Connect
← Return to Stage 3a kidney disease: looking for info
Discussion
Stage 3a kidney disease: looking for info
Kidney & Bladder | Last Active: Dec 8 9:35am | Replies (127)Comment receiving replies
I was diagnosed with CKD3a, then dropped to 3b. Have had diabetes more than 20 years. It's a progressive disease and can cause a lot of damage to different systems--nerves, kidneys, heart, etc. Used metformin many years, but not good for CKD3 so Dr stopped it, same with hydrochlorothiazide, cut losartan in half. I'm a vet, have gotten very good care from VA for many years, annual checkups, labs, etc. Was aware of possible effects of diabetes so kept track of eGFR, looked good until last year when it seemed steady around 60. By Jan 2022 it was 50.2 and by July had declined to36,9. Panicked me a little. At Jan Dr appointment I had asked for nephrologist appt but Dr said not yet and didn't communicate further until August when I finally got his attention. Now preparing for nephrologist appt doing blood tests, etc. All this shocked me into doing anything I can to slow the ckd worsening. Blood pressure very big factor took steps to lower it, have had good luck there. Strived for better diabetes control, have done much better with that. Diet also very big deal, always been a meat and potatoes guy, my VA dietician very helpful converting me more toward a plant based diet, doing pretty well. Difficult to navigate between the needs of two diseases, what's good for one often isn't good for the other, but making good progress. If you don't have a healthcare team with skill and knowledge in ckd and any other health problems you might have, I hope you can get one together. Key thing is taking action now with all the help you can get. I felt hopeless when I hit ckd3b, but reassurances from many knowledgeable friends, acquaintences, and medical professionals have removed a lot of the negativity and doubt. Best thing I did was to become my own best advocate, as is often stated in medical articles. Often in the past I wasn't assertive enough but that is changing for the better, not belligerent but pressing for answers wherever I can find them. Sorry if this seems to be somewhat self centered but I have learned things and hope you can benefit from my experiences
Replies to "I was diagnosed with CKD3a, then dropped to 3b. Have had diabetes more than 20 years...."
Most of what you said could’ve been written by me. Except I never chose to use the VA after they blended my father 15 years ago. A few days ago I saw a nutritionist. Long story short, I was somewhat encouraged by his approach, which is to limit protein to 75 g, fat about the same although he was not specific on that and two watch my carbs, which I take to mean around 200. He wanted each meal to be a mixture of the three. That is doable. I was thinking about starting a thread with those comments to see what folks think about it.
Connect
You shared your experience with diabetes and CKD 3 like many of us have, and continue to have is coping with this disease. One thing you did not mention which is quite important is water. For me, I try to have at least 70 Oz. each day. My symptoms pretty much match yours, but with a dietitian, a great Mayo PA nephrologist, acupuncturist, and PCP, I too am living with better care, control, and learning so much more. For example, I found out a couple of weeks ago that Cystatin C eGFR is more accurate in kidney function than eGFR when labs are taken, so now I do both. You are proactive as many of us here, and all of us learn more by sharing.