Is this age-related decline in GFR or kidney disease?

Wow! Thank you for that reply.
I totally agree that it is unfortunate that they call it chronic kidney disease. Stage 3. It makes it sound like you are going to die tomorrow. No one mentioned it until October of this year.
My dr said I don't drink enough water so I am now drinking 24 ounces per day and I have stopped taking aspirin or other NSAIDs. I go back at the end of January to retest.
You are awesome so keep up the good work

Windyshores:
I may have mentioned that my Dr said that GFR naturally declines with age in many (not all) people. This does not mean you have Disease. This is backed up in many medical journals. So, we will see.

Anytime you are hesitant to accept your doctor's diagnosis, get a second opinion from another specialist !!! Your peace of mind is a big factor in being well. I have sometimes taken the words of a nurse more seriously, they have seen everything and trained in all areas somewhere along the line. I have Sjogren's disease and would not have seen a rhuematologist had it not been for a nurse's kind words to me after my doctor's appt. It won't offend the doctor, they see this all the time, lots of patients get frustrated with an illness and your kidney's are extremely important. Just do it tomorrow, and good luck! All the above may contain advice, but think of your peace of mind and go get it eased. It may be extremely important either way.

I’ve been watching this discussion for a while now. A bit of background first: I have 50ish years of diabetes and a history of hypertension. I have an endocrinologist for the diabetes (also a history of hyperthyroidism). In 2005 I had a pancreas transplant and found out that I also had mild to moderate kidney function trouble. There were no stage or alphabet numbers in the diagnosis and a simultaneous kidney transplant was not recommended at that time. I was 48 at the time.
In 2008 I started seeing a nephrologist and started learning about chronic kidney disease. I learned about controlling hypertension, eating and hydration for kidney disease and tests such as creatinine, BUN, Cystatin-C, and eGFR. From 2016 to now my eGFR has bounced between 14 - 42. It is currently in the low 30’s (34 I think). My nephrologist labeled me as CKD stage 4. He says that dialysis &/or transplant are in my future. So I’ve learned as much as I can about kidney transplantation and living kidney donation. I have gone through kidney pre-transplant evaluation and have been approved & accepted for kidney transplant when that time comes. It isn’t considered until the eGFR is less than or equal to 20. (I am not a fan of dialysis; but I’ve learned about that too.)
I’m nearly 68 now and doing well. I see the endocrinologist & the nephrologist every 3 months (or their physician’s assistants alternating). I also gets labs done about a week before these appointments. My primary, endocrinologist and nephrologist are all in the same health care system so it is easy for record sharing and to make sure we’re all on the same page. These providers are great and they each have their purposes. I’ve learned not to rely on the primary internal med Doc for diabetes and CKD advice because that is what the specialists are for.
One last thing. I’ve had kidney biopsies. It was part of a research program having to do with my pancreas transplant. It was NOT fun. I would not recommend it unless there is a very compelling reason for it. Not sure that an ultrasound etc. is all that useful for diagnosing CKD unless there is some other kidney condition that warrants it.

Well- all I did was to completely change my life in terms of what I was eating. I've always been into exercise so I just kept doing that and even increased it a bit by taking up the sport of fencing. I also left the nephrologist I was seeing who wanted me to immediately get a fistula and found one who was willing to work with me to stay off dialysis.

Hi,
I had a big panic when I was told I was CKD 3a and will die. You are right to be concerned but not to be scared, life can go on still.
The important thing to focus on is that it is a disease not a death sentence and can be managed, somewhat. I have been on this journey for 13 years after my kidney function completely shut down for 18 hours.
I changed my diet, modified my exercise and monitor my urine colour. Keeping the colour clear to light straw means your kidneys are getting enough fluid to flush as they should. When I do my 3 monthly bloods I try to keep consistency in what I have eaten that day, how much exercise I have done and try to keep to the same time of day for blood drawing. This will give you some consistency across 12 months of results, not for each individual test. I threw caution to the wind and ignored my own advice for drawing blood, resulted in an urgent call from my Dr being concerned my GFR had suddenly dropped. I wasn't game enough to come clean with her, but I make sure I don't do that again. Now 13 years on and I'm at GFR 3B, just and still alive. I'm T2 and have Dysautonomia which doesn't help taking care of my kidneys. Other than the changes I have made life is pretty much the same as before. I think self management is the key, it can stabilize your kidney decline as it does decline some with age. I medicate with vitamin D3 as this suffers with kidney damage, but under Dr's orders as too much can be every bit as dangerous. Touchwood I have never had a nasty bug from my wife bringing all sorts of nasties from her work place, I put that down to my D3 usage boosting my immune system.
Cheers

Thank you for your comments. I'm not sure what else I can modify. I have b een exercising with groups for 20 years 4 times per week. I am not overweight, my cholesterol is managed. I don't have osteoporosis. My diet is carefully packed with fruits and vegetables.
I am so happy you are doing well. You dont say how old you are.
Cheers to you!

