How long before stage 3 turns into stage 5?

If someone is diagnosed with stage 3 kidney disease egfr 58, how many years can they expect to have their kidney function before a transplant or dialysis is needed?

[anxiousworriedscared]

I believe the progression of the disease depends on many factors.  Personally, I was in Stage 3 for about 14 years until last year when I progressed to Stage 4.  Again like I said this was my personal journey and does not apply to everyone.

[joechan]

is there any supplement or medication for stage 3 or 4 patients?

[anxiousworriedscared]

Hi Joe

I am on meds for hypertension, hyperparathyroidism, vitamin D deficiency, B12 deficiency, iron for anemia and GERD.  Is this what you mean by supplements?

[howlonghaveIgot]

I have taken lithium carbonate every day for the last 40 years - my doctor thinks this may have brought my kidneys to stage 3 ( diagnosed last week )- has anyone has a similar experience? will stopping lthium halt the decline? - I have also taken valium for the same period and wonder if this has also damaged my kidneys

Cheers Robert (UK)

[jimgreg]

theres too manny factors to say....

[sweettea31]

My mother has stage 3 kidney disease and the doctor has her on 9 different medications to help her BP stay low but it isn't helping like it should. They have her on the highest dose of BP medication and she is really scared about what will happen to her if she gets to stage 5. I guess I was wondering if anyone would know about how long would it take for her to get to that point with out of controle hypertension? I'm scared cause my mom is my best friend and I feel helpless. I know it is different for everyone but I didn't know if someone might have a friend or family member or even themself who has had the same problem.

[chen1988]

yes,you are right

[lindahand]

The kidney disease should quit deteriorating once the lithium is stopped. The valium probably isn't helping but Lithium is what caused the kidney issues. I have a friend for whom this happened to. You may want to post this questions on the bipolar site as well. There are other drugs like lamotrigine and the antipsychotics that aren't as hard on the kidneys so there are still bipolar medications available.

[lindahand]

I have a GFR of close to that amount (54) and am 37. I've been told that I can live to old age if the number doesn't go down and that diet will play a huge role in whether or not that number goes down or stays the same.

So this isn't a death sentence by any means. There are a lot of factors at play as to whether or not the numbers go up or down. For example if it is a disease process, you probably will have a lower life expectancy. If you got this from overuse of NSAIDS like ibuprofen, when you stop the medications the deterioration should stop as well.

Ask your doctors next time you see them to put your mind at ease.

[Carrie4335]

People keep mentioning that if you keep an eye on your diet that the progression of CKD (stages 1-3) should be okay, well at least stable. My question is, what type of diet are you following to keep your numbers stable?

My husband was just diagnosed with stage 3 CKD, and I'd like to know what types of meals to prepare so I can keep him as healthy as possible.

[lindahand]

I have had a huge increase in kidney function from diet restrictions. I went from 54% to 69% in six months. So I went from moderate kidney disease to mild kidney disease.

If you google kidney diet you'll find some good information from some of the kidney foundations.

This is what my doctor told me.

Mostly it is avoiding items high in potassium and phosphorus (if it is pre-packaged - chances are it is high in phosphorous, as well as any dark cola except rootbeer). The main culprits are tomatoes, potatoes sweet and regular(although you can have potatoes if you cube them, soak them overnight, drain the water off and boil them because that takes a lot of the potassium out), squash, lettuce and spinach, nuts, bananas, oranges. And he said to follow a low salt/low cholesterol diet. He also said to reduce red meat and pork consumption by half. You don't have to cut out these foods just reduce them significantly. An iceberg lettuce salad with a restaurant meal once every couple a weeks isn't doing to make that much difference. (iceburg lettuce has the lowest potassium, spinach the highest)

I eat a lot of baked chicken breast with things like apricot jam on top, one really tasty one is a can of cranberries and some lime juice, or sprinkled with Mrs. Dash (be careful what salt subsitutes you use because a lot of them contain potassium). I also make my own sauces using wine or sherry, a little bit of soy sauce (really high in salt. China Lily is the lowest in salt I've found) , some brown sugar and depending on my mood Worcestershire Sauce (it is a good sauce to use because it is low salt). I also make pineapple chicken. I fry the chicken and then use real pineapple chuncks and pineapple juice and some red pepper flakes. I thicken the sauce with cornstarch and serve over brown rice. Occasionally I will use a prepared sauce but they tend to be really high in salt. Don't buy the frozen chicken breasts as they are 'seasoned' and can be as high as 20% of your daily salt per breast. Another good seasoner is sesame oil. You need very little as it packs a pretty good punch. It is excellent on broccoli and I will add it instead of the Worcestershire sauce to my homemade sauce if I want an oriental taste. I would say we eat chicken or turkey for about 90% of our meals now.

