A friendly reminder to everyone. CKD is defined by a GFR <60, not <90. GFR of 60-90 is only considered CKD when there is another indicator of kidney problems (e.g. biopsy-proven autoimmune disease, protein in the urine, bleeding from the glomeruli, known anatomical damage, etc). That's why Stage 1 is GFR >90; those are people with totally normal filtration but with urine studies suggesting kidney damage. Now if your GFR was always 90 and then there is a rapid drop to 65 and it is consistent, that is something to look into. But just getting a blood test with a GFR of 70 or 80 does not necessarily mean you have kidney disease.

Hi guys, hope someone is willing to share some specific delicious foods or recipes here. My nephrologist is not a nice person and when I asked him for a diet plan or anything like that, he bluntly told me to Google for salt-free food and eat carrots or nuts as snacks.. yes seriously.

So please help me out. I know how to Google haha, but I am not really a good chef, so I would really appreciate some easy nice foods. I made chicken last week with I believe garlic, paprika and honey and that was okay for a salt-free dish. Hoping to find more like that.

Thanks so much in advance.

I have Stage 3A CKD - my most recent GFR was 55. I'm 45. In the last 10 years its ranged from 49-77, but was as low as it is now 10 years ago, so it isn't a steady downward progression. My PCP acts like its nothing however. I didn't even realize I had it until recently when I looked up my results and realized it indicated CKD. They didn't tell me any of the times I got bloodwork back for other things, though its listed in my charts once I looked on my patient portal. Then I saw my results going back for years showed it, but it was never mentioned to me . If I bring it up with my PCP they just say to avoid ibuprofen.

Is it really not a big deal as my PCP says? Should I be seeing a nephrologist to monitor / control this?

Hi guys, first of all Merry Christmas! Now to my question. Before being diagnosed with CKD I had tingly legs, like white noise in my legs if that makes sense, but that seemed to be temporary. Now lately I’ve had lots, almost constant, little spasms(?)/twitches mostly in my legs but also occasionally my arm or chest. Like little bubbly, very small spasms as of it’s just one muscle fibre or a vein vibrating. It’s so distracting and I’m worried I’m getting nerve damage from something. My CKD is around stage 3 and my labs are ok apart from slightly high creatinine. Any thoughts? I’m worried it’s MS but I’m a hypochondriac!

On Thursday, January 20 at 7 pm, Dr. Gibney will be LIVE on Dadvice TV to discuss new data from medical trials and other proven ways to preserve kidney function. Dr. Gibney is on the cutting edge of kidney care and this will be his first time on Dadvice TV live. The progress and discoveries his team has made are absolutely amazing. Join the LIVE broadcast at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrTy03Htock

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https://preview.redd.it/ez7axe2mwib81.jpg?width=1280&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ce5736dec7e23b56d88a103b6209b472080f8ea8

Is there anyone here in their 50s-60s that was diagnosed with CKD in their 30s? What do your kidney levels look like now? What things did you do to help your body physically and emotionally? I apologize for all the questions...Thank you!

Hi all, my mom’s CKD is progressing little faster now the doc said she is leading towards dialysis and may need it in about 6 months. My wish is not to go towards that and try to keep it in control with strict diet and ayurvedic treatment along with allopathy.

I just want to know has anyone gone through such or knows someone who has gone through it? If yes what suggestions do you have like any do’s and don’t or anything for that matter which may help us.

Thanks!

If so how was your experience do you recommend? What stage where you when you had it done?

I’m already on the transplant list. I’ve heard that for some, the transplant just doesn’t work, so they go back to dialysis. How long can you live solely on dialysis?

After months of protein in my urine and finally being seen by a nephrologist I have stage 5 kidney disease. Any tips ? Any words of wisdom? Kinda scared to the biopsy but I’ve been reading stuff about it and people have just been saying it’s not that bad, and I have a high pain tolerance. My back is always in pain though and my eGFR is at 13 …. I feel a little scared but I’m having faith and following strict diet and I’m pretty fit I’m 118 pounds so I’m just trying to stay positive idk. I’m the youngest one at the nephrologist and everyone’s always surprised and seem pitiful around me. Any dialysis experience? Kidney biopsy experience? Thanks guys 🥺

