Hi @mshope, my acute kidney failure was a side effect of a medication I was taking after a bone marrow transplant. I was in the process of switching from an IV med to a pill form. It metabolized differently than the IV, causing another medication I was taking to not process as quickly. That built up in my system and became toxic.
Quick action from my transplant team reversed the problem before any permanent damage happened. For the next 3 years the GFR rarely got past 51. But my doctors were happy with that. Kidneys were still functioning fine.
During that time I was still on a medication which has a side effect of restricting blood flow through the kidneys. So that’s why it hovered at 51. Once off that, it zoomed to 57 where it held for the past year. It was a shock to see it above 60 yesterday. So I wish I could say I had a hand in any of this but I think it’s because of being off all medications.

Since October though, I have been restricting my intake of saturated fats to no more than 5 gms daily. And I also limit my sugar intake, avoid any processed foods and no junk food. I’ve dropped 10 pounds and my fasting glucose dropped 12 points! So I don’t know if that’s the final push for making my kidneys happy? But for the first time in 4 years, every blood test number yesterday was perfect! I literally did a happy dance around the kitchen after checking the portal. ☺️

I found this article a while back on Healthline.com about raising GFR. Maybe you’ll find it helpful as well. Here’s an excerpt from the article on how to Raise GFR.
“-Controlling blood pressure. You can manage high blood pressure through exercise, diet, stress reduction, and limiting alcohol, among other lifestyle choices.
-Making sure you’re not deficient in vitamin D. Vitamin D deficiencyTrusted Source is very common, and many people aren’t aware that they’re deficient. If you think you have a deficiency, talk with your doctor and get your blood levels tested. To increase your vitamin D levels, you can spend more time in the sun or add more vitamin D-rich foods to your diet.
-Resolving other metabolic conditions. Metabolic disorders are complex and can present in many forms. Work with your doctor to find a treatment plan that addresses the root cause.”
The complete article is here: https://www.healthline.com/health/kidney-disease/can-gfr-be-improved#how-to-improve-gfr