There is a website called Davita that has some tasty recipes. The chicken enchaladas are really good. Keep in mind though that these are recipes for stage 4 and 5 kidney disease so you can add a little more protein to them. A good rule of thumb for protein is a little less than the size of your fist. If he is getting closer to stage 4 than I would consider a little less protein.

I've gotten so that vegetable with salt taste funny, so your tastebuds will adjust. I still add salt to some things. Oatmeal needs a little salt for example, but I cut it in half of what I used to.

It is daunting at first. For me it was giving up tomatoes. I used tomatoes in almost everything I cooked. For some things I could subsitute pineapple juice but for most things I just had to give the recipe up. I make myself a red pasta sauce about once a month and devour it. This is a long term thing so you have to 'treat' yourself once in a while, just so long as it is once a month and not once a week.

If you have access to a dietician that would be best. They can help you with meal plans and all sorts of other suggestions. I wasn't severe enough for a dietician, but I would have loved to go to one especially when I was first trying to figue this whole thing out.

Good luck. I hope his numbers go the same direction mine did. It is worth the effort.

[Carrie4335]

Thank you so much Linda for replying. I appreciate the in-depth response.

I've been researching online like crazy abou kidney diets. We have tried to find a renal dietican (or any dietician) but are having some problems with insurance - and the fact that they only offer group study classes but don't have a one on one consulatations. Today my husband and I went to see his PCP and she said to stick to whole grains, vegetables, fruits and limited protein (the nephrologist said he could have up to 10 oz a day for his weight). I also asked her about the potassium and phosphorous and she said for right now his levels are fine and he doesn't have to "limit" them. I'll still keep an eye out for how much he eats. Soda has been eliminated for a month now but I'm still working on getting him to quit eating so much processed foods - which are high in salt, sugar, starch, and chemicals.

I don't know, everything seems so confusing. I did search the Davita meal plan -- they had one for regular patients and one for diabetic patients -- but I was shocked that there was so much refined foods---even for the diabetic plan. My husband isn't diabetic but has a metabolic disorder that could lead him there if he doesn't watch his intake of sugar and processed foods.

Right now I want to have him to eat plenty of vegetables and fruits with limited grains and protein.

This is just a sample diet that I hope would be beneficial:

Breakfast: Oatmeal with blueberries.

Lunch: Big salad (using romaine lettuce) with cucumbers, peas (small amount), cheese (small amounts), eggs, carrots, turkey and salad dressing.

Dinner: 3/4 of the plate filled with some type of vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, etc.) with some protein.

Snacks through the day: Apples, grapes, peaches

I also need to watch his salt intake as he has high blood pressure. He's never been able to get it down to the normal levels; it's usually around 130's/140's over 90's/100's. It seems like 145/95 is his norm.

It sounds like you're doing extremely well. Congrats! I am so happy that you found a diet that's helping your GFR number improve. I know you mentioned some things to stay away from and some things you're eating, but would you mind giving me a sample menu of your day --- a few days if you don't mind. It would be greatly appreciated.

I just kind of feel at a loss trying to watch his blood pressure, sugar intake, and now finding a diet that would improve his GHR levels.

[warney]

yes it does depend on too many factors to predict rate of deckline. one of the biggest factors is the cause itself. I have no bladder and so have an ileal conduit, this causes constant urine reflux and constant infection, this was the cause of my CKD and why it is dropping so fast. The underlyin g cause cannot be prevented or reduced, but in many cases the cause can, hence slowing or even halting progression :) good luck

[Wesley212]

Personally, I would rather face imamate death from kidney failure (or even being burned alive) that the utter hellish nightmare of trying to find a new drug to replace lithium. If you have ever been a medication non-responder, then you know what I’m talking about. Plus, when you start going thru the inevitable experience of what lithium deprivation can bring, you will most likely stop responding to your anti-depressant as well (if you’re bi-polar). It might take you a year or more.. Or maybe even never… to find a new drug combination that will get you back into the normal world. The only question now, 40 years down the road is… how much spunk and fortitude do you got? When you were young you could maybe deal with the change. I found 11 months and 15 days to be quite sufficient.

