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CKD stage 3 diet
Hello! My husband was diagnosed with CKD stage 3 about 6 weeks ago. I have lists of sodium and potassium values for most common foods, also got some renal diet cookbooks from the library, as well as from Amazon, and do a lot of checking out recipes online.
I tried to find a renal dietician, but there isn't one. Physician(s) nor hospital outpatient services have anyone to recommend, either. Of course, once you progress to the dialysis stage, there's a personal dietician available. But not before, at least here.
So: muddling through. Most, if not all recipes I''ve seen are heavy on boiling stuff, especially vegetables. I get that for carrots, beans, etc., but I've yet to find a reason why I shouldn't roast them in the oven, with olive oil, garlic, etc. Does the cooking method really make a difference?
Also: almost every recipe for CKD diet is super low in calories. Great for someone overweight, but with a BMI of 21.6 my husband does not need to lose weight. But instead of bulking up with healthy vegetables I'm stuck with increasing carbs (rice, pasta), since vegetables contain quite a lot of potassium.
Lastly: leaching potassium out of potatoes: online recommendation is small pieces, lots of warm water, rinse and replace frequently, room temperature. Specially bought cook book by renal dietician says cold water, fridge, overnight (which internet says is the least effective method). Any comment? This is for potatoes destined to be roasted, not mashed.
Sorry to carry on, but there's so much conflicting information going on. Perhaps someone who has dealt with this for a while has some hints or advice.
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Boy do I agree with you. Noone has a straight forward stage 3 diet, every site differs.
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1 ReactionMy labs just came back with CKD of 45. I am 76 years old and no real serious problems or meds. I have been hovering around 48 or 49. I have osteoporosis and had a Reclast infusion that laid me out for 6 months and only gained 1/2 pt on osteoporosis so no more meds for that. My doctor just prescribed meds for CKD. I do not do well with any meds! Can't take anti-inflammatories etc. Is there anything natural I can do to raise my CKD number? I am refusing meds. Looked at the side effects of the med she prescribed and decided against it. Thanks for any ino.
@lizzabeth I am curious what medications your doctor prescribed for you for CKD?
Eating healthy, getting moderate exercise, avoiding an overabundance of potassium/calcium/phosphorous foods will help you. and remember, we look at trends, not necessarily single test results, as we track our kidney function. Proper hydration is also a crucial factor.
Ginger
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5 ReactionsFarxiga
@lizzabeth I looked Farxiga up: https://www.drugs.com/farxiga.html
Do you have diabetes or heart issues? Do you hydrate well?
An eGFR of 45 doesn't get that much attention from my nephrologist. Mine is lower than that most of the time, down to 36 from 53 in 2022 for unknown reasons. Noone has mentioned any medication for me.
Reclast can affect kidneys of course. I am doing 1 mg instead of the normal 5mg, every three months for a year. My doctor is protecting my kidneys that way as well as listening to me about my sensitivity to meds.
Can you have a Cystatin C GFR done? Some of us have found it to be more reliable and more positive than the usual creatinine based eGFR.
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1 Reaction@lizzabeth I took the smaller diabetic dose of Farxiga prescribed by my endocrinologist rather than the larger dose probably prescribed by your nephrologist. I started and stopped it over a period of 2 years. I worked up a spreadsheet showing both times my eGFR going down considerably when Farxiga was taken. I presented this to my Mayo nephrologist and he accpted this information.
The side effects are real when looking at their own website and others. On the other hand, my diabetic doc swears by the science as do some nephrologists. However, I had one nephrologist several years back who would not advise any of his patients to take the drug. As @gingerw said, if you watch your intake of sodium, potassium, phosphorous, follow your eGFR trend, and stay hydrated, that may suffice. BTW, my eGFR went down to the high teens from about 45 while taking Farxiga lower dose. I have since recovered back to Stage 3 levels after stopping.
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3 ReactionsI have Stage 3b CKD thanks to a physician who missed 5 blatant signs of parathyroid disease. I am on no medications for it but I do avoid taking any medications that are not "Kidney friendly." Meaning I check with my nephrologist prior to taking the medication. Follows me every 6 months, is pleased with my lab results and I drink at least 1 1/2- 2 liters of fluid daily. I avoid salty foods but never were into them to begin with, other than that I eat what a want. The diagnosis at first was terrifying, but I'm much calmer now. My main frustration is the fact that it was missed in the first placed and wonder why it was not reported by his peers and was this addressed. Had a parathyroidectomy for about a 1 inch tumor, have severe osteoporosis and have no intention of taking any medication for it. I keep active, walk and strength train.
Thanks for all the info. Glad I did my research and refused the med.
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1 ReactionNo diabetes or heart issues. Yes I do hydrate well. Great-Reclast left me with another gift-lowered eGFR. I will look into the Cystatin C GFR. Also thank you for saying that 45 does not get much attention-makes me feel better!
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1 ReactionThank you. I am glad I did my research and refused the med. I did not do that with Reclast and I will never be the same as well as losing 6 months of my life from severe side affects.
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