Stage 3 Kidney Disease and Diet: What can I eat?

Hi panc, I am very new here, this is my first time. So please excuse me if I make some silly mistakes and tell me what I'm doing wrong! I'm so glad that I found this group. It's the first time I'm talking to anybody who is a kidney patient. I feel less lonely and I thank you.

I'm in stage 3 but I don't think my numbers are looking good. I had a telemedicine visit with my nephrologist today who pretty much said not to worry too much about the numbers, same as what he told me previous visit in December. I've only been with him since my first appt in November because I only learned in August that I have kidney disease.

So my egfr dropped 7 points to 31 (was 38 in December) and my creatinine went up. I have been eating mostly according to what I've been reading. A nutritionist visit did not yield much info. I feel so insecure about my diet and my numbers. Really scared. Being able to talk here has been more helpful than anything else during this journey.

I like the helpful list you have included of off limit foods. But I have conflicting info about berries (I do eat blueberries and raspberries), kale (this leafy veg appears on an okay list), I make tuna salad with 1 stalk raw chopped celery and one can goes 5 lunches, and I thought apples and pineapple are okay to eat. Now I'm really worried about my diet. I also have to follow lo carb especially lo sugar, lo fat, lo sodium. (I have had heart attacks and hard to control cholesterol and triglycerides). So now, with the new info from you, I'm so glad that I will have some specific questions for my next nutrition visit.

But I'm concerned about how my nephrologist thinks. (He does have top credentials and he teaches at the university). He seems very relaxed about my numbers, saying that numbers should be looked at as "part of the whole picture" in his words. But since August, my egfr went from 42 to 38 to 31 (3 different blood work dates) and creatinine from 1.32 to 1.44 (missing Dec. number). These number are going in the wrong direction, I thought. Am I all wrong and should just trust what he says?

Thanks and please take care and stay safe, everybody.

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Hi panc, I am very new here, this is my first time. So please excuse me if I make some silly mistakes and tell me what I'm doing wrong! I'm so glad that I found this group. It's the first time I'm talking to anybody who is a kidney patient. I feel less lonely and I thank you.

I'm in stage 3 but I don't think my numbers are looking good. I had a telemedicine visit with my nephrologist today who pretty much said not to worry too much about the numbers, same as what he told me previous visit in December. I've only been with him since my first appt in November because I only learned in August that I have kidney disease.

So my egfr dropped 7 points to 31 (was 38 in December) and my creatinine went up. I have been eating mostly according to what I've been reading. A nutritionist visit did not yield much info. I feel so insecure about my diet and my numbers. Really scared. Being able to talk here has been more helpful than anything else during this journey.

I like the helpful list you have included of off limit foods. But I have conflicting info about berries (I do eat blueberries and raspberries), kale (this leafy veg appears on an okay list), I make tuna salad with 1 stalk raw chopped celery and one can goes 5 lunches, and I thought apples and pineapple are okay to eat. Now I'm really worried about my diet. I also have to follow lo carb especially lo sugar, lo fat, lo sodium. (I have had heart attacks and hard to control cholesterol and triglycerides). So now, with the new info from you, I'm so glad that I will have some specific questions for my next nutrition visit.

But I'm concerned about how my nephrologist thinks. (He does have top credentials and he teaches at the university). He seems very relaxed about my numbers, saying that numbers should be looked at as "part of the whole picture" in his words. But since August, my egfr went from 42 to 38 to 31 (3 different blood work dates) and creatinine from 1.32 to 1.44 (missing Dec. number). These number are going in the wrong direction, I thought. Am I all wrong and should just trust what he says?

Thanks and please take care and stay safe, everybody.

Jump to this post

Hi panc, I am very new here, this is my first time. So please excuse me if I make some silly mistakes and tell me what I'm doing wrong! I'm so glad that I found this group. It's the first time I'm talking to anybody who is a kidney patient. I feel less lonely and I thank you.

I'm in stage 3 but I don't think my numbers are looking good. I had a telemedicine visit with my nephrologist today who pretty much said not to worry too much about the numbers, same as what he told me previous visit in December. I've only been with him since my first appt in November because I only learned in August that I have kidney disease.

So my egfr dropped 7 points to 31 (was 38 in December) and my creatinine went up. I have been eating mostly according to what I've been reading. A nutritionist visit did not yield much info. I feel so insecure about my diet and my numbers. Really scared. Being able to talk here has been more helpful than anything else during this journey.