Leave my lithium…? Unthinkable. Lithium is God as far as I’m concerned. And He can have the kidneys for all I care. They ain’t much use to you when you have to face what comes next at the bottom of that slippery sliding pit. Know what I mean...? I hope that you do.

[lindahand]

I do understand why you would say that. I really do. And I know what it is to be alive and not live. I never tried lithium because I only have one kidney and they didn't want to risk it, but it took me years to get on something that works and I wouldn't want to go off it unless I absolutely HAD to.

Following the kidney diet though may help slow the progress down. At least it couldn't hurt. Cutting down on the phosphorus, potassium, etc.

Good luck.

[Wesley212]

There are some things worse than death. As anyone who faces the daily struggle with severe clinical depression knows, the compulsion towards suicide is a very real.. Almost living thing. It doesn't matter how much willpower you have... The only determining factor is how close will the bottom of the pit come. It is mental pain beyond description. The mania cycle only produces social embarrassment. 20 straight days of 2 hours or less sleep and a lost job or two. Maybe even a crushed professional reputation where you can never work in your field of study again. Things like that. When they're both out of whack at the same time, you might even be found on the 6o clock news. They would have to put me in a straightjacket and Velcro me to a wall without this drug, just so I couldn’t tear the top of my head off.  So anything is preferable to the eventuality wrought by that. The loss of my kidneys included. What use are they to a person if they're dead? And look what they had to go thru to get there. Like I say, dying by fire is better than living with a severely unbalanced brain chemistry. At least death is relatively quick. It all depends on how bad you have it, my friend.

[Maymay0111]

Hi
I am so sorry about your mother, you remind me of myself.  My brother was told he may be starting early kidney disease we were all devistated and scard  He's only in his early 50's  I know how scard you are

[Kristian111]

Hi I'm 34 years of age and I have just been told I have stage 3 kidney disease, I do alot of sports and am fairly fit but I'm really worried cos the doctor said its very strange for someone so young to have this - what should I do??

[techchick92]

my name is Courtney. im 20 years old. i was recently diagnosed with kidney disease. through a 24 hour urine test and lots of blood work, i found out that im at stage 3 already. im freaking out cause im only 20 and wondering why this is happening to me. is their anyone that can give me advise on how to deal with the stress. the doctor put me on a med called fosinopril sodium 10mg tablet. i take half of one pill every night. i go back in december and am hoping my numbers are a little different. i am on a strict diet and am exercising. is there anything else i can do to keep my kidneys from getting worse????

[gavster19]

Yes you can, simple baking soda will halt your kidney disease.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1200287/Daily-dose-baking-soda-stop-kidney-patients-needing-dialysis.html

Also, ozone is extremely effective at restoring the kidneys. Join Saul Pressmans yahoo group on ozone therapy.

Some acupuncture will help as well. Chinease medicine is focused around the kidneys.

Watch out for these so called western doctors. All they do is monitor your kidneys till they fail.

Follow the above and you will be fine....

[nhgibby]

