Hello, I am 75 and was just diagnosed with CKD 3b. All of my functions were fine until 2 years ago when my PCP noticed a decrease in GFR and increase in creatinine. We both thought it was due to Aleve and one other med I was taking for pain. ( I had been in a car accident therefore the meds). I immediately got off both medications. I have taken BP med for many years and keep my avg to below 120 at least 60% of the time and it never goes over 130. No heart disease, not overweight, No diabetes and very active. I walk at least 4 miles 3-4X a wk. have always eaten healthy. So this is a real shock. I saw a nephrologist and now getting more blood work. My kidney sonogram only showed my left kidney a few cm smaller, but nothing else.
I immediately eliminated meat and am waiting to see a kidney dietitian next week. ITMT having terrible issues with “what to eat” and what to expect.
Can anyone please share their stage 3 experiences with me? Btw I also have terrible sciatica but just bear it.
MinnadeParis
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MinnadeParis
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HI and Welcome to our site. So many factors can cause CKD, but ibuprofen is a huge one. It was what did me in initially, followed up with PsA meds and then kidney stones. The fact that you are just now diagnosed at 74 is actually good. Just so you know, our kidneys decrease in function as we age. So what may not be a perfect GFR, you have to account for age. However, at 3b, the damage is there.
Good news, you can keep it there. You are on the right path of stopping ANY ibuprofen products and being very careful with any pain meds. Getting rid of red meat is also an excellent choice, and seeing the dietician is fabulous. Diet is very individual. I will share that changing my diet, adding exercise, eliminating stress and being careful with meds slowed the time that my CKD decreased. They told me over 5 years ago I would be on dialysis within 6 months. I am still NOT on dialysis. It's coming probably sooner than I want, but everyone was amazed at how much my health improved with taking care of myself. I had a lot of strikes against me. Diabetes, Psoriatic Arthritis, High BP and being a person of size.
I have followed a diet that has changed over time. I started with the traditional renal diet which is low protein, lots of veggies, lean meat, no salt and no processed foods. I went plant-based for about a year and then found the lower protein was not sufficient and added chicken and eggs back in. I love to cook so I developed many different recipes, made my own bread, learn to make pasta, and went to cooking classes. My hubby and I make shopping an experience, like going to farmers markets. We just spent today getting the raised beds ready to plant the veggies and herbs we grow. We will also freeze fruits as they come in like cherries and strawberries. We do treat ourselves to things once in a while, because life is too short to not enjoy it. I just do not make a habit of it. We will have ice cream at celebrations and eat the cake too.
The diagnosis of CKD is what you make of it. I now many people go into despair. But of all the diasease out there, this is one you truly can control to some extent. Your sound like you have a great handle on it already. Please ask any questions, and yes, I love to talk food..
It was so many grams daily. I was originally told to eat 72 grams when I was first diagnosed but then lowered pretty quickly to 50. I went down to 30 and that was too little for the long haul. But each person is different and these numbers were "prescribed" by the dietician.
I've been at GFR 3b for the past 5 to 6 years. Found out about it at that stage. Review of labs show that it was present for even longer with no doctor alerting me to it for quite sone time. The only probable cause appears to be hypertension which was treated for years but ran a little high. No diabetes, no excessive use of pain meds, no major heath issues. Anyway, I struggled with locating a suitable diet. All my labs are within normal range so I don't have too many restrictions. Still, I did not do well on a strictly plant based diet. Now, I eat lots of veggies and fruit, very low protein, low salt. So far, I've been able to stay at 3b for several years. However, 2 serious infections (dental and medically related UTI) brought my GFR down to 4 for several months a year or so ago, but it came back to 3b.
Best to remember to diet to YOUR labs and YOUR medical problems. There will be lots of "renal" recipes floating around, but not all of them appropriate for you. Best of luck and know thst you'll find lots of support and shared experiences on this forum.
Hello. You certainly came to the right place. There is a welcoming community here who can help with advice and shared experiences.
I don't intend to alarm you but sciatica can sometimes be associated with kidney cancer, so please have your renal specialist check this possibility out. (The reason this isn't alarming is they probably have considered this already if you told them you had sciatica but ask them, just to be sure). Heres where I read about the association : ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...
In my case, I found an occasional serving of 1-2 tablespoon activated charcoal powder, mixed well with water, helps moderate my blood pressure surges. This mixture absorbs toxins in the gut. You must ensure two things though:
1. That its well dissolved (otherwise it's a choking hazard),
2. Ensure also you have it several hours before and after any other medication (otherwise it absorbs the medication and reduces its effectiveness)
If you plan to take activated charcoal, I recommend you also consult a natural health practitioner about this.
Hi! I am a 76 y o female with Stage 3B CKD. I was diagnosed 8 years ago at Stage 3B. Since then, I have changed almost nothing. I eat healthy and walk for 30 minutes almost every day. My numbers have not changed much at all. I watche my numbers, but I'm not really worried about it. Kidney function declines with age anyway. So as long as my kidney function is stable, I just don't worry.
I am 81 and diagnosed 5+ years ago at 3B. Since put on Doctor prescribed diet my CKD has stabilized. My diet is based on levels of protein, phosphorus, potassium and sodium. Here is a link to information on eGFR and age. Welcome to the forum. Keep us posted.
one day at a time.enjoy the simple things in life and dont worry so about numbers,labs,,doctors.take time for just you,when you can.enjoy sunrises,sunsets and the world outside your window.there is so much more than medical out there.
Again, as Gbear and others have said, you found a site with many others who are pretty much in the same situation as you are. Similar, but all different so do what YOU need to do to mitigate kidney function loss. I just turned 80 and I have stage 4 CKD (eGFR of 24). I also have CLL (chronic lymphocytic leukemia). I have changed my diet dramatically to a vegetarian type diet (a renal dietician can help tremendously!) focusing on low protein and sodium particularly and moderate potassium and phosphorus. I have cut out alcohol, coffee,colas and significantly reduced dairy products. I have also eased off on my exercise routine to mainly walking - no more hard crunches or high intensity interval training bike rides. Stage 4 really scared me so I am doing all that I can - which my be too much for some people. So far these measures seem to be helping. My goal is get to stage 3b and keep it there. The best of luck to you MinnadeParis!
Hi there- I got a surprise stage 4 ckd, specific diagnosis being aa amalydosis. One of the most challenging issues for me has been my approach to my diet. At first I was scared to eat pretty much anything!! Nobody likes to live in fear, and many of us are trying to balance and adjust and cope with ckd. NEITHER MY PRIMARY DOC NOR MY NEPHROLOGIST RECOMMENDED A DIETICIAN! I was told by both that I'd just be looking at dialysis. After doing some research of my own I advocated for myself. I have found empowerment and solace by knowing that I do have control over some things regarding my body and my disease. Everyone is different and we all cope with illness and all that goes with it in our own way, but I have found this community to be a great resource.
It feels good not to live in fear of eating the "wrong" things, and instead I continue to learn as much as I can so I can make mindful, healthy decisions when it comes to lifestyle choices.
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