When do you know to see a kidney doctor?

Just found out yesterday stage 3 renal disease. Had ultrasound for gallstone. Female 73. First step I assume is getting a kidney doctor. Need to lose weight and want to get a good idea what foods to eat. Any suggestions

I get I get a kidney doctor immediately

@lssanso Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect! You'll find a lot of great information on these pages, but keep in mind each of us is unique in our health journey.

Yes, get yourself into a good nephrologist! Losing weight will help you feel better, too. Take some time to look at our different conversations within this Kidney support group header, and read up on what others do for their diet. Ask for a renal dietician, who is versed on how to handle your situation. You want to find out the base reason for the Stage 3 Chronic Kidney Disease, is it diabetes or high blood pressure [the two leading causes of CKD]. That way, you can be working on those issues along with your new way of looking at food and life!

Happy to answer any questions you might have!
Ginger

@gingerw Hi yes, I have lost 25 pounds so far. I am very nervous about all of this. I have been anemic as well. Took almost a year to get my hemoglobin to a non dangerous number. But I feel good. I do have to go to the bathroom a lot. But I thank you for information.:)

@lssanso It depends also on your bloodwork, levels of potassium, calcium, phosphate, sodium, and such, but a general recommendation is the Mediterranian diet, avoid high calorie foods such as fried. I use the Renal Diet Cookbook by Susan Zogheib. Stage 3a, they mostly recommend drinking a minimum of 8 glasses of water a day; with stage 3b there can be other limitations. For example, if one has high potassium than limiting high K food such as potatoes and bananas can help lower it. Exercise is very important to chronic kidney disease, it helps with maintaining bone density, lessens fatigue (which seems counter to what one would think), and also a key part of controlling type 2 diabetes and other diseases.

@lssanso Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect! You'll find a lot of great information on these pages, but keep in mind each of us is unique in our health journey.

Yes, get yourself into a good nephrologist! Losing weight will help you feel better, too. Take some time to look at our different conversations within this Kidney support group header, and read up on what others do for their diet. Ask for a renal dietician, who is versed on how to handle your situation. You want to find out the base reason for the Stage 3 Chronic Kidney Disease, is it diabetes or high blood pressure [the two leading causes of CKD]. That way, you can be working on those issues along with your new way of looking at food and life!

Happy to answer any questions you might have!
Ginger

I would like to hear if any of you here are balancing care for your bones and care for your kidneys….dietary info can be confusing and meds for osteoporosis can be problematic for kidneys…so far, my issues are mild, but I want to get ahead of them….many bone supplements and highly advertised products can stress the kidneys…

There are basic things you can do to help your kidneys…hydrating, more than your usual, is at top of the list…less protein and dairy..stress reduction.. eat more veggies and fruit…exercise…Mayo Clinic website will pop up in online search with more detail about potassium and phosphorus ,etc.—and how to make your diet more alkaline…docs will read your tests and guide you as to what you personally really need to do…there are meds, but probably used later on from what I have read…getting on top of it sooner is definitely better.