I'm sorry you had such bad luck with doctors. Keep trying until you can find somebody that you can work with. You are going to have to work with that nephrologist for the rest of your life.

@willing First, welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect! This is a great place to "talk" to others who have been down similar health paths, and share experiences.

I am Stage 4 in my CKD journey, now showing a eGFR of 22. There are many reasons as a cause of kidney disease, and it is important to understand the root cause. Mine is an ultra-rare kidney disease, where collagen is blocking the filtering components of my kidneys, effectively shutting them down slowly. Two main causes of kidney disease are high blood pressure issues, and diabetes. Life style choices, long-term drug interaction, and congenital issues like polycystic kidney disease are others. Do you know what the cause of your kidney disease is?

If the dr you are working with is not a nephrologist, I suggest getting to one as soon as you can. Because kidney disease can be silent, and not deteriorate quickly, some medical professionals brush it off. If you have a large teaching hospital or university hospital near you, check them out for a good nephrologist. As @m1miller said, you will be working with one the rest of your life.
Ginger

I was diagnosed with CKD stage 3 last year. My doctor at Mayo told me to keep my blood pressure low and to reduce the sodium in my diet. I check my blood pressure at home 2 times each week and work to keep my sodium intake below 1,800. That means no prepared soups and very few canned products. And, of course no cured meats. Hope this gives you a clue on how to care for yourself.

I am not happy either. There were a lot of things I could have done to "slow" down the progression if I had known it was serious. Zuccaro