Please can someone advise me. Noticed I have Stage 3a kidney disease by looking at my records.
I now itch, have a lot of cramp, tiredness, shortness of breath but my Drs are trying to shrug everything off as a UTI.
Have an appointment Monday morning, any ideas what to say before I break into tears.
Di 81 year old female
Those symptoms are not normally present at stage 3a. Make sure you are drinking enough water as cramping and itch can be related to dehydration.
I think I’m progressing but they just did a urine test when surely a blood test would have been more informative
Shortness of breath is a red flag so they must investigate that, at least.
Sorry youve had to discover yourself that youve got CKD stage 3 but sadly and wrongly that's par for the course with medics. Thats precisely how my dad discovered my mum had the same, in 2010.
Suggest you come back on here after shortness of breath investigated and resolved and CKD diagnosed and you have further questions etc. The questions at present are common sense eg, Why do I have shortness of breath?, Why do I have CKD? (no point asking why they didnt tell you but we can advise the reasons if you wish to know), What tests are you planning?
I was given a urine test🙄 which of course was negative. See another Dr tomorrow. Other than blood test , is there anything specific I should be asking for? I’m all at sea
I listed 3 possible questions a few minutes ago but you may add to those. Just as important, listen to what they say and dont be afraid to respond with questions eg asking them to clarify. Many think medics shouldnt be questioned (sadly including the medics!).
Ideally take someone with you but certainly take a pen and notepad for Q&A. Good luck!
I had telephone call with this Dr Thursday. When I look at what he said on Patient Access -she thinks she has a urine infection-I don’t hold out a lot of hope, that is why I’d like to be able to suggest a few tests
Di
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Possible questions to ask:
healthgrades.com/right-care...
New to Kidney Disease: 7 Questions to Ask a Doctor
It’s common for people diagnosed with chronic kidney disease (CKD) to feel overwhelmed in a doctor’s office, because there is a lot of information to take in at once. The best way to gain control is to become your own advocate. It’s OK to ask as many questions as you like and to ask for the information to be repeated. If being assertive is difficult, ask a friend or family member to come with you. Take notes so you can remember any additional questions or concerns that occur between visits. It’s good to become proactive when you’re new to kidney disease. Here are seven questions to ask your doctor:
1. What caused my kidney disease?
2. What percentage of kidney function do I have now?
3. What are my lab test results, including my glomerular filtration rate (GFR)?
4. What treatment is available for my symptoms?
5. What are the next steps?
6. What can I do to keep my kidneys from becoming more damaged?
7. Will I eventually need dialysis or a kidney transplant? If so, what is the timeline?
I have been diagnosed since 2017. During that time I have done a lot of research. I have found sites such as Mayo Clinic, Johns Hopkins University and Cleveland Clinic to be very helpful.
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