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My experience: I have had kidney disease for at least 3 years
Hi, I am Kathleen. I have been diagnosed with Kidney disease three years ago. When I first went to see my kidney specialist my kidney function was down to 10 and I was expected to be put on a dialysis within six months. Even though I was a conscious healthy eater, I was eating foods that were hard on my kidneys. I researched these foods and stopped eating them for several months. My function within six months went up to 20 and has been stable at 22. I at time will treat myself to a serving of the foods to eat only occasionally or when out. I have been very thankful for this success. Hopefully this can help someone reading this. YouTube has great info on foods to eat for kidney failure.
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It would be interesting to know, what foods did you stop eating?
I am an 85-year-old male with Stage 3 Kidney Disease that has been stable for the past four years while I kept hydrated and avoided alcohol. What foods did you take in that were hard on your kidneys?
@wayoff I stopped eating vegetables like tomatoes, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, grain bread, just to name a few. There are more. If you have YouTube, or Pinterest you can search there and find a good list of what to eat and what not to eat.
Thank you for your reply. I guess it depends on what stage CKD you have. The foods that you mentioned are actually considered to be alright to consume at stage 3, as far as I know. I am glad your diet helped you and wish you all the best.
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I've learned the last 4-yrs with my daughter in kidney failure that the "National Kidney Foundation" has great info on the Good and Bad Foods listed on their website. Hope this helps!
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1 ReactionWith CKD one needs to stay hydrated and avoid dehydration. Foods to add or avoid are dependent on one's stage. With stage 3a CKD it is mostly hydration. It gets more complicated with stage 3b (limit or control protein and foods high in calcium, phosphate, sodium, and potassium (salts). It is good to get an appt with a dietician or nutritionist that has expertise in kidney disease; google has so much junk info. https://www.kidney.org/kidney-topics/nutrition-and-kidney-disease-stages-1-5-not-dialysis
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1 ReactionKathleen, I’m at stage 4 kidney disease & am interested in ur comment regarding the type of foods or diet you follow. Would you mind sharing?? Thank you.
@golfmama1 It is complicated. You need to know what your blood levels are to know what things you need to limit. Salt is a major factor for most. But phosphorus, potassium, calcium are also important to watch. Depending on your blood levels. It is a learning curve you learn after weeks or months of practice. Good luck.
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1 Reaction@thank you Margaret fir the information. Yes, it’s a learning curve, drives me crazy sometimes. Thanks!!
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1 Reaction@golfmama1 Take it on as a challenge. That's what I had to do. For me, always loved a challenge, so it works. But, yes, it is indeed a lot of work. We become good at label reading, or watching numbers. Sometimes we need to modify recipes, or fix almost an entirely different meal from others in the house. Keep reminding yourself this is for your own better health!
As so many of us with kidney disease say, watch for trends in labwork, not just a one-time result.
Ginger
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