Stage 3 CKD

[HECollins]

I am 60 year old female who is very fit. Recently diagnosed with Stage 3 CKD ( eGfr 50).

My blood pressure, cholesterol and urine are fine. I used NSAIDs for 20 years which I suspect caused this. I have immediately stopped taking them. My GP says I have absolutely nothing to worry about as this Stage is a monitoring stage and very common.

I am however very anxious and can’t put it out my mind.

Can anyone put my mind at ease ?

[Louloude]

I'm a 37 year old female, also fit and always have been, also recently diagnosed with stage 3a. It's not much fun having a condition that can worsen progressively and unpredictably. But I also don't want to waste energy being stressed about it. As much as possible I try to find things to be grateful for. The sunshine. My puppy. My loving boyfriend. Fresh food. Kind people. I believe that remembering to observe these little things is the only true antidote to fear and anxiety. Worry, though understandable, is a waste of your 50% kidney function. Mine is 48. I need that 48% to suck the marrow out of all that is beautiful in life.

Good luck.

[orangecity41]

Hope this helpful to you. I am 76 year old male. I was diagnosed at stage 3b CKD and was put on a renal diet by my Doctor. I also was taken off prescription NSAID (from another Doctor). CKD progress has slowed down. Everyone's medical situation is different and could be other medical circumstances involved with treatment decisions by Doctor. Good that your GP is monitoring it and maybe that is all that is needed now.

[curleytop1]

Hello HECollins, It may be helpful if you read through the many older posts on this site, many of us are stage 3 and are different ages. have different medical problems, or are fit like yourself. I have given my experiences elsewhere on the site, but your GP sounds very re-assuring (mine was very vague about CKD so decided to send me to Renal Department of local hospital which was an 8month wait). Have you been given any dietary advice or restrictions (I have to lower my potassium intake with no advice on how to do this)? I would not be surprised if you were told to eat normally as you are at stage 3, but many people on here (and me at age 76) follow a general renal diet. Also, cut right down on salt, do not use salt substitutes, same with sugar. I assume you do not smoke, and alcohol intake should be very limited. Drink water to keep hydrated (I like it hot). There are a number of sites which give advice on renal diets and general information. One often recommended on here is DAVITA.COM, which many people find helpful.

I was told not to worry about my eGfr figure, which I have not been given, because it varies all the time for all sorts of reasons. Its great that your blood pressure, cholesterol and urine are fine as that must surely contribute to your staying at stage 3 for a long time. Quite a number of people on the site say they have been stable at stage 3 for many years, and I was told by the Renal Registrar at the hospital that out of all the people diagnosed with CKD at stage 3, only a very small percentage go on to need dialysis let alone a transplant (before I went there, I had thought this happened to everyone). Make 'friends' with your pharmacy and if you have to buy an over-the-counter medicine, always ask if it is suitable for you.

Hope the above has helped a bit, and do keep in touch with us all on the site - I have found it very helpful and comforting to know I can find answers to most of my worries here, because there is always someone to share them and offer advice. Best wishes - Curleytop1.

[HECollins in reply to curleytop1]

Thx everyone who is replying to my post.. it’s helping my anxiety .. I was a bit shell shocked last week . So glad I found this site

[orangecity41 in reply to curleytop1]

agree Curleytop .. a very good post. There are many different medical causes for CKD so varied treatments for individuals. You are right at stage 3 it is possible to keep from dialysis with proper treatment plan. I have a 7 page diet and have to restrict phosphorus, and sodium, but potassium not so much. It can be challenging but is well worth it. Best wishes to you on your CKD journey.

[curleytop1 in reply to orangecity41]

Thank you for your encouragement orangecity41, I feel it is important to try to follow the general renal diet as best I can, and in the absence of diet sheets, or even a visit to a registered renal dietician (which only seems to happen for those who are stage 5 in UK), I have made up my own diet plan by doing lots of Internet research and compiling a list of the foods which are lowest in potassium (which is my particular problem - as you know, everyone is different and has different dietary needs). The list is not very long! I buy only those foods which conform to my list so do eat the same meals quite a few times each week, but it suits me! I do use some convenience foods, particularly frozen vegetables, having checked the ingredients are suitable with the various companies, if necessary.

There is a bonus to this as I have gradually lost weight and managed to keep it off, and I feel much better and more physically and mentally active than I did before diagnosis. I would say to anyone who is newly diagnosed with CKD at stage 3 that they are not alone in this and with care and a bit of pre-planning meals, and taking a home- made meal out and about with them if necessary, one can lead a very normal life. I do realise that if the disease progresses to the later stages then one has to revise this and life could well become trickier - but not impossible!

[Sally10255]

Hi, I am also very fit, bit my numbers were like yours. I eat low carb but not loading up on meat. I am dairy free by choice. My doctor sent me for ultrasound, showed kidney was swollen and not draining. Then developed lower spasms. It ended up being a kidney stone that dropped. All weird timing but in a lot of pain. I then had a CAT scan that showed 6 mm stone. I was scheduled for outpatient surgery because of pain and 6 mm stone. Ended up I had passed it and didn’t know it. A stent was put in to help kidney function. I drink at least 100 oz. of water a day, very cautious on sodium, potassium, phosphorus. My doctor thinks my numbers are from stone in their blocking things. Just at beginnng stages of more diet things, but I did look st renal diet. Not eating fish now. It is loaded with things I don’t need. Green leafy things are supposed to be hard in kidneys or things that had dark leaves...spinach, kale, tea, he said nuts. He said if I eat those take a Tums. He does. If I were you, I would start looking at diet, the drinks you drink, keep up the healthy exercise. Great luck, several of us in same place. Actually I have read it is a silent epidemic.