who DON’T have the same results from the same type of lifestyle changes. I hope no one takes this personally or is offended by this post, as that is not my intention. I only want to give help and hope to those that may be discouraged at their progress in their CKD journey. Please take my post only as intended and NOT a slight to anyone including the OP. As always my best wishes on dealing with your CKD!
we’ll, the human body is remarkable in its ability to confound “proven” science and heal. Perhaps the experts don’t know everything about our bodies ability to heal and adapt. I personally ascribe to the hopeful idea that if there is anything I can do to help my body possibly heal then I’m gonna try it. Possible is the key word. Hope is the overriding thought. And bless the researchers who are looking for a cure or new therapies to help us live longer.
as an example-According to the results indicated by these researchers, melatonin could help treat kidney damage, which establishes the need to develop new clinical trials to test its effectiveness in humans. The encouraging results obtained in preclinical models invite to take melatonin to the next phase, in order to investigate how it helps in the maintenance of mitochondrial and endoplasmic reticulum homeostasis, and to a greater extent, if melatonin therapy would allow delaying or stopping progressive renal damage, by promoting its chronic pharmacological use in kidney repair and regeneration.This study has been funded by the project SAF2016-79794-R of the Ministry of Science and Innovation (Spain), and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) led by Professor Ahmad Agil.
There is so much research being done to improve the dismal idea of Ckd as a one way street to ESRD. I pray every day for a cure, for a viable synthetic kidney to be produced, for the success of internal dialysis therapy. Governments around the world are all looking for new ways to stop this disease- surely there is hope for new insights into this disease and new novel approaches to healing as opposed to an inexorably progressive disease.
Can you please elaborate. What did you mean you stay away from stomach meds? Like antacids ? Thanks and I am so happy to read your amazing results! Have stage 3 myself and want to do everything to improve it
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