Species: Cat

Age: 13.5 years

Breed: DSH

Body weight: 10.4 lbs currently but as low as 9.4 lbs last month

History: idiopathic hypercalcemia (on alendronate, prior to 11/2019 also on prednisolone), post ablative hypothyroidism (on levothyroxine, s/p 3 mCi 3/2017), steroid induced diabetes (on insulin 11/2019-2/2020, restarting 1/2022), pancreatitis (1st episode 12/2021), diabetic neuropathy (right plantargrade, resolved with improved glycemic control and Zobaline), one prolonged episode of apparent osteomyelitis due to dental infection (surgery 5/2019 for extraction and 12/2019 to drain, on antibiotics from 12/2019 to 6/2020, path benign both times, no growth on cell culture, CT x2 c/w osteomyelitis), thickened ileum (new on US 12/2021, not seen on whole body CT 4/2021), new onset significant constipation (started cisapride and miralax, 1/2022), CKD (most recent Cr 2.3 and SDMA 19, tends to run 2-3 and 12-19 respectively over last 6 months)

Clinical signs: can’t get diet recommended by vet

Duration: see above

General location: Midwestern US

Due to events over last 3 weeks (pancreatitis plus day long stay at primary vet for constipation and recurrent hyperglycemia) we cancelled exploratory surgery for biopsy to stabilize his glucoses (now in 300-400 range) and improve performance status as well as reevaluate his quality of life. Internal medicine specialty vet’s differential is IBD vs lymphoma.

We need help finding a commercially available diet. He will eat some soft food but despite multiple attempts we cannot get him off kibble entirely. Current soft food is Royal canin renal support. Under assumption of IBD, recommendation is royal canin renal support + HP multifunction but we cannot find anywhere even online in stock from a reputable source.

We found some literature saying it’s less about protein for kidneys and more about phosphorus content of food. We found a limited ingredient diet (from Young Again) that is low in phos and says it’s good for kidneys as well as IBD but protein content sound high at 59.5% on dry matter basis).

We have accepted a second diabetic remission is very unlikely so we are consciously not prioritizing carb content.

Our vet’s other suggestion if we can’t get the Royal canin multifunction is just to get the HP but we are worried about phosphorus content and if really good for kidneys.

Does anyone have any other diet recommendations? Bonus if low in carbs.

Thanks in advance for any links or hints as to where t

Just wondering if anyone here is taking adderall with CKD (one kidney) with GFR around 72 while on BP meds. What are your blood pressure numbers at? (Male 29)

My (M31) dad (62) was recently diagnosed with CKD Stage 4 and I'm so stressed. We had a dietician recommend a low potassium diet, but my dad doesn't seem to have the appetite for anything I make. He's not on dialysis yet, and I'd like it to stay that way as long as possible. I've never had to care for someone who's so uncooperative before, especially when it comes to meals, and I'm really out of my depth. Does anyone have any tasty, low-potassium recipes they can share? If I could only just get him eating it would be a great weight off my shoulders.

Also, my dad and I have never been the best at talking (I was a difficult child and he was a stern, non-affectionate father). Therefore, he doesn't always share what he's thinking or feeling. If you have CKD, in what ways can I be of help to my dad?

Hey guys I just thought I would share a link to a very good resource to help member understand,

Chronic renal failure and its progression (CKD)

I hope this helps explain the above for you.

My cat is 16 and was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease in 2018. He was hospitalised for 3 days and came back healthier than ever. We were supposed to give him prescription food apprently, but since he didn't seem to like it at the time, my parents didn't insist any further. Anyways, he is currently on a diet consisting of both kibble and canned food, mostly fish and sea food. Over the past few weeks however, he seems to have been losing weight. Other than that he seems fine, has an appetite and drinks normally. Should i take him to the vet anyhow?

Creatinine serum - 1.04 EGFR - 95

Got Albumin creatinine ratio urine - A3 - 657 (severely increased)

So, I have CKD which is confirmed. Stage is 1.

I know it cannot be reversed. What I would like to know is can this protein level be brought down to normal?

And once brought down to normal, can I afford to stop taking meds for proteinuria?

What to make of it?

I was recently reading a journal article that mentioned that CKD can be a risk factor for AKI. Can someone please explain this? I always that AKI was a risk factor for CKD as AKI persisted. How is the opposite possible? TIA

My almost 7 year old beagle lost his 15 month battle with CKD last week and I can't stop replaying the last 15 months in my head at night, wondering if I could have done anything different to prolong his life.

He was diagnosed with kidney failure last September with a creatinine value of 5 mg/dl due to a possible tick infection. The doctor warned that his prognosis wasn't too good at first because we caught it too late. We aggressively treated him with fluids and his creatinine returned to 1.7-1.8 in December. I was ecstatic and he became almost completely asymptomatic.

My nightmare began in January when his creatinine started creeping up again. Truthfully, I stopped giving him fluids from December to January because it didn't seem like he needed it. I thought that fluids are only needed when a dog is drinking a lot of water and I wasn't noticing such a thing.

