Hi all,
I’ve just been told I have CKD after a health check and I’m absolutely terrified. My eGPR is 56 with protein in my urine. I am now committed to exercising and reducing cholesterol levels by healthy eating, reducing salt etc. Is there anyone in a similar position who can offer me some help or advice? Can I hold off any further decline by eating well and exercising or is it inevitable my kidney function will decline? Take care all, MLH
53 Year Old male, eGPR 56
Moderator: administrator
Re: 53 Year Old male, eGPR 56
Hi,
I know it easy to say but try not to worry, it will not change your situation.
Rather than worry, try to get to know as much as you can about your condition.
To start look on this websites home page, this will give you you access to lots of reliable information.
The first thing to find out is what has caused your Kidneys to malfunction.
There are many things that can cause a temporary loss/reduction of Kidney function.
Or it can be a permanent loss of function, in this case there will be a steady decline, keeping healthy may slow the decline.
You have probable been told to drink plenty of fluids to make life easier for your Kidneys
The rate of decline is unpredictable, your eGFR would have to get down to around 10% before Dialysis would need to start.
Healthy eating - the normal, 'five a day', is all that is required, and as you say, get salt down low.
Salt - the recommendations for healthy adults is 5 - 6 grams (a level tea spoon) per day, bear in mind that on average we tend to get 3/4 of that from
pre-prepared food.
For people with health problems the suggested levels are around 3- 4 grams per day or lower.
That means cooking your own food as much as possible avoid adding salt in cooking, use herbs and spices to add flavour if required.
Bearing in mind that with a normal diet you will get more than enough salt for body to work no extra salt is needed.
Reducing salt is not for your Kidneys but for your Heart, though it will help your Kidneys.
CKD tends to raise blood pressure (BP), and high BP tends to destroy Kidneys.
Excess of salt causes blood vessels to contract, and harden raising BP - harder work for the Heart.
Exercise - a brisk 20 mins walk 4 times per week is thought to be sufficient.
Brisk walk? If you can talk as you walk it's not brisk enough.
If you make changes in food etc. let your Doctors know, they should be working to diagnose the cause of your problem, and
changes may confuse their efforts.
Best wishes
I know it easy to say but try not to worry, it will not change your situation.
Rather than worry, try to get to know as much as you can about your condition.
To start look on this websites home page, this will give you you access to lots of reliable information.
The first thing to find out is what has caused your Kidneys to malfunction.
There are many things that can cause a temporary loss/reduction of Kidney function.
Or it can be a permanent loss of function, in this case there will be a steady decline, keeping healthy may slow the decline.
You have probable been told to drink plenty of fluids to make life easier for your Kidneys
The rate of decline is unpredictable, your eGFR would have to get down to around 10% before Dialysis would need to start.
Healthy eating - the normal, 'five a day', is all that is required, and as you say, get salt down low.
Salt - the recommendations for healthy adults is 5 - 6 grams (a level tea spoon) per day, bear in mind that on average we tend to get 3/4 of that from
pre-prepared food.
For people with health problems the suggested levels are around 3- 4 grams per day or lower.
That means cooking your own food as much as possible avoid adding salt in cooking, use herbs and spices to add flavour if required.
Bearing in mind that with a normal diet you will get more than enough salt for body to work no extra salt is needed.
Reducing salt is not for your Kidneys but for your Heart, though it will help your Kidneys.
CKD tends to raise blood pressure (BP), and high BP tends to destroy Kidneys.
Excess of salt causes blood vessels to contract, and harden raising BP - harder work for the Heart.
Exercise - a brisk 20 mins walk 4 times per week is thought to be sufficient.
Brisk walk? If you can talk as you walk it's not brisk enough.
If you make changes in food etc. let your Doctors know, they should be working to diagnose the cause of your problem, and
changes may confuse their efforts.
Best wishes
Re: 53 Year Old male, eGPR 56
Hi,
Sorry, I should have said the, 'e' in eGFR means estimated, this is prone to error.
In practice the key thing is the trend in eGFR.
Most people will get down to less than 20% before noticing any problems but you will find all this among the topics from the home page.
Sorry, I should have said the, 'e' in eGFR means estimated, this is prone to error.
In practice the key thing is the trend in eGFR.
Most people will get down to less than 20% before noticing any problems but you will find all this among the topics from the home page.
Re: 53 Year Old male, eGPR 56
Hi, many thanks for the info.