Hi,
My Efgr is 60, creatinine 86 (labs say normal up to 84), I’m in the UK and I’m 57. Microscopic blood in urine. GP said all fine.
However, I am more aware than most of the efgr due to a family member having advanced stage CKD, mine is very low, I keep challenging GP and they say I’m fine, but looking at the efgr Tables to age, I’m not.
Should I be worried or not? Im a worrier and it’s stressing me out. I drink lots of water.
Can anyone offer any advice on this?
Thank you
if it was me i would bug the heck out of the doctors.i know its different here in the usa but you need to be proactive when it comes to your health.they wont do it for you.
Are you worried about genetics or something else damaging your kidneys? It's a bit low for your age yes, but not necessarily a huge concern if you are healthy and don't have proteinuria. You could do a genetic test if worried about a genetic component, and can also adjust your diet so it's more kidney friendly.
Good morning Owlie. There's a brilliant Facebook group run by Andrea where you will get more help and information. Chronic kidney disease uk. Hope this helps. Brian
Hi, thank you for your reply, I don’t have any other issues, just had loads of blood tests because I don’t have much energy and get tired, but could be menopause. Nothing else flagged up whatsoever, it’s just I know the numbers are low and didn’t think they should be. I’m adopted and never thought about the genetics thing, to be honest. Thank you for taking the time to reply and the link!
OK, so your doctor said all was OK. I would tell him you are concerned and see if he will order your labs to be done again in 2 weeks. I know when mine turn out a little off, my nephrologist will repeat them in 2 weeks. Always better to do that then be sorry later.
I too have family history although not exactly genetic. Continue to watch, learn about kidney friendly diet etc.
Two things are not something that should be ignored, lower GFR for you age and blood in urine. What the above people have said is all good advice. Mine is, I would find another doctor. The fact that you have two indicators and they are dismissing it is worrisome. Old school doctors did nothing for patients in the day unless they were stage 4. That was because there wasn't much to do. But now, there are several protective drugs out there that can and do slow CKD progression. Find a nephrologist who is up to date on the newer medications. Also, find a dietician to help you plan meals based on protecting the kidneys. Do not settle for "oh, it's OK."
In the UK you can't "just find another doctor" unless you can pay for private medical care. Nor do you get to see a dietitian or a nephrologist until you get to stage 4.
And it will remain that way unless patients start demanding better. That is what advocacy can do.
Advocacy does not influence the National Health Service.
Is this your first set of labs? If so, you and your doctor will want to repeat the tests. Look at all the figures. The trend is very important and if the data comes up similar then I would look for answers. For example, blood in the urine can be a low-level uti (which can influence creatinine data) or it could be something else. If your proteinuria and albuminuria figures are out of range, that can bring up other issues, and so on. The two biggest reasons for kidney issues are diabetes and and high blood pressure. So that's something to keep in mind too. As others have noted, there is a lot that can be done to protect kidneys today. It's good to keep an eye on matters. Just make sure you don't "self-treat" yourself without professional approval. In the area of diet, you'll need regular blood draws to make sure your electrolytes stay within range.
What numbers on Tests should we really be worried about?
Gfr decrease with age, about 1% each year. Should I worry about it?
Should I take another pill? 
I am leaking protein should I be concerned?
Should I see a kidney doctor?