I like the helpful list you have included of off limit foods. But I have conflicting info about berries (I do eat blueberries and raspberries), kale (this leafy veg appears on an okay list), I make tuna salad with 1 stalk raw chopped celery and one can goes 5 lunches, and I thought apples and pineapple are okay to eat. Now I'm really worried about my diet. I also have to follow lo carb especially lo sugar, lo fat, lo sodium. (I have had heart attacks and hard to control cholesterol and triglycerides). So now, with the new info from you, I'm so glad that I will have some specific questions for my next nutrition visit.

But I'm concerned about how my nephrologist thinks. (He does have top credentials and he teaches at the university). He seems very relaxed about my numbers, saying that numbers should be looked at as "part of the whole picture" in his words. But since August, my egfr went from 42 to 38 to 31 (3 different blood work dates) and creatinine from 1.32 to 1.44 (missing Dec. number). These number are going in the wrong direction, I thought. Am I all wrong and should just trust what he says?

Thanks and please take care and stay safe, everybody.

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My late husband had Alzheimer’s for the last 13 years of his life. He used to love to cook and he ate everything I made for him. As he lay dying, the hospice nurse was with me and he requested his usual breakfast. The nurse said that he could have some water, but he looked at me and asked me to make his favorite breakfast. He was about to go into a coma, but I made him an omelet, orange juice, sausages, bacon, coffee and a croissant. He ate everything and talked a little and then he closed his eyes and went into a coma. He died the next morning. It’s been 11 years and I still miss him every day even though I remarried two years after he died.

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During the last several weeks I have been having a difficult time trying to urinate. Has anyone had this who is in Stage 3 ? I have to drink a lot of water in order to urinate a little bit.

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@darlingtondoll, I must have overlooked this post. I experienced decreased urine output prior to kidney failure.
Have you talked to your nephrologist about your diminished urine output? I encourage you to do so.

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Hi panc, I am very new here, this is my first time. So please excuse me if I make some silly mistakes and tell me what I'm doing wrong! I'm so glad that I found this group. It's the first time I'm talking to anybody who is a kidney patient. I feel less lonely and I thank you.

I'm in stage 3 but I don't think my numbers are looking good. I had a telemedicine visit with my nephrologist today who pretty much said not to worry too much about the numbers, same as what he told me previous visit in December. I've only been with him since my first appt in November because I only learned in August that I have kidney disease.

So my egfr dropped 7 points to 31 (was 38 in December) and my creatinine went up. I have been eating mostly according to what I've been reading. A nutritionist visit did not yield much info. I feel so insecure about my diet and my numbers. Really scared. Being able to talk here has been more helpful than anything else during this journey.

I like the helpful list you have included of off limit foods. But I have conflicting info about berries (I do eat blueberries and raspberries), kale (this leafy veg appears on an okay list), I make tuna salad with 1 stalk raw chopped celery and one can goes 5 lunches, and I thought apples and pineapple are okay to eat. Now I'm really worried about my diet. I also have to follow lo carb especially lo sugar, lo fat, lo sodium. (I have had heart attacks and hard to control cholesterol and triglycerides). So now, with the new info from you, I'm so glad that I will have some specific questions for my next nutrition visit.

But I'm concerned about how my nephrologist thinks. (He does have top credentials and he teaches at the university). He seems very relaxed about my numbers, saying that numbers should be looked at as "part of the whole picture" in his words. But since August, my egfr went from 42 to 38 to 31 (3 different blood work dates) and creatinine from 1.32 to 1.44 (missing Dec. number). These number are going in the wrong direction, I thought. Am I all wrong and should just trust what he says?

Thanks and please take care and stay safe, everybody.

Jump to this post

@ausie You are still very new to your diagnoses and treatments. Please try to follow your doctor's advice and not worry too much. What I have found is that I need to watch my trending more than each individual test. According to your numbers, your egfr is trending down, which is good; while your creatinine is trending up, which is not so good. The good thing about your creatinine is that (for me) normal is 1 and you are still under 1.5. My creatinine, for example, trends between 1.75 and 2.30. Fluids affect my creatinine strongly. My daily fluid intake goal is 80 ounces or more. If I do not get my 80 ounces in for several days, or have diarrhea during that time, my creatinine will be higher.
Please remember that your have also changed your diet and may be eating foods with less fluid in them. A few comments about diet. I do not eat berries because my kidney damage is caused by oxalates and berries have a great deal of oxalates in them. If oxalates are not your problem, berries are a very good food choice for you. I do not eat the green leafies, raw vegetables, pineapple and apples because of the high amount of fiber they contain. I am on the low fiber diet because of gastric issues; again, may not be one of your issues. I do like celery and onions sautéed and often add them (as well as minced carrots) to recipes for flavor.
Please remember how new this all is for you. I see that you are taking this seriously and doing your best, trust that over time you will work into your new life plan with a few tweaks along the way to get to your best self. Blessings on your journey.

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