Chronic kidney disease (CKD) support: Introduce yourself and connect

Will try to get a referral. That's what I need

My name is Shar, my Mother is 83 yrs old & was diagnosed in 2019 with CKD Stage 4 & Diabetes. I have cared for her off and on over the years & have come to realize that I need more knowledge, support & community now than ever before.

@ladybuggwill try to get a referral from my PCP

I would like to know more about the foods that is good for the kidneys. Is there anything that I should take everyday to support my kidneys?

@wash1 Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect! Good for you, wanting to stay ahead of additional kidney issues.

Wander around through this support group, and you will see there are several discussions related to stages of kidney disease, and out diet. Pretty much everyone will tell you that diet plays such a an important part in managing this condition. Also, many of us have additional health concerns, and require specialized diets for that. So, take your time, and read what others have experienced, their successes and failures.

Let me know how I can further help you!
Ginger

@klp Hello CKD folks. My name is Jan. I'm 84 years old and I'm near the wrong end of stage 4. Happily I don't have any symptoms except for the change of my skin. I feel fine.

@janice1942 you will find this group to be very welcoming and helpful. I have not been a member for long and they have provided support and answers to my questions. Don't hesitate to reach out

@klp I was recently diagnosed with Stage 4 CKD. I'm rather upset that my nephrologist didn't refer me to a dietician that could put me on a kidney friendly diet back when I was in stage 3 other than just saying lower sodium intake and stay away from processed food. It took my daughter to insist I see a dietician and finally my doctor wrote a referral for me to see someone. Until I see the dietician, I'm relying on the internet to tell me what vegetables and fruits I can eat without causing more harm to my kidneys. How do I know if I'm eating the right food? What are the portions of food I can eat? How much water is too much or too little to drink? Right now I've been eating strawberries, blueberries, pineapple, apples, apple sauce, canned peaches, minus the juice, cucumbers, carrots, broccoli, bagels, whole grain wheat bread

@bobcr welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. When I was in your shoes and at your stage (stage 4) I self referred to a dietician. My CKD is due to diabetes and hypertension. It helps to know the causes of your CKD so that you can customize the treatment. In my case I was already following dietary plans for diabetes. When I found a dietician I was blessed to find one who was diabetic herself and she knew about renal nutrition. What I learned from her is as follows:
Protein is hard on kidneys, particularly red meat. I mainly stick to poultry, fish /seafood, some pork, eggs & cheese for my protein. I limit red meat. The dietician recommended the amount I should have based on my size (height & weight) and gender. I’m female. Men have more muscle and generally require more protein.
Salt / sodium. I limit this due to my history of hypertension. Some salt substitutes contain potassium which brings me to the next category of things to learn about.
Kidney function labs. These are calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sometimes oxalates and one other that I can’t recall at the moment. My nephrologist believes in “eating for the labs”. He monitors the above substances in my lab work and advises if changes need to be made. For example my calcium was getting too high and I needed to cut it back. I also have osteoporosis. I take a calcium supplement for that and needed to reduce the dose a bit for my kidneys. So you see it can get complicated, especially if you have co-morbidities. A lot of CKD patients have to watch potassium. Mine has been ok. But the dietician gave me lists of higher and lower potassium foods that has been helpful to refer to. There are other lists for the other substances too that can be helpful also.
Hydration. I asked both my nephrologist and the dietitian how much and what kind of fluids I should be consuming. The answer varies according to individual situations and differences. But your providers should be able to guide you.
This is a lot to take in. It is doable and so worth it. Your providers can help you prioritize where to start so you can break it down into smaller more manageable steps. That is what I did. In my case I was able to improve my CKD from stage 4 to stage 3. It didn’t happen overnight. It has been a long journey (a decade) but again is worth it!

Hello Group! My 52 year old brother had a major life change. Jan '26 in ICU, started dialysis, has since had adrenal, kidney removed. I am here to help him navigate as he has regular IDH post dialysis. He follows the strict diet but gains weight. He is getting tired of being tired. Looking for advice, information, best help for him and his future. He isn't giving up, looking for best care to return to feeling himself again.