Veggies that are good for CKD3

Anyone have any comments about having gadolinium dye for MRI. Have stage 3a-3b kidney disease. Kidneys
cyst filled. One large cyst that docs want to look at more closely. Possible removal. Dye has some major dangers although one physician said they were low. Decision being left to me. Very difficult to make since dye damage
is slim but may produce deadly disease. Interested in input from mentor and others who may have been in
similar situation. MRI can still be done without dye.

@petuniamom567 Yep, I have been in your shoes!

In my situation, my MRI was for a non-kidney related issue. However, seeing my eGFR was less than 30 already, so we opted to go with no contrast, For me, it wasn't worth the risk of going into kidney crisis with the dye. I was given the choice same as you. I closely questioned the ordering physician, to see what the difference would be if we went with a contrast or non-contrast MRI. In our opinion, the difference wasn't enough to take the risk. He had been leaning towards non-contrast, but wanted my input, which I appreciated!

Like you, I have some cysts on my right kidney. Recently, what they thought was a renal cell carcinoma tumor, was determined to be a "complicated cyst". The urologist told me he felt due to not seeing a movement of blood through the mass, it was a cyst rather than tumor.

Here is what Mayo Clinic has to say about kidney cysts: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/kidney-cysts/symptoms-causes/syc-20374134
And what Cleveland Clinic has to say: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/14884-kidney-cysts

Will you please let me know what you decide. I'm interested!
Ginger

I’m in 3rd Stage CKD, thanks to a doctor who put me on a pain medication without warning me of possible dangerous side affects from it on the kidneys. My numbers were dropping like a rock as I took the drug for nearly 3 months. At the time, I was in the hospital for another reason when they gave me standard blood tests. When they saw the results they immediately stopped the medication and quickly explained how the drug was causing major damage to both kidneys. This was in 2019 and it’s been a battle to keep me off dialysis ever since. Just when my numbers are out of the 30’s, something causes them to start to drop again. I can’t tell you what pain medication it was but dyes aren’t the only thing that damage your kidneys. That drug was literally putting holes in both kidneys, HOLES!!! @becky1024

I was diagnosed with Stage 4 CKD four years ago due to severe oxylate damage (GFR 16/Creatinine 3.80). I drastically changed my diet and am now at 36.7/1.90 and Stage 3B. Everyone’s situation is different, but my experience is zucchini is fairly high in potassium, so you may consider that. As for water, I was initially advised by my Nephrologist to drink 4L a day. Then we found that diluted my sodium levels, so we backed it off to 3L a day. Hope this helps.

3L is 105 ounces approximately. I drink 6 ounces, Don't think I could drink 3L. there are many items with high potassium: bananas, oranges, oysters, Irish soda bread, spinach, beets, black beans white beans, canned salmon, butternut squash, Swiss chard, yogurt, red meat, caffein, alcohol.

Yes there are. The original post only mentioned zucchini.

That 6 ounces was an error. I meant 64 ounces, which is close to 2L. Where do these people live that use Liters, not ounces. I am in USA.

@sammyloue Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect.

I find that most medical facilities use liters, kilograms and other units of the metric system. Indeed, confusing for those of us who prefer ounces and pounds! My nephrologist uses 2 liters as my daily fluid maximum, and I had to convert it for my use ;))

Would you like to share your kidney disease story with us here?
Ginger

Yes I will share, it will be wordy. When I moved to NC to live with my son I got a new doctor. She found and told me that I have Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD )Stage 3. I was so surprised I wondered if I got it when driving to FL and not drinking much of anything so my son would not have to stop for me to visit a restroom. In the mail I received a copy of my last blood test that I had requested before i moved. A little later I called my doctor in Ohio to see why he did not tell me I had it. He replied "I didn't know". He had ordered tests but did not read them. So I sent to that hospital for all my records (18 years of tests. 3 packages and a lot of dollars later I found that every blood test showed I had CKD. I was so angry at the 3 doctors in 18 years who did not tell me. I tried to get some satisfaction from a medical Office in Ohio but there was no way it could be done, saying too much time had passed. I worked on drinking 64 ounces of water and got down to Stage 2; but I got sick and it went back to 3a. I had pneumonia and was in hospital; the aides and nurses did not keep the bedside table close to the bed and I was too weak to get out of bed to get it. The next morning the doctor called to tell me that CKD has slid into Stage 4 and to push water. That night 2 young aides kept bringing me water so we pushed. Next morning the blood test was back to Stage 3. And has stayed there still. I am 94 1/2 years old and have been told I am in a good place: Stage 3a. But the last test showed I had gone up 2 points, but still 3a.

@sammyloue Thank you for sharing. It is normal for a person's eGR to decrease over time and age, so you are definitely not alone there. And if you have been reading the posts in the kidney and bladder discussion group, you will see that your experience is not isolated. In my own personal opinion, most general doctors seem to downplay the CKD angle of things. There are quite a number of factors that can lead to kidney disease, including hereditary proclivities, lifestyle, and medication use. For years, when my doctors found out I was following a renal diet, I was told that wasn't necessary, but I do believe that is what kept my numbers from sliding down as quickly!

At your age of 94 1/2 years, you have a lot of wisdom to impart with us.
Ginger