New to ckd

[Suzie1995]

Hi I am.new to ckd I am at stage 3 ..does anyone at this stage 3 have access to a dietician my doctor hasn't referred me he just says get info from the Internet but tbe Internet doesn't help with the amounts etc of food I am meant to have it always says refer to your dietician can anyone help

[cs65 NKF Ambassador]

Hi Suzie, I looked at kidney.org ( The National Kidney Foundation) and they do have general information on diets you can follow at stage 3, plus they have lists of dietitians specializing in kidney diets for areas of the country (they would charge for service or bill your insurance). Also you can order renal cookbooks online - the PKD Foundation has a really good one, for instance. Plus the AAKP (American Association of Kidney Patients) has a really helpful little booklet called AAKP Nutrition Counter which has a comprehensive list of common foods and their nutritional content and serving sizes. It helps you make low sodium choices and also low potassium and low phosphorus if your kidney disease progresses. Also, you're at the stage where you should be drinking lots of water. Hopes this helps!

[Suzie1995 in reply to cs65]

Ah thank you so much .I have just spoke to my doctor and she said I dont need a specialist diet just eat in moderate amounts but surely I should be watching out for foods that would harm my kidneys I am.borerline at the moment. Just really confused with it all and feel.so tired alot ...

[cs65 NKF Ambassador in reply to Suzie1995]

Feeling tired is one of the symptoms of chronic kidney disease. You can and should eat low sodium foods and watch what you drink (no dark sodas). What you eat and drink can have a positive effect to some point on delaying the progression of the kidney disease. Another really good organization you can connect with is rsnhope.org (The Renal Support Network). They can help you develop a positive attitude towards having kidney disease and have a wonderful lot of podcasts about all facets of kidney disease and Zoom classes including support groups, exercise classes, and info from a renal dietitian. I use them a lot and I have been on dialysis for 4 years now.

[Suzie1995 in reply to cs65]

Ah thank you thats great for all info

[Darlenia in reply to Suzie1995]

Hi Suzie. As people age, it's normal for kidney function to diminish. Perhaps this is happening to you; I don't know your age. You mention your doctor's advice, however, to simply be moderate in your diet and that you're "borderline" for kidney disease. So, I would be really cautious following the renal diet (which not only removes sodium but also other important electrolytes) without close monitoring. I'm a caretaker to my husband with kidney disease (now on dialysis). I followed the renal diet to support my husband without much thought and was nearly hospitalized as my blood pressure dropped significantly, my heart went into bradycardia, etc. One really needs to be closely tracked by a doctor with regular blood draws to avoid problems when reducing electrolytes. If you're seeing doctors often, this may be a good way to proceed.

[Suzie1995 in reply to Darlenia]

Thank you for reply ..I am.nearly 54 and my function is 51% so they said I am at stage 3 borderline to stage 3b

[Darlenia in reply to Suzie1995]

Your physician seems to have diagnosed you properly, in my opinion. You can check the tables for your age, sex, and racial composition for kidney function at the link below. All our organs gradually lose function as we age - I, although in good health, do not qualify as a transplant donor for my husband for this reason. Nevertheless, we can slow down the progression to a certain extent even if we're still in the relatively normal stage for our demographic. Simply check with your doctor for regular blood tests if you chose to follow a diet, such as the renal diet, to lower your electrolytes. And also check your current labs - are any of them too high now? Electrolytes, when too low, can be deadly for us as we age. And one last thing, do you know why your kidneys are borderline? Sometimes addressing the catalyst (lupus, diabetes, high blood pressure, etc.) can make a difference too. Blessings on your journey to good health and wellness. kidney-international.org/ar...

[Suzie1995 in reply to Darlenia]

Hi thank you so much .my doctor wasn't very with coming with why she said borderline. With the virus it was a phone call not a normal appointment. I just do not want to eat tbe wrong things and harm my kidneys further