Kidney patients need to limit their potassium intake. Normally, it gets cleansed from blood daily, but low kidney function means the kidneys are not flushing out the potassium, so after just a few days, in less than a week of eating normal portions of high potassium fruits and veggies, the potassium level in the blood just builds up and can lead to heart attack.  I got routine blood tests and afterwards, they walked me right over to the cardiologist's office. This was after one glorious spring week during which I ate what used to be normal for me - a bunch of cooked fresh organic beets, a couple of perfect nectarines, a few dates, some nuts, avocado.  My favorite foods that I used to eat daily before my renal disease diagnosis, are bananas, potatoes, winter squash, avocadoes, dates, nectarines, beets, spinach, chard, broccoli, brussels sprouts, etc. It is a long list.  Now, I can only eat 1/4-1/2 cup servings of one of these foods at a  meal.  I learned my lesson and am very careful about this now. I was diagnosed in 2007 with stage 3-4 kidney disease (caused by chemo 31 yrs ago) and was terribly sick. I studied daily and got myself on a careful renal dietary regimen. I limit my protein intake to 40-50 grams per day. I limit my potassium to less than 2000mg, typically less than 1000.  Also phosphorus, which has not been a problem for me, I can enjoy chocolate without my body holding onto it like the potassium.  Anyway, I also take plenty of supplements - including magnesium gluconate, less than $4 a bottle on Amazon and made by Windmill,  and the only form of magneisum that is not a laxative.  Many kidney patients are low in magnesium - and it caused me intense ankle bone pain until I began taking 2 magnesium tablets per day and in less than a week, the pain was gone.  I was on crutches or in wheelchair, that's how bad the pain was! Once, I ran out of the mag tabs for 4 days and began to feel the pain return, but as soon as I got a new supply, the pain went away again for good.  Drugstores do not carry this form of magnesium, but they will order it for you and then triple the price to you.  Anyway, over 5 yrs of keeping myself on track with eating organic, healthy, non-processed foods and limiting potassium, phosphorous, sodium, protein, I improved my kidney function and impressed my docs cause I slowed down the decline to half the expected rate.  I am now finally in stage 5 and awaiting a transplant in early 2013 from a loving family member.  Dialysis is not a good choice for anyone and especially not for me - my veins were ruined by chemo.  Do not feed your husband too freely when it comes to green veggies. Small servings are best.  I LOVE fruits and veggies and have had to limit them just to prolong my kidney function. I also got a phone consult with Dr. Jenna Henderson, who is a naturopathic doc specializing in kidney disease (www.holistickidney.com).  She got me on CQ10, Curcumin, and best of all, a product called Renadyl, which is probiotic capsules same as probiotic bacilliae in yogurt, but in very high concentration.  They remove toxins from food while it is still in your colon and before it gets to your kidneys. 5 days of following her guidelines raised my GFR from 13 to 18 and eventually to over 20 and I no longer feel close to death. I use a free website to help me set up nutrition goals and track my daily food intake and it works great!  www.fitday.com.  I also take D3, 2000mg C, Fish Oil capsules, E, Selenium, and a very few prescription meds to manage my blood pressure and A-fib.  Also, the probiotics "cured" 31 yrs of my suffering from radiation caused colitis/IBS!!!  My advice to you is to study and educate yourselves on renal diet and don't rely only on those commercial profiteer companies who are getting rich on dialysis clinics  and products for kidney patients, namely DaVita and Fresenius, for your renal dietary info.  Also, most renal dieticians focus on dialysis and transplant patients and not on renal patients in earlier stages.  This is mainly because they know from experience that most people are very resistant to dietary changes, as shown by number of people who refuse to make changes when they get a diabetes II diagnosis and end up with amputations and on dialysis.  Carbs in moderation are fine for kidney patients.  NO ASPARTAME for anyone, please! Caffeine and alcohol, beer included, are not good for sick kidneys.  Good luck. For those who are lucky to get early diagnosis while still in Stages 1, 2 or 3, many of you can make changes that will extend your lives to full old age without any symptoms of kidney disease.  Most symptoms don't show up anyway until stage 3-4.  You CAN make a huge difference in how it progresses!

[nhgibby]

Baking soda will not halt kidney disease.  A pinch in a glass of water or a sodium bicarb tablet dissolved in full glass of water helps to make your blood less acid and more alkaline.  If you wish, you can achieve same effect by squeezing a whole lemon into a glass of water and drinking it. Though lemon and vinegar are acid, they actually will make your blood less acid.  This helps alot when/if you get that ammonia taste in your mouth, which is often a sign of blood acid being too high.  Baking soda helps improve the imbalance in your blood caused by faulty kidney function, but please don't make a statement tat it halts kidney disease!  I wish it was that simple and easy!  I also apologize for stating dialysis is not a good choice - sometimes it is the only choice.