I started giving him fluids 3x a week again afterwards but his creatinine continued creeping up over the year. I thought that maybe his diet was the problem so I tried adjusting his phosphate binders and phosphorus intake, but to no avail. It was extremely stressful bringing him to blood tests and waiting for the results. It was like watching a ticking timebomb in slow motion. It is fair to say that I was in denial over the situation, thinking that it must have been something else that I have missed, and it can't be him dying from CKD. He was too young to be dying from CKD.

I stopped taking him to the vet for blood tests after September when his creatinine was back at 5 mg/dl because I thought that there was nothing much I could do to change things. The vet also recommended against too frequent tests due to his anemia anyway. It was from November onwards when his appetite very gradually deteriorated along with seizures. I also noticed that giving him fluids seemed to coincide with lethargy so I reduced the frequency to 1-2x a week. The symptoms became to hard to ignore so I took him for another test 2 weeks ago. His creatinine was at 11 mg/dl.

The vet recommended giving my dog fluids everyday and so I did. But his appetite only got progressively worse after that. I brought him to the vet again and although his blood readings improved, he was diagnosed with heart disease, probably arrhythmia, meaning that the fluids could have been hurting him too. His last few days with stomach ulcers were excruciating to say the least. Yes, that was my fault too. Maybe because my insistence on putting him in

Hello I currently have covid and I'm at ckd stage 4. I want to ask what are safe covid drugs for people like us. My doctor adviced me to take Molnupiravir but I also want to know others' experiences. I am experiencing headache, fever, cold, mild cough, and fatigue.

He said the protein in the urine is not getting there from food.

I thought it worked that way. I thought this was the reason people with CKD were suggested low protein diets. Take lots of protein -> lots of protein into the blood -> lots of protein into the kidneys -> lots of protein in the urine. This isn't correct?

I'm using now a 20l backpack that cannot carry all the stuff I need to carry on my every day life. So I've been searching for a new bag and I'm with the question if CKD is a good brand.

Do you guys have any CKD products and do you recommend it?

My cat was recently diagnosed with CKD stage 2 at 2 years old and recently has started vomiting. She vomited maybe once per week since her diagnosis and several times today. Has good energy otherwise and tolerating water well. I’m a bit confused by the vomiting though because her creatinine and BUN were 2.0/17, not high enough to be uremic, which is my understanding for when the nausea/vomiting can be more common. Did anyone else experience vomiting on the earlier stages?

I recently had blood work done for my physical. My GFR came back as 57, creatinine 1.12. Everything else was normal. I don’t have high blood pressure nor diabetic. I can’t figure out what caused this. Perhaps my 35 year Diet Coke affair and Aleve every other day for headaches. My Dr really didn’t give me much advice, just said it’s Stage 3 and not to worry about it. I looked up my old labs and 4 years ago my GFR was 80, my Dr never even mentioned it. I’ve cried, come to terms with it, cried some more. I’m worried about the huge drop in 4 years and what that means for the future. I’m seeing a renal dietician next week to help change my diet. Even if my Dr isn’t concerned I feel something is going on or needs to be addressed. Anyway I just wanted to introduce myself. I’ve been reading this sub for days and love all of the support and advice.

EDIT UPDATE: I have an appt with a nephrologist on the 22nd! I threw out all the Aleve and said goodbye to my dear friends Diet Coke and Dier Dr Pepper, they were my good homies for many years. Thanks for all the advice everyone!

Species: cat

Age: 3yo

Sex: neutered male

Weight: 11.5 lb

Breed: dsh

History: lived on streets until ~6mo, spent a couple of months in rescue clinic with parasites, adopted at 9mo

Symptoms: none so far, he seems fine. Eating and drinking normally, peeing normally, no bad breath, no tummy upsets beyond his usual occasional minor hairball incident

His routine wellness check turned up a serum creatinine of 1.9 and a urine specific gravity of 1.041. Vet wants to repeat these tests and do a renal panel later in the month.

Are those two things together definitive of CKD? Can they be transitory and resolve themselves (I think the vet wants to repeat them to see if it's consistent)? How often do vets see that in a cat and it turns out to be nothing, vs how often it turns out to be CKD?

My father was just diagnosed stage 4 CKD. The doctor explained it was a hair off from stage 5. Diabetes with complications of kidney failure just took his brother a couple years ago. So this is obviously already a sensitive subject.

I know basically nothing about CKD. So I’ve been Googling all morning. It’s lead me to tons of articles and I’m a bit overwhelmed from all the reading.

If you have any advice or articles you’d recommend for someone to learn about this disease could you leave it here for me? I would greatly appreciate it. I love my dad, he’s always been there for me through life and I’d like to help him however I can. Thank you for your time.