Diet for kidney disease and type 2 diabetes

Hi,
My kidneys stopped working but were able to be restarted after 18 hours of inaction. I'm now T2 with CKD 3b and am described as having IBS. I can not be medicated for diabetes reacting to every medication known. It is difficult situation to live with but not impossible. I have serious motility and digestive problems which add to the mix. I started out with a kidney friendly diet and cutting back on sugars. The biggest hastle is not finding recipies that are both kidney and diabetes friendly, it is either one or the other, never both. The only alternative for sugar is stevia, most all sugar substitutes have aspertane or are derived from it which is not kidney friendly.
I eat very little red meat and cut out every bit of sodium possible, I don't buy off the shelf man made or adulterated foods. I tend to stick with fresh or unadulterated natural foods, growing what I can as well.
I try not to do anything that could affect my kidney or diabetic health and constantly have blood tests to keep track of my healths state.
Fluid of choice is water only and I keep a check on the colour of my urine to tell me if I'm hydrating enough or not. Urine colour should be a light straw colour, darker drink more, clear for a sustained period you are over hydrating, cut back a little.
I eat to stay alive not to enjoy eating, I can look without touching but if I do touch my diet turns into a see food diet. It is a constant vigil to keep on track with so many temptations insight.
Good luck.
Cheers.

I became CKD stage 3a after a total hysterectomie and removal of a lg ?? Growth....and was borderline dabetic(?pre-diabetic already had cut out booze and trying to fallow diabetic diet...s realizing that some of those okay foods were no longer okay and reading getting a lot of confusing info...took my deceased husband's Merck Manual and cross referenced the the Diabetic and CKD diets...eliminating what ever was bad for the other...and it seems to be working as far as I can tell. I try to get my blood chked every 3 mos. For A1C, eGFR, Sodium & Potassium...the NP dropped the Phosphate????(don't have kidney doc as my GP at the time didn't think I needed it) My present NP is happy what I am doing.. I feel I am really on my own but keeping on this restricted diet seems to be helping and I am 87 and still alive...I also try to drink 64oz. Water @ day. Also getting between 8 & 9 hrs of sleep helps. Avoiding stress helps me too(Mentally) Hope I am not adding more confusion to the conversation...I sort of feel that if you don't take hold of the situation yourself...no one else will....the Mayo is a good source of info...and very helpful

@kenzie
Hi,
I did all the things I was supposed to do for kidneys and diabetes with diet and lifestyle changes. I pushed my GFR way back up, didn't do much for my diabetes, bought down my cholesterol levels, my IBS got worse and life became a struggle. What I learnt was that my kidneys are resilient to some degree given I take care not to destroy them and are mindful of their needs. My diabetes is untreatable from medication intolerance my cholesterol levels remain down although still high compared to "normal" levels and my digestive system is all but destroyed, my blood pressure remains high.
I resolved to live comfortable and to hell with everything else. Sadly that hasn't happened but
I have learnt what works for me and what dosen't. My diabetes glucoes is around 10 int or about 230 US with liraglutide low dose after fasting, my BP averages 150/100 my cholesterol level is 6.8, my digestive system is destoying me and my heart rate has increased as a result of the insulin from 60's to 80's. I can't increase my meds as I become violent with the increase and I can't delete it as I start having temporary paralysis moments, brain fade and super high BP. I have come to terms with being a ticking time bomb and walk a narrow line trying to attain some sort of comfort until the bomb explodes. There are days when I wish it was today, but, there are days when I'm able to cope with some comfort. As the amount of food I'm able to injesting decreases so does my ability to move around. I don't know if this is a result of lack of protien or diabetic neuropathy. I suspect the latter after upping the protein level with no change to my ability to move around. I'm now faced with a decision to buy a wheelchair to move further or struggle on the way I am. At least struggling forces the body to work. Yes life is pretty crap for me but I think of those who have worse health than me and there are plenty, that makes me realise what have I to complain about, just get on with my lot. I now do as I want within reason and moderation regardless of what tomorrow will bring. I live for today and make the best of it as I can, because there may not be a tomorrow.
It is important for each of us to find our own way through as there is no one pill cures all. We are all human but we are not all the same in composition.
Cheers

@cheyne How frightening that must have been. So glad to hear your kidneys started working again. I also have both, and read that they call it DKD (diabetic kidney disease) It's easier to write. I started out as 3A, but I'm now 3B, and it's because I allowed my doctor to make too many decisions for me, but I'll never do that again. I've searched online, and there seem to be some dual books, but I don't like to cook, and couldn't tell a good recipe from a terrible one. It sounds like you are doing a good job!

I'm going to hire a renal nutritionist this week. Medicare pays for it, and I'm hoping to get some recipes that are easy and satisfying. I like chicken and fish, and like a lot of different vegetables as well, but if I don't start learning how to cook, and try to enjoy it, I'm going to be so bored, I might as well eat my dog's kibble. I'm 76, and I must admit that this has been a real challenge for me. It's not that I eat so much; it's just that I like what I like. But, since my life span depends upon my choices, I'm going to have to start acting like an adult rather than a toddler. Alas!

