Kidney aids

[RESORT2ME Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close RESORT2ME]

Doc says my lab results indicate kidney function is worsening.


I'm told to drink more water.
I figure other actions might be suggested if I asked.


I take water pills to lessen water retention of feet and legs. By cutting back on the number of pills lab results improve, but I swell up and ooze water through the skin of legs.


Robert

[bevvy5 Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close bevvy5]

Depends a lot on what your GFR is and how quickly it's declining.

Watch your salt, including salt in processed foods and prepared foods. Don't eat a high protein diet. Those are the big two. Hopefully you're doing the normal things like getting some exercise, keeping your weight in check and if you are diabetic, keep it well controlled.

My husband is a dialysis patient. If your doctor is saying that's the direction you're heading, do whatever it takes to not go there. There is no cure once your kidneys fail - transplant is the best treatment option but basically it's a lifelong chronic - and in my opinion terminal - illness.

Be well.

[easyrider Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close easyrider]

One natural thing you could do is to add 2 ounces of lemon juice to 8 ounces of water. Do a google dealio on lemon juice and kidney function.

Other natural supplements are goldenseal root, ginger root, parsley root and teas made from any or all of these ingredients. Most health food stores carry these items. Also there are supplement capsules to aid kidney functions like Christophers Kidney Formula. Read up then ask your doc if your able to do any of this with the medication your on.

here is a link to a website I have used in the past. http://curezone.com/

[CarolF Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close CarolF]

Doc says my lab results indicate kidney function is worsening.


I'm told to drink more water.
I figure other actions might be suggested if I asked.


I take water pills to lessen water retention of feet and legs. By cutting back on the number of pills lab results improve, but I swell up and ooze water through the skin of legs.


Robert

With reduced kidney function, you may need to start paying attention to the protein, phosphorus, sodium, and potassium content of the foods you eat. Learning about your food will help you understand what changes you need to make.

According to the Kidney Health Centre at UNC, 1 in 9 North Carolinians has chronic kidney disease so you are not alone. The Kidney Health Centre at the UNC provides support, information and an outreach service free of charge to NC communities. Their website http://www.unckidneycenter.org/about/geninfo.html has a lot of info -

Nutritional information
http://www.unckidneycenter.org/kidne...nutrition.html

Kidney Health Library
http://www.unckidneycenter.org/kidneyhealthlibrary.html

Current Community Liaisons
http://www.unckidneycenter.org/outre...ityupdate.html

The Kidney Education Outreach Program (KEOP)
http://www.unckidneycenter.org/outreach.html

Here is the outreach service brochure
http://www.unckidneycenter.org/outre...OPbrochure.pdf
and a calendar with Info session dates http://www.med.unc.edu/cgi-bin/Calci...&Date=2014/5/1

An extensive Links of Interest page
http://www.unckidneycenter.org/about/links.html

[bevvy5 Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close bevvy5]

Another thing that is worth informing yourself about is use of medications. If ibuprofen is your painkiller of choice, you might want to reconsider. Anti-inflammatores are not good for kidney function. So it's a question to ask before you take over the counter medication and should be checked with your pharmacist and any dctor who prescribes you medication.

[RESORT2ME Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close RESORT2ME]

NORMAL RANGE 02/10/2014 READING05/02/2014 READING

BUN 7 - 23mg/dl 19 (within range) 27(out of range)


CREATIN 0.60 - 1.3mg/dl 1.62(above range) 2.32( way out of range)

I've stopped adding SALT and try to avoid foods containing it.

I'm now drinking water with lemon all day long.

I consume lots of beans (pintos, black eyed, navy...) as I eat very little of animal products. I don't eat white stuff, but lots of greens, fruits, oatmeal, sweet potato, carrots, salads.

Using coconut oil for cooking. Walnuts on salad and oatmeal.
Use Almond milk rather than cow milk.
Use raw honey for sweetener.


I was told Kidneys do more than make waste water...they also balance all the chemicals in the body, help make red blood cells. I need to study up.


I'm diabetic so on my own diet to stay healthy while bringing weight down from 285, I hope to reach 185.
Since February I'm down 35. That sounds great till I think of another 65 yet to come off.
I have the driving force of realizing I'm carrying that excess 100 pounds all the time. Although 185 is not ideal, that's the goal for now.

I hope to hear the doc say to stop taking certain meds. Cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugars are at acceptable levels while on meds. These kidney results though are scary.

I take Cyclobenzapr 10mg once per night for leg muscle relaxant. Trama-dol is taken once or twice daily to ease leg and back pain.


I'll have to do more studying for foods and meds that help or harm the kidneys.


Thanks for your help,


Robert

[CarolF Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close CarolF]

I'll have to do more studying for foods and meds that help or harm the kidneys.

More importantly, get information from Medical Professionals.

Whilst your commitment to losing weight is admirable, your own diet may or may not be appropriate for you and your health conditions. I would strongly suggest that you consult a Dietitian who will look at your goals, medications, health conditions and help you plan your meals. Quantities of food and fluid are very important, for example, 2 or 3 raisins with breakfast is possibly OK but a cup of raisins would be way too much sugar. A small glass of fresh fruit juice is OK as an occasional treat but several glasses a day is an overload of sugar. Eating 2 pieces of whole fruit per day (no larger than your fist) is the recommended healthy option for the majority of the population but may not be right for you. Some of the foods you list in your diet are high in Phosphorus and Potassium which may or may not be a good option for you. Additionally, there are food/drug interactions to consider, grapefruit juice can cause toxic side effects with some blood pressure, cholesterol lowering, anti-arrhythmic drugs.

When your doctor suggested drinking more water, he/she may not have meant drink water and lemon all day long.

Here are some questions you may wish to ask your doctor -

How much water/fluid should I drink per day?
What's the level of damage to my kidneys?
What's causing my condition?
Can the damage to my kidneys be reversed?
What are my treatment options?
What are the potential side effects of each treatment?
I have these other health conditions. How can I best manage them together?
Do I need to eat a special diet?
Can you refer me to a dietitian who can help me plan my meals?
Should I see a specialist?
Are there any brochures or other printed material that I can have? What websites do you recommend?
How often should I come back to have my kidney function tested?

[RESORT2ME Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close RESORT2ME]

That I shall do, get diet assistance. It seems baffling to check all protein, phosphorus, sodium, and potassium content of the all foods.

[easyrider Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close easyrider]

If you don't eat manufactured processed food you will know exactly whats in your food. This time of year asparagus is cheap and fresh where I live. We love asparagus so we are eating fresh about 3 - 4 times a week. Besides fresh we can and pickle asparagus for later.

Oh yeah, asparagus is good for your kidneys.

http://www.kidneycoach.com/453/7-rea...idney-disease/

[bevvy5 Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close bevvy5]

Getting some help from a dietican will help. While potassium and phosphorus can be an issue for folks on dialysis, it's not always the case, especially in pre-dialysis. The best thing is really to go over your bloodwork with your doctor and dietician to find out what you specifically need to watch for.

And asparagus is quite high in potassium, so if that's an issue for you, just be a bit moderate.