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Is kidney disease becoming an epidemic
Kidney & Bladder | Last Active: Feb 19, 2023 | Replies (36)Comment receiving replies
@codered032 Excellent question posed. The operative word, perhaps, is not that it will be becoming, but that it already is an epidemic. The turnover in nephrologists and their PAs and NPs, from my experience only, is tremendously high. They are under a lot of pressure during the day treating those in Stage 4 to dialysis, and commonly work at night as well. If you are lucky, you may see a practioner every six months or so if you are stage 3 or earlier. Last year, I had a great nephrologist quit, and he was in his early 40s. Two years prior, another left to go into senior management at a local hospital. Stages 3 and earlier are vulnerable because frequently they are forced to make 6 month or longer appointments as there are so many in dialysis and Stage 4. The key to all of this is to have a team of docs to help support these kidney docs by having a dietitian. a PCP, and others to make sure blood work is done frequently to establish your eGFR trend. The Kidney patient today, in my opinion, must be proactive and become knowledgeable quickly.
Replies to "@codered032 Excellent question posed. The operative word, perhaps, is not that it will be becoming, but..."
I’m at such a loss with the subject of CKD and getting help for it. I don’t understand why I keep making stones, I follow a CKD diet yet I just had my 4th surgery for stone removal this week on left kidney. Ultrasound shows new stones in right kidney too large to pass, and I just had stone removal surgery on right kidney in December. What are others doing to keep from constant stone making?
And in regards to the epidemic, I was just diagnosed with CKD stage 3a. Any ideas welcomed. Thank you.
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I strongly agree with your assessment of the medical team. They are under a lot of pressure to keep up with medical trends. I don’t have a treatment team so I am my own advocate between my doctors, dentist and pharmacist. My nephrologist never discuss diet changes with me and my one visit with a dietitian admitted that she knew very little about CKD. Thankful my insurance now pay for telemedicine visits so I can request more frequent lab work. Thankful that diet and other health issues specific for CKD are shared with this group. I have learned that self education is the key to my best medical outcome. Thank you for your support.