@cheyne You sound like a hero to me! I'm rather new here, and have some questions if you don't mind. If you don't feel like answering, that's okay too. I wonder how you "pushed your eGFR way up." Mine just dropped from 74 in the hospital because I was infused for 10 days with liquid, to 40 within three weeks, Then it went to 49 after an hour of hydration with saline...as an experiment. What do you mean when you say "you are mindful of their needs?" When you write that "you do as you want within reason," are you talking about what you eat? How do you "come to terms with being a walking time bomb?" I'm a nervous wreck, and I'm just starting this journey. If you evaluate everything, what have you done that has been most effective, and what would you do differently? If you answer anything, thank you in advance.

@hatetocook
HI,
Not frightening at all when you have no idea what is going on. Ignorance was bliss. Being raised on 3 veg and meat it was difficult to cut red meat to a minimum of once a fortnight. Also had to stop eating parsnips as they are high in sugars. I cut out 99% of salt and 100% of sugar from my diet. I did well up until 2 years ago when ANS got a good grip of my digestive system. It put a dampener on everything. Meals got smaller and smaller as time went by. I'm now in end stage digestive ANS and have been off food now for 5 weeks only surviving on cups of tea and 2 gingernuts per day. The body has been devouring itself and I'm not into metabolic collapse while contending with the odd cardiorespiratory collapse from time to time. The brain has been trying to corner all the neutrients left in the body by shutting the body and breathing down. I found a way to stop it and so far am 3 weeks without a shut down. Realistically I have a few months left like this unless I can get a G-J opperation sorted to prolong my life, the chances aren't good when Doctors don't listen or help. Finding them all obstructive as they could have given me the G-J opp years ago and saved 5 years of hell. I stilol try to keep enough fluid going through to help the kidneys, but with enough kidney function left to see me through what ever is ahead I tend not to worry. It is possible to go to 18GFR and still have some life although less active left.
Cheers

@hatetocook
I don't eat or consume anything that could have a detremental affect on my kidneys or diabetes. I stay away from man made rubbish off the shelves and opt for fresh and home grown. No more sugar substitutes as they are worse for you than the sugar they replace. I tried to stick with my diet 99% of the time. A little transgression can be tolerated but straight back onto the diet.
One big problem I hear over and over again. Those new to all this are usually give a stern warning of doom and gloom. It is not and can be easy to move forward just doing the basics. Eventually you realise it is kidney disease not kidney death. Looking after your health and don't ignore the warning is the minimum you should do. I have found my kidneys are tolerant of a lot of things like transgressions with food and the odd medication that can knock the GFR.
The most effective thing I'm doing at present is no joke and actually deadly serious so don't follow my example for your own sake.
I have end stage digestive autonomic polyneuropathy which has paralysed the muscles in the digestive system so food cannot be processed efficiently taking around 48 hours to be partially processed. My glucose and BP are directly affected by the amount of food or fluid stacked in the stomach. Glucose regularly got to 28 mmol/l with BP hitting 225/114 in rapid spikes.
I'm now on a no food diet and just enough fluid to help the kidneys. The glucose has levelled out at 12 mmol/l and the BP is almost normal. But I'm now experiencing total metabolic collapse with steadily reducing weight. Four days ago I had a cardiorespiratory collapse and am having problems focusing the eyes with tinitus playing in sterio. Through all of this my vitals remain normal so can't get any help in ED as they won't look any further. If by some stroke of luck a doctor decides to give me a G-J opperation, that will save my life, but until then I face death before Xmas if not sooner.
The only way I have been able to survive for so long is not beng stupid with my health, heed the warnings and make changes managing your own health. You will be amazed what you can do when you have to.
Cheers

@hatetocook
HI,
Not frightening at all when you have no idea what is going on. Ignorance was bliss. Being raised on 3 veg and meat it was difficult to cut red meat to a minimum of once a fortnight. Also had to stop eating parsnips as they are high in sugars. I cut out 99% of salt and 100% of sugar from my diet. I did well up until 2 years ago when ANS got a good grip of my digestive system. It put a dampener on everything. Meals got smaller and smaller as time went by. I'm now in end stage digestive ANS and have been off food now for 5 weeks only surviving on cups of tea and 2 gingernuts per day. The body has been devouring itself and I'm not into metabolic collapse while contending with the odd cardiorespiratory collapse from time to time. The brain has been trying to corner all the neutrients left in the body by shutting the body and breathing down. I found a way to stop it and so far am 3 weeks without a shut down. Realistically I have a few months left like this unless I can get a G-J opperation sorted to prolong my life, the chances aren't good when Doctors don't listen or help. Finding them all obstructive as they could have given me the G-J opp years ago and saved 5 years of hell. I stilol try to keep enough fluid going through to help the kidneys, but with enough kidney function left to see me through what ever is ahead I tend not to worry. It is possible to go to 18GFR and still have some life although less active left.
Cheers