Hi Ginger:

As you may recall, I started receiving treatments from an acupuncturist. In a couple of weeks, my GFR went from 39 to 45. Flash forward to the end of last month of February, my GFR was 44, about the same. So I am stable with no additional improvement yet. I have not received any Chinese herbal treatments yet so this journey will be long as the disease. However, I was warned by my new Mayo nephrologist and dietitian that herbal teas can be dangerous and in some cases not reversible to further kidney disease. I continue to receive once weekly acupuncture visits.

To complicate things for the better, I started taking the prescription drug called Farxiga, recommended by my my nehrologist and endocrinologist . For those with type 2 diabetes , the science says it works to stabalize kidney function in many cases. I am hopeful that this may also aid improvement, or at the very least, continue to be stable for the kidneys. Of course, you also need to adhere to your dietitian and exercise.

So as they say, "time will tell." I am lucky as I can get lab work done with my PCP to monitor my creatinine and GFR levels. It is tough for me to see my Mayo nephrologist more than twice per year. Lastly, I get lab draws within and outside Mayo, but with the exceptions of GFR and glucose, my remaining results are all normal which the acupuncturist may or may not receive total credit.

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