Low kidney function

[joannieandmike]

Hi my husbands kidneys are at 18% and the dr has told him he needs a urgent scan, and that he have to look at his options be it transplant or dialysis, I'm worried about it all , he gets so tired he's 71 this year

Any advice please

[Bassetmommer]

HI, Before you panic, let's take a look at what you husband has going on. The scan will show what maybe happening in the kidney. Once that is figured out, there may be a course of action for him. You will have to wait to see on that.

Does he have diabetes or high blood pressure? Getting those things under control will make a huge difference.

But for now, you can do a lot to help him by checking his diet. Does he eat a lot of meat, especially red meat? Cut that out. Protein from red meat is not good for the kidneys. Does he eat chicken and fish, which is better for him? Does he consume a lot of salty products? Cut that out. Does he eat a lot of dairy? Lower that amount.

Make sure that his other medications are all healthy ones for the kidneys too. Check with the doctor or pharmacist.

These are first steps. There are many of us out there that live full lives with kidney function less than 20%. I have been below 15 for four years and just recently brought it up to 18. I feel great.

Ask as many questions as you need to. We are here for you.

[joannieandmike in reply to Bassetmommer]

Thanks for your reply, he has high BP, not diabetes, he loves his cheese, full cream milk, he drinks alcohol about 4 pints a week, he's not a sweet personWill keep you updated from his scan next week

[Bassetmommer in reply to joannieandmike]

oh my.... I am sorry he is not sweet. You deserve to be treated well. What I hear you say is that these changes are going to be a battle. He gets to choose. You can guide and support but living with the battle of changing habits is never pleasant or easy. This is a wife speaking from experience. High blood pressure is a major cause of CKD. The drinking is not helping him either.

[Beachgirl32]

It a lot how you feel at 18 percent I felt great. I’m at 11/12 percent not on dialysis yet. I know a lot of people on here have said dust really help and drinking lots of water . Yep the drinking alcohol doesn’t help. Get the scan wait and see what the doctor said before you panic and getting knowledge is good .

[rabbit01]

I lasted for another 5 years before starting dialysis after being diagnosed at 17%. Obviously some people decline faster than others. But don't panic. Just take your time to research the options for him. Not sure if they'll do a transplant at his age ti be honest. I have been on dialysis for 2.5 years. Not so bad once you get used to it.

[htpi1543 in reply to rabbit01]

Are you on PD or HD

[rabbit01 in reply to htpi1543]

I am on PD. Once that stops working I won't be bothering to go on haemodialysis thanks. I consider every day a bonus. I love my life but I am not doing haemodialysis ever.

[Hidden in reply to rabbit01]

Please explain what you mean by when PD stops working? Why would it stop working? My sister is on PD, so I am curious as to why it would stop?

[rabbit01 in reply to Hidden]

Two main reasons. The peritoneal membrane stops working as a filter. Remember we are using it for a purpose it was not intended for. It's a miracle that it does what it does and that someone was smart enough to think of it. But eventually it thickens and won't allow the passing of the waste products and fluid. Another reason is that as the membrane thickens it shrinks and hardens and this can put pressure and damage the organs underneath it. In my part of the UK you can only do peritoneal dialysis for five years before you are forced to switch to haemodialysis. But I do know in other parts of the world that some people are on peritoneal for 15 years.

[joannieandmike in reply to htpi1543]

Dont recognise them initials

[rabbit01 in reply to joannieandmike]

HD=Haemodialysis and PD= Peritoneal Dialysis.

[dadinfo]

Does he have a kidney specialist they will guide you. My dad got a chest port which is a temporary port in the hospital for dialysis he started it there , but now has outpatient dialysis near his house. He will be getting an arm port soon. At the kidney dialysis clinic they assign a caseworker and dietitian. My dad goes 3 times a week to dialysis he is there 3 hours . The dietitian will run test to see if anything is low or needs to be adjusted and his diet. He doesn’t qualify for a kidney he will be 80 soon.

