Estimated GFR

Jack, I have had a very similar experience with these readings.  At my 6 month check up in November following radical neph in May 2013 my consultant said my GFR was 75 which was great as far as he was concerned.  Fast forward to March when my primary care had routine labs done the GFR ws 56 and she wanted a recheck in 3 months.  To say I was disappointed would be an understatement.  I have been watching my diet and exercising regularly and all my other numbers are in the normal range but I have gone from being very optimistic about the future to worrying that my lone kidney is failing. So your post is timely in pointing to the estimate factor with this test.

Scottie22 said:

GFR readings

Jack, I have had a very similar experience with these readings.  At my 6 month check up in November following radical neph in May 2013 my consultant said my GFR was 75 which was great as far as he was concerned.  Fast forward to March when my primary care had routine labs done the GFR ws 56 and she wanted a recheck in 3 months.  To say I was disappointed would be an understatement.  I have been watching my diet and exercising regularly and all my other numbers are in the normal range but I have gone from being very optimistic about the future to worrying that my lone kidney is failing. So your post is timely in pointing to the estimate factor with this test.

I've chosen to be followed by a nephrologist since my surgery, even though no doctor really recommended it. I'm glad I did. They really understand these measurements and what they mean.

How hydrated you are can have a big impact on creatinine. eGFR varies not only by race, but also by gender, and amount of muscle mass.

My nephrologist has been watching my blood pressure and since it's been creeping up, put me on BP meds. It took a few tries to find something that worked and that I liked, but finally we did. I'm on lisinopril. I didn't realize that different BP meds work in different ways, and this particular drug is especially good at protecting the kidney. High BP can damage kidney function.

High sodium intake can increase BP, which in turn damages kidneys, so limiting salt is important. I'm now not adding any salt to anything when I eat outside, and drastically limit my salt intake when cooking at home. My target sodium intake is 2g per day.

High protein intake can also damage kidneys, so I'm being more careful to eat smaller amounts of meat and even some high protein containing non-meat like tofu, beans, etc. This means I'm having to eat more veggies and fruits.

All of this came from a combination of talking to the nephrologist and a dietician whom the nephrologist sent me to see to help me with a diet that is kidney healthy.

My creatinine is 1.8 and my eGFR has been about 40 (as I remember). The nephrologist told me with my age and general health, there's a good chance I could outlive this kidney so I needed to do what I can to protect my kidney function.

Best,

Todd