COVID and GFR decline

[Cbailey]

I was wondering if anyone experienced a decline in kidney function after having COVID? I was 43 with a GFR of 45. I had been diagnosed with ckd a few years prior (GFR of 52) and had been slowly declining. In Feb of 2021, I got COVID and since then my numbers have dropped and not recovered. My GFR is now a 31. My kidney disease is inherited and I do take meds to control my blood pressure. I stay hydrated and try to stay active. Any advice?

[Hidden]

I am stage 4 with a GFR of 29. I had a pretty bad case of Covid this past January and it did not seem to affect my kidney function. I even took a few renal doses of Paxlovid.

[allene7]

Yes I had covid in Jan 2021 was so sick in bed for 6 weeks couldn't breath, eat and didn't drink much to many symptoms and slept a lot. I went from stage 4 to stage 5 so yep it wasn't good. Sorry your suffering through this. I was given an rx for prednisone and sent home. I survived so there's that. Not sure if they expected me to. Could not walk far without having to stop to attempt to get breath. It was bad. Then there was much of anything. I guess. But I do know many others who had the same symptoms as me went to the hospital to be monitored and put on oxygen. So maybe my age? I don't know. I hope things get better for you very soon. I'm waiting for a kidney.

[Cbailey in reply to allene7]

Allene 7, sounds like you had a horrible bout with it. I’m glad you are ok! COVID for me was just like a flu, but is the only thing I can think of that would drop my numbers like that.

[Km5506 in reply to Cbailey]

Sorry to hear about your health problems, I have had a few relatives and friends go to the hospital for different reasons and the first diagnosis is that they all have Covid-19. And with 2 of them the next day the doctors said no Covid, this also happened with my sister this May she died and one of the reasons they listed was Covid, I know she didn’t have this because she had been bedridden for some years, and the only time she was out was to get those Covid shots.

[Cobalt2sister]

Hi. Sorry for what you're dealing with. There's an article in BMJ, a medical journal: " Covid-19: infection increases the risk of kidney disease even in mild cases, finds study." I went from 85 to 40 GFR after Covid but after 8 months it seems to have normalized . I had a mild case. Drs couldn't find cause of declining GFR and proteinuria but said they couldn't rule out covid. Covid is known to be hard on kidneys. Google around on it. That Covid is one nasty disease. Good luck to you. Sorry I don't have any advice what you can do. By the way I had no history of any kidney disease.

[DogandCat123]

Yes I have experienced this, could not understand why my GFR suddenly dropped and put me into stage 3B.

Consultant asked me what I had been doing at that time. Finally realised that I had Covid around the time GFR fell. My GFR has recovered though which is good but a bit lower than it was prior to Covid.

[Cbailey]

Dogandcat123, I’m so glad your gfr recovered. Good for you!

[TableTennisMama]

I had Covid the beginning of June, 2023 and was shocked at how it took me down. It wiped out every bit of energy I had and magnified my anemia. Walking across the room was an enormous effort. I had to sit down to take a shower. GFR typically is in the mid 30s. I have not had it rechecked yet, I am due to have it done next week, but I anticipate that it will be significantly reduced. During Covid I had flank pain so I felt it was attacking my kidneys. In fact I think it attacked any weakness I had. Just three days before I came down with Covid, I had had a tooth extracted. So that side of my jaw hurt but Covid magnified the pain the whole week.

[S_dillow]

keep doing what youre doing.ive had it twice and my numbers decline go up and start declining again.rollercoaster ride for sure

[Vickiblue]

Yes, I’ve had the same issue. Just before I had Covid my eGFR was 37, in June it was down to 29. I’ll get blood work again tomorrow and see the nephrologist on Monday. Will see how it’s going now.