[newpor]

hope all nephrotic will  soon bee restored to health

skype:aliceliutong

[warney]

i went from 3 to 4 in under 12 months, it really depends a lot on the cause of your CKD. Mine was caused by chronic infections of the kidneys that we cannot stop. I have an ileal condit (no bladder, taken ot 6 years ago)  unfortunately there are very few antibiotics that now work. Ironically, my nephrologist said it is now a viscious circle. The greater the impairment the worse my immune system gets, so the more infections blablabla viscious circle. I wouldnt worry, most people the declilne is many many years. I have now been in stage 4 for nearly 2 months so just praying to god is panning out.
re medications.  the only thing I was on was iron, however I get that via infusion (intravenous) as neph said supplements of iron are not properly taken up by the kidneys if have poor function. At this stage I just watch my diet, get regular (weekly) urine tests to check early for infection (as I have no bladder i dont get the normal warnings eg burning and frequent urine). I have a 3 monthly bloods done

[warney]

hi linda, was just wondering where you are from?  funny have a student called linda hand!!!!!

[warney]

dont worry, you could stay at stage 3 for 50 years!!!! most people with stage 3 dont progress to eskd. it really depends on the cause adn it can happen at any age, children have it, if your feeling well, and probably still would have no symptoms at stage 3, just have a blood test yearly and of the numbers start to fall every few months

[warney]

generally not, most of the time there are no symptoms at all until well into stage 4. though everyone is different. your dr should be doing regular bloods just to ensure all is well. One common problem, even at stage 3, is low iron. My nephrologist said there is no point taken oral iron supplements with kidney disease, therefore if it is low I have intravenous iron infusions. should be keeping a close eye on blood pressure though

[warney]

HI i am also in stage four. My nephrologist told me to restrict high protein foods,  eggs and peanut butter upset me the most lol. but you say eggs are ok???

[Cuzson]

Hey what did u eat during your stage 3 n how often u ate? i been reading that a low protein diet is needed...

[warney]

stage 3 I ate normally, I was aware of the amount of prtein in the diet and I did try to cut back on salt. You should be pretty well able to eat most things at stage 3. Up unitl about mid stage 4, the kidneys are still able to process most things. However potassium can start to build in the blood which can and often does lead (if unchecked) to heart damage. IN FACT. MOST PEOPLE WITH ESKD do NOT DIE OF THIS, IT IS THE COMPLICATIONS of too much/too little essentials in the body. Usually too much potassium builds up - most die of heart disease - not kidney disease. DONT freak out, I am not trying to scare you, if you are in stage 3 it will likely be donkeys years!!!! many at stage three do not progress at all. I really would be asking a doctor though as dont wnat to give the wrong advice, I think you will find your doctor says pretty much this though. LIke I said I ate normally till stage 4 egfr 26. I am now having to really watch my diet though and do have iron infusions at times. Its a tough balancing act and really should be monitored by both nephrologist (if have one yet) and a dietician.  YOur body needs protein for repair etc but too much can worsen the kidneys. Your body needs potassium but, too much due to CKD, can lead to heart problems .  There are some great postings hear that I would support, however, you should discuss the info with dieticaian/nephrologist

[warney]

You should definately NOT put youself on a low protein diet. It is rarely if ever needed in stage 3 and will cause big complications for the rest of your body!!! broken bones, joint injuries, poor healing etc.... Do not start ANY diet without your specialists advice. The problem is, what you need to cut back on your body needs, thats why dont just do it yourself

[Cuzson]

Thanks...one last question did u ever have trouble sleeping like u couldnt get a full night of sleep and would wake up in the middle of the night

[Cuzson]

What did u use to fix your sleep problem with kidney disease?

[ressie08]

hi warney, do know how long will it take for a stage 4 patient to stage 5? and can a stage 4 patient be pregnant? isn't that too risky? thank you,.

[ToniD65]

Hi I am at stage 3 and I am scared of all the info I am reading I don't have a Nephrologist and my Dr. has given me little info on ckd I just do not know what I should be doing at this point help

[randrews1985]

I am only 27 and I have had kidney problems since i was 13. So you are not alone. My kidneys are functioning between 35-40% My nephrologist told me that I should drink at least 40oz of water a day to flush my kidneys out. I was dropped my my insurance company over a yr ago and had been denied by a few more companies. I dont know what condition they are now.

[ToniD65]

You need to find a hospital or clinic that will help for free or a small copay so you can find out what condition they are in now.

[lindahand]

Pregnancy is something to be discussed with the doctor. I was told it increases risk factors for both mother and baby with a higher rate of pre-term birth. However if you are pregnant - babies have been born healthy too so it isn't an absolute. At stage 3 I wasn't told no, but the doctor got that worried look, and said that it would increase demands on my kidney and may cause problems for it. It was more of a 'proceed with caution' than an outright 'no'.