[joannieandmike in reply to dadinfo]

Yes he sees a kidney dr at the hospital,he has a urgent scan next week ,so fingers crossed Thanks for your reply

And to all the others too very much appreciated x

[Darlenia]

Hi! I, too, am my hubby's support person and my comments reflect that perspective. My hubby, a T2D with high pressure, wound up with kidney issues, went on dialysis at age 69 and then transplant at age 71. For most of that journey, he simply went along with therapies at hand and largely brushed matters aside although he, too, became increasingly fatigued, restless, and more. This was a big mistake in my view. He should have listened very carefully to his nephrologist at this point to keep both of our lives moving along smoothly. I happened to overhear a telemedicine conversation between him and his nephrologist during which my husband refused to accept looking into dialysis and/or transplant. I immediately jumped into the conversation and told the nephrologist we would do all that he proposed, particularly the transplant, since that was the optimum method to treat kidney failure. At the conclusion of the call, his doctor, visibly relieved, exclaimed, "Happy wife! Happy life!" Nevertheless, my hubby paid a heavy price for stalling. His blood pressure became uncontrollable virtually overnight and he wound up on emergency hemodialysis (requiring a temporary chest catheter) and a hospital stay to bring it down. (He was hospitalized in his street clothes, no cell phone charger, no toiletries, nothing at all.) Then, that was followed by more steps to transition to his dialysis treatment of choice (peritoneal dialysis) and a permanent cath. But, this is very important, those extra steps could have been eliminated - by either getting a "preemptive transplant" and bypassing dialysis completely or by simply getting a permanent cath, fistula, or graft in advance for his dialysis treatment of choice. With an egfr of 18, your husband can indeed qualify (and pass the tests) to be on the transplant list now. (Getting a recommendation from a nephrologist in that regard is worth gold.) Then, at the same time, he could have already resolved what type of dialysis he prefers if the transplant doesn't happen. And above all, you both would then have the peace of mind that matters are taken care of and that, if his downward spiral continues, it can be halted in a way to meet your objectives. Throughout, please keep in mind the value of having your hubby eat properly and well - ask the nephrologist for a referral to a renal dietitian for guidance. Many people can indeed keep their egfr stable by staying away from processed foods and following a plant based diet - sometimes for years. That diet may be life enhancing for your hubby. In summary, I would like to say there's a reason why your nephrologist has mentioned dialysis and transplant. Don't be terrified by the terms. It's calming for most to examine the situation and to be educated - to be proactive and to be prepared for the journey with its possible twists and turns. Not doing so often produces crippling worry and anxiety. Certainly, that was the situation for me. Sending you all the encouragement in the world to find your way forward with clarity and purpose. Reach out anytime, we're here for you. You and your hubby deserve a quality life.

[louinma]

Hi !! I've been at 22% for 30 years now. Last Fall it dropped to 18% but it's back to 22 last month. My Dr has always said there is no cure, if it gets worse I can do home dialysis.

Lou

[cs65 NKF Ambassador]

I had a transplant when I was almost 69, so your husband is not too old. I was on the transplant list for 4 years and on hemodialysis during that time. Please do have him pay attention to a healthy diet and to drink more water, because that can help, as well as blood pressure meds that his nephrologist prescribes. It is best if he gets evaluated for a kidney transplant as soon as possible, because it can take up to five years to get a transplant unless you can find a living donor. I didn't go onto dialysis until my kidney function was 5%, but I wasn't showing all the symptoms of ESRD so I could delay for a couple months. Tell your husband that dialysis will make him feel better, but so will taking better care of himself which will give him a better chance of being listed for transplant. Both of you take care!

[Lilly234]

I am working to have my PD done at home. According to what I have read, this puts on at least 15 years to your lifetime. Five years if you do dialysis. I am still on dialysis and am watching my diet. I don't always follow what dialysis tells me since they are not registered nurses and I don't like what they tell me; however, I heard from some people that PD is the best route to do. Good luck. Another thing, I did the transplant route, wasted time going to Froedtert to meet with a lot of doctors and was told I don's qualify for a transplant. Everyone is different. I hope you have a good kidney doctor.😆