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Is Low Diastolic Blood Pressure common with Stage 3 or 4 CKD?

Kidney & Bladder | Last Active: Nov 10 10:13am | Replies (160)
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@billchitwood

He can't get blood drawn at home and recently had a blood test, which was fairly stable from 3 months before although GFR dropped 2 points. He has another appt in beginning of April (3 months). I do have a urine dipstick test I can use on him. So far he has slept most of today - but 2:30am was a very early start to his day. The other night he had a bad nightmare that woke him and upset him for the rest of the day. He has also been having more problems remembering things. I keep notes for his doctor.

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Replies to "He can't get blood drawn at home and recently had a blood test, which was fairly..."
Rosemary, Volunteer Mentor | @rosemarya | Jan 25, 2022

Julie, why don’t you call the doctor’s office before he closes for the day? April Is a long time to wait.

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Sue, Volunteer Mentor | @sueinmn | Jan 25, 2022

It's great that you are keeping notes, so you can review them to see if changes are accelerating. If the nightmares, total memory lapses, or other issues get worse, you may want to call sooner.

If I remember correctly, he also has some dementia? In that case, these night-time events can be another version of "sun downer syndrome", wherein people with dementia tend to get worse as night approaches. This can eventually become dangerous to both person and care giver - to him because he may fall or go out while you sleep, thereby putting himself in danger. To you because you begin to "semi-sleep" like you have an infant in the home again - always listening to see if he gets up. You are never really getting satisfying sleep, which endangers your own health and makes care giving much harder. Remember, you are not 20-30 something like you were when raising kids!

Julie, now that he is reaching this stage, the time may be coming when daily help is a necessity for both of you. Maybe it is a time to share your diary with family so they understand the "front" he is putting on when they visit is not who he really is - and that for his and your well-being they need to help you present his options, then implement.

This is just so hard...but I have been down the road as a caregiver and as a concerned friend/family member...it eventually becomes necessary.

Holding you in my thoughts!
Sue

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