Someone had asked where I was from - Canada.

As for general advice. What I was told is to cut in half consumption of red meats, follow a low salt, low cholesterol diet, keep protein amounts lower (not eliminate but most of us eat much more protein than we need to), reduce not eliminate high potasium foods, and cut out phosphorus as much as possible (phosphorus is hard on the kidneys and is in pre-packaged foods and dark soft drinks except root beer). I was stage 3 GFR 54% I am now at 72% GFR.

[Ellcnl02]

I'm only 28 years old. I have been diagnosed with CKD stage 3 as well but, I have one non functioning kidney and my doctor says the other one is functioning at 50%. I had severe kidney reflux which they had to operate on me when I was nine. I am a little overweight at the time being since I just gave birth to my second child. My Gfr went down 20 points from the beginning of my pregnancy till recent. My question is how long was it for you to be diagnosed with stage four from stage three? I know everyone is different but I'm just trying to see if its maybe a long time before having to worry about getting closer to it and esrd or I'm wondering if its going to be sneaking up on me like my Gfr rate did along with the stage three.

[LaurIann]

I feel for you Kristian, I'm 48 and it scares me to death! I still have children living at home and a life that I want to live. This is all making me extremely depressed!!! I don't know what will take me first... depression or kidney diesease. I'm in need of a good support group, any suggestions?

[makeajoyfulnoise]

I just discovered that I have stage 3 kidney disease and my blood pressure is good now.  My blood pressure started to go down when I began to swim at least 3 times a week.  I have a fused back so I don't go great guns at swimming but exercise anyway.  My blood pressure has gone down because of the exercise and my weight started to go down a bit too.  I had my urine tested recently and was found to have clean urine.  I drink 94 oz of pure water a day.  I don't eat a lot of excess salt.  No soda!  No ibprophen, and stay away from lysol.  This is important.  I also have coffee only occasionally.  Practice relaxing, yoga, prayer and or other types of stress relieving methods.  I lost 9% function since 2003.  I believe that part of this was due to the atkins diet, but that is my opinion. I need to lose weight and that would take my blood pressure down even more.  I had my labs done and all is good.  My kidney disease started with damaged kidneys.  I think your mom should focus on having some fun that includes exercise after talking to her doctor.  You do easy stuff and in the pool it is weightless.  You could go with her.  They have therapy walking at the pools.  I will pray for your mother a healing and pray for you peace by the grace of God.  May you both live a long satisfied life in Jesus Name.  Have fun together.  She can also start the kidney diets and have some fun with coming up with some recipe ideas.  Keep positive, live life to the fullest, because that is what God wants for us.  Apparently drinking a lot of water is key to your health! Make sure that everything you do, whether exercise or diet is ok with her doctor, and yours.  : )  Chin up now, storm the situation with fun.  

[bobbiesox1961]

Why no soda or Lysol?  Did your doc tell you that and what does staying away from Lysol accomplish?

[amlimmer11]

My boyfriend is 19 and has been diagnosed with stage 3 CKD.  He has been put on medication for high blood pressure, but he doesn't have diabetes.  I am so scared, I don't know what to do.  We are in college and no one ever eats right or does good things for their body in college.  He lives in a house with three other guys and they stay up really late, eat packaged food that is easy to make, drink alcohol and smoke.  He hasn't really opened up to me about how he feels about it yet, but it seems like he isn't worried.  I am so scared, how do I help him realize that this is a big deal?  I want him to have a long, happy life, but I don't even know if that is realistic at this point.....please help.

[jamsparker]

ckd 3 means gfr is 30-59, if he does not pay attention to protecting renal function, he will develop stage 4 or 5 kidney disease, and that means his kidney will failure or stop working.

