Stem Cell Treatment For CKD?
Has anyone been treated at Mayo with stem cell therapy to improve their kidney function? I am very interested in this new regenerative medical treatment.
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Thank you for your patience, @maxwell123. And thanks for posting your story successfully today.
@teachaero I think like @maxwell123 suggested, it is best to craft your own diet. I myself am stage 3B, with GFR at 32% right now. Because I also have gout and fibromyalgia, I crafted my own diet. Using resources from rsnhope.org , Mayo Clinic website, and American Kidney Foundation I've have figured out what works best for me. As I laughingly tell people good thing I like oatmeal and apples and cardboard! I do admit that I fall away from the diet every once in a while because total abstinence is a recipe for disaster for me. But I watch what I eat very closely. My husband is a kidney transplant recipient Oct 2016, so he is aware of dietary restrictions from his time on dialysis. He lovingly reminds me as he sees me head off track. In the end each person has to figure out what works best for them and be their own advocate.
Ginger
I like your post, Ginger. We sure agree! I like to tell people who face this they must learn to “eat to live and not live to eat!” 🙂
I’d love to have oatmeal as an option, but until I see a nephrologist, it appears on the limit/avoid list everywhere I look. I am grateful for summer blueberries and cherries, but winter will be ALL apples! I will have to check out rsnhope.org.
What do you do when resources are conflicting? How often do you get labs done so you can adjust your dietary course?
Wow! Such an amazing story! Thanks for sharing it.
It is correct to consult your neph doc regarding oatmeal. But as I mentioned in a previous post I'm not sure potassium is a problem unless you are stage V and your kidneys are not clearing potassium and phosphorus. The reason oatmeal is on the list is due to high potassium and I'm not sure that would affect you (based on what I have read so far). By the way, even though my GFR is 17 my kidney problem is they do not clear urea. They clear potassium and phosphorus with no problem. My labs have always been in the range for both of those.
I have labs drawn at least once a month, sometimes more often. I am still treated for the effects of my blood cancer (an immune system booster). So between my nephrologist and onc I have them on a regular basis. Also, if you ever want to see your blood work without a doctor visit you should check out this link. https://www.walkinlab.com/. These are the same labs the doctors use. I usually get the metabolic panel for about $28. Regarding changing lab values, about the only thing I focus on is creatinine and BUN. If I stray off the reservation with my diet, the labs nudge me back into the program. My lymphoma from several years ago and the treatment caused a big hit to my immune system, so I also watch my IgG level. When it drops below range I am treated with an infusion of IVIG which boosts my IgG levels back to keep me from catching everything that moves. Other than that, so far there has not been any significant changes. I do keep copies of all my lab reports and read them like a hawk to be sure I'm still alive :-).
I began this topic several weeks ago. Since then I reached out to the Transplant Consultant group. They are incredible. The consultant took all of my information and said she would check with her neph doctors and get back. She got back in a few days. The neph doctors indicted that stem cell kidney treatment is not being done except in the labs. It is not in the clinic. She gave me a couple of other places to check but I struck out there as well. I'm not giving up, though! I'll post back here if I find something. In the meantime, the consulting service at Mayo Transplant Center is first class. They are very professional and know the issues very well (no surprise there).
Appreciate the update, Maxwell, and your perseverance in finding answers and sharing the results here.