Hi,
I'm 35 going on 72! Well at least I think I'm 35, my fitness and strength are above average for my age. I don't exercise anymore and rely on being mobile as much as possible pottering around in my workshop. I climb stairs several times a day which they say is far more exercise than walking, so maybe that is what helps me. Unfortunately I seem to have everything you don't have. I switched to a kidney friendly diet which coinsidentaly dropped my cholesterol from 9.8 to 6.8 and still has my Dr panicing.
I always thought I was doing well until I discovered my mother-in-law at 95 with a GFR 18 and absolutly no medical or dietry help still functions well for her age, although she only walks short distances with a walking frame. She eats what she likes regardless of any advice from her Dr or us!
I discovered I could push my GFR higher with strict diet for kidneys, but it is very strict, forgoing food and medicine that could affect the kidneys and ignoring my other health issues. I managed to push the GFR up to 58 but didn't enjoy the lifestyle. I now have little control of what I can eat as with the digestive problems I now have just eating is an accomplishment. But am still mindful of the kidney requirements.
My kidneys are the least of my concerns now with GFR38 they will last me out, as long as I'm not stupid.
With the Dysautonomia affecting a lot of my bodily functions, there is little that can be done. I now focus on quality rather than quantity of life.
Cheers

Wow. You are doing really well!
I dont know much about dysautonomia but it sounds like you are handling it.
My relatives are all telling me I am being silly to worry about it, but I can't seem to help it.
Are you drinking enough water?
My cholesterol is fine at 185 with medication and that is the only thing I take.
I quit taking aspirin.
Phew!

Hi,
Dysautonomia is to do with all the controlling nerves of the body that do what they are supposed to do without our thinking or input. My particular bent is Autonomic polyneuropathy which is the two main nerve systems of the body being compromised. So all the organs and all the extremities of the nervous system give me heaps of trouble when they like. My digestive system from top to bottom including bladder and bowel are permanently compromised which impinges on the amount and what I can eat or drink and get rid of. The other side is T2 neuropathy problems but luckily I have built up a high tolerance to pain and it rarely impacts my hands and feet, the chest pains are dealt with by ignoring them, knowing I have a good heart although enlarged helps.
For the last 13 months I have been reduced to a daily diet of no more than 6 slices of quality bread with a slice of shaved ham, the thickness you can see through and 6 cups of tea. Once a week I get to have a very small serving of peas, carrots a small sweet potato and a small piece of grilled chicken. By rights I shouldn't be able to do what I can do, my Dr tells me I'm just bloody minded, and I know that's what keeps me going. I'm finding I have to forgo more and more food types as this crippling disease progresses.
I am fortunate that other than the digestive symptoms the other symptoms are random and don't stick around to long each time, varying daily. I deal with what I wake to find and that can set the nature of my day ahead. It helps being retired and doing what I wish to do at my pace, usually at great rapid pace. The habits of a workaholic, I don't know how to slow down and probably don't want to. Keeping busy diverts the mind from the problems and allows me to move forward. I have found keeping moving helps more than sitting idle.
I can be paralyzed from the waist down glued to the spot for a few moments at a time, to being totally unable to cope with the body and brain not to function and anything in between. Usually the only thing I can do is wait them out until they resume transmission. I have even woken unable to remember how to speak with no concept of speech. Once the first time has passed the panic goes as next time I know what is happening and have to handle it.
In short it is like an electrical cable with a fault in it, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't, other times it can cause a lot of sparks! Dealing with it is relatively easy for me, I know it can stop the heart without notice and instantly. No different to anybody dying and we all do that eventually. Mix in all my troubles with a rash of TIA's last year and my life can get interesting to say the least. There being no alternative I have to manage it. It is permanent and progressive so I just let it do it's own thing while I try to fit in my things.
I don't think anybody is silly to be concerned about their health. I research everything I can about my ailments referring to recognised authorities and not the anecdotal stories. Once you know what the alternatives are it is up to us each how we deal with our illness.
I maintain I no longer care about my health, but the truth is I still am mindful of what I should and shouldn't do to preserve life. I'm not totally stupid, yet!
It took me a while to get past the death sentence with a diagnosis of CKD, but you do when you realise there are many of us dealing with CKD every day, just fine. Being told my kidneys had been inactive and shut down for over 18 hours didn't panic me. Being told I'm going to die from AKD did. Now I just have plain old CKD, life's a breeze, at least that is what I try to keep telling myself.
There is always the hope, I suspect that is why I keep going. It maybe missguided but that is it in a nutshell, I can't let go of hope.
Life is not too bad after all, I still wake every day ready to fight another round, stops me getting bored. It is kind of funny in that I'm testing my brain against my body, a fight I can't win.
Cheers