[warney]

so sorry I missed this post :)  the  time it takes to progress between stages has a lot of variation. Mainly it depends on the underlying cause of the ckd and if this can be managed. generally, I was told, that progression through early to mid stages can be many many years (or rapid) however, the further they do deteriorate the faster it tends to progress. this is because the remaining filters are under extra strain.  The risk of pregnancy, alhtough you should get a nephrologist advice here, is that any pregnancy, with or without kidney disease, can place additional strain on the kidneys. Addtionally, if the bloods are out, which would be by stage 4, many other related problems will be aggrivated

[warney]

if your egfr is below 50 and falling (even over a long period of time, stage 3 is 30 to 60) I would push for a neph, it can really help slow things down. Its not that unusual for a dr not to refer in stage 3. but stage 3 is a wide range. so under 50 egfr I would push.  in stage 3 there is really little that you need to do. Just drink plenty of water, eat well, treat any urine infections promptly, have blood pressure checked regularly (as high bp can damage kidneys), get blood sugars checked and I would request a 6 monthly function test

[warney]

it terrifies me to hear that because you have no insurance you cant see someone??? where are you from?  dont you have a dr that will bulk bill?

[warney]

READERS BEWARE  I dont know what planet you are from but if baking soda could halt kidney disease then nephrologists would all be broke and theere would be no such thing as kidney disease!  to all my fellow ckd pals - you can only wish life was that easy

[warney]

HI I went from stage 3 ro 4 in about 10 months. HOWEVER, please dont let that alarm you.  My whole progression has been rapid in comparison to  most.  The rate of progression comes down to so many factors and frequently depends on other underlying health problems and the case of the disease in the first place. I have no bladder so my kidneys drain to a bag - hence hundreds of severe urine infections and ckd as a consequence of them. as the underlying problem cannot be recitfied, the progression has been rapid. If you are otherwise healthy and the underlying cause can be halted or slowed, it could be many many years. Remember, that not everyone even does progress. My neph told me a while back that sometimes there can be a rapid drop but then things tend to plateau out. Are you under a neph?

[huggybearcole]

my mother was told she has sage 3 renal failure and i am deathly fraid of what the out come for her will be. she had a massive stroke and an anyurisum 13 years ago which caused hemi paralisys for her. her health has been going down hill since. the doctors say that she had to have dyalisis now but im also afraid how how her body will react to his. any advice? please excuse the spelling errors.

[warney]

did they explain why she has to have dialysis if is only stage 3? stage 3 is egfr of 30-59, stage 4 is 15-29 and stage 5 is called end stagae ie under 15. dialysis is then needed. I have never heard anyone have dialysis at stage 3?  It can be years from stage 3 to 5 and needing it, many dont end up progressing to stage 5 in their lifetime. In stage 3 the kidneys aer still working plenty well enough to keep the chemistry etc quite stable and so there is no need for any treatment usually at all, especially dialysis. I would be enquiring as to why they are saying this, it is not heard of

[huggybearcole]

I am not sure of anything at this point. All of this was brought to my attention last night while my family and i where eating dinner. I am going to the nursing home today to speak to someone about this further. I have alot of questions that need to be answered before anyone touches my mother. This is so very new to me i have been up all night crying and thinking and looking up differant information so i can be well prepared when i speak to the nursing home.

[warney]

I really feel for you, it is a difficult situation for you to have to face. Ask lots of questions, especially why they are wanting to do dialysis when only stage 3.  PLease keep me posted

[dolphinfans]

MY son just turned 18 yesterday and his gfr went from 70 to 49 in 6 months.  He was taking whey protein and lifting weights daily.  The neph said to of course stop whey, decrease lifting and reduce protein intake to 50grms daily and re check labs in 2 months any have any thoughts on this.  He was born with hydronephrosis and has been well managed.  

[koalas22]

Did it have to do with your eating habits?

[warney26]

HIgh protein in the diet has a GREAT influence on the accuracy of creatinine measrements, which are used to calcualte the EGFR, too much protein cases HIGH creatinine and LOW egfr.  Hence, it would defiantely need to be repeated as would be very inconclusive and unreliable. Make sure his protein stays within normal range for a week prior to his next kidney function test, or will get another unreliable read.  I think normal is 45-60grams a day, better check on that though!

[heysky]

My husband GFR is 8 was diagnosed with kidney failure 1 year ago and he is denial.

[bondy844]

My husband developed kidney failure after he became toxic when the PA he was under gave him inflammatory medication " Insaids"  with lithium he'd taken lithium all of his adult life for Bipolar condition.  Although he is also a Diabetic he never had kidney failure before then. He is now in stage 4 kidney failure.