What Are The Symptoms Of Stage 3 Chronic Kidney Disease
Most people dealing with stage 3 kidney disease usually dont exhibit visible symptoms. However, some patients who have this condition may experience the following:
- Anemia
- Pain in the lower back
- Fluid retention
- Red, orange, or dark yellow urine
- Urinating more or less frequently than normal
- Insomnia and other sleeping problems
Is Stage 3 Kidney Disease Serious How Can It Be Managed
While stage 3 kidney disease indicates a decline in kidney function, there are still many treatment options available to manage the disease and symptoms, as well as slow disease progression.
From a lifestyle standpoint, you should:
- Control your blood sugar if you have diabetes.
- Do not smoke or use tobacco, and quit if you do.
- Manage your blood pressure.
- Eat healthily, and follow a kidney-friendly diet.
- Maintain a healthy weight.
- Get 30 minutes of physical activity five days a week.
Regular exercise is one of the important lifestyle changes you can make to slow disease progression.
Additionally, its time to make an appointment with a nephrologist if you havent done so already. They will develop a treatment plan that fits your unique situation, including regular kidney check-ups.
If making dietary changes feels overwhelming or you feel like you dont know where to start, you should meet with a renal dietitian. Diet is crucial to the successful treatment of kidney disease, as it can preserve kidney function and improve your overall health. Your renal dietitian will create a specialized meal plan for you to follow.
Chronic Kidney Disease Stage 3
Stage 3 of CKD is diagnosed based on estimated glomerular filtration rate readings. This is a blood test that measures creatine levels. An eGFR is used to determine how well your kidneys are working at filtering wastes.
An optimal eGFR is higher than 90, while stage 5 CKD presents itself in an eGFR of less than 15. So the higher your eGFR, the better your estimated kidney function.
Stage 3 CKD has two subtypes based on eGFR readings. You may be diagnosed with stage 3a if your eGFR is between 45 and 59. Stage 3b means your eGFR is between 30 and 44.
The goal with stage 3 CKD is to prevent further kidney function loss. In clinical terms, this can mean preventing an eGFR of between 29 and 15, which indicates stage 4 CKD.
You may not notice symptoms of chronic kidney problems in stages 1 and 2, but the signs start to become more noticeable in stage 3.
Some of the symptoms of CKD stage 3 may include:
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When Should You See A Nephrologist
When you are having renal problems you should see a kidney doctor known as a nephrologist. They are trained to manage conditions affecting the kidneys.
People without kidney disease should also seek the help of a nephrologist when they are having symptoms of kidney dysfunction including:
- Fatigue
- An inherited condition that leads to kidney disease
- A lot of blood in the urine
- A lot of protein in the urine
- Recurring kidney stones
If you are not already seeing someone about your kidney disease, your primary care doctor can refer you to a local nephrologist. Or you can find one through your insurance company.
Complications And Treatment For Late Stage Ckd
Chronic kidney disease is a lifelong condition. The kidneys gradually stop working as well as they should. This usually happens over many years.
In stages 3b to 5 CKD the later stages of CKD many children start to have symptoms as their kidney function is reduced. These symptoms are different for each child with CKD. Water and salts can build up in the body, which may lead to swelling and high blood pressure. Some children get more tired than usual, feel sick or are sick , cannot or do not want to eat as much, and may not grow as well.
Your childs healthcare team will make sure your child gets the right tests and treatments at each stage of the disease, and regular assessments to check that he or she is growing well.
Your child may need to take some medicines to treat the symptoms changing the types or doses of medicines as needed. He or she may need to eat a different diet and drink fewer or more fluids , and may need to use a feeding tube. You will have lots of support to make sure your child gets the right nutrition. Your childs healthcare team will talk to you about any other treatments that may benefit your child.
CKD is a complicated disease. You and your child will learn more over time about how to help manage the condition and what to expect. While it is not possible to recover from CKD, specialist care will help your child live as full and healthy a life as possible.
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How Can I Help Kidney Disease Solution
What Is Chronic Kidney Disease Stage 3B
The Kidney Disease Solution is an all-in-one step-by-step program created to boost the health of kidneys and prevent kidney diseases. It provides you with everything you should learn about kidneys and the way to treat kidney disease.
The program provides a variety of innovative holistic treatment methods using the latest research in the field of naturopathic research. Because its an all-natural approach, it targets the root cause of the issue. Through simple lifestyle changes, users can eliminate kidney disease once and for all.
The program includes a variety of cookbooks and ebooks. The ebooks focus on lifestyle changes. They offer specific guidelines for assessing your condition, interpreting your test results and establishing a custom treatment and diet plan for yourself.
The cookbooks also offer advice on what diet is the most beneficial for your particular condition. Here, you can discover healthy herbal remedies, tea recipes, and many more.
Other useful materials include meditation audiobooks, nutrition plans, yoga videos, and treatment trackers. The content is written in easily understood language, so all users can make the most out of it.
What Is The Outlook For Chronic Kidney Disease
Stages 1-3 chronic kidney disease are common, with most cases occurring in older people. It tends to become gradually worse over months or years. However, the rate of progression varies from case to case, and often depends on the severity of any underlying condition. For example, some kidney conditions may cause your kidney function to become worse relatively quickly. However, in most cases, chronic kidney disease progresses only very slowly.
For many people with CKD there is a much higher risk of developing serious CVD than of developing end-stage kidney failure.
In short, the following can make a big difference to your outlook :
- Attention to blood pressure control.
- Careful review of medications to make sure that the only ones used are those which put least strain on kidneys.
- Tackling factors that reduce your risk of developing CVDs.
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What Does Stage 3 Kidney Disease Mean
At stage 3 CKD, your eGFR is between 30 and 59, which is a sign that your kidneys have some damage and are not working as well as they should be. Moreover, this stage of kidney disease is split into two by glomerular filtration rate :
- Stage 3A: You have a GFR of 45-59 mL/min.
- Stage 3B: You have a GFR of 30-44 mL/min.
When your kidney function declines, your kidneys are less able to filter waste products out of the blood. This can cause a build-up, called uremia. In stage 3 CKD, you also become more likely to have related complications, including:
What Is The Life Expectancy With Stage 3 Kidney Disease
When stage 3 kidney disease is diagnosed early and managed efficiently, it has a longer life expectancy than some of the more advanced stages of the disease. For people who are diagnosed at age 40, the average life expectancy is 24 years for men and 28 for women, although this may be different for those of different ages lifestyle factors also play a role.
It is important to keep in mind that chronic kidney disease could lead to other complications, such as cardiovascular disease. This can also have an impact on a persons overall life expectancy.
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Who Are The Creators
The people behind The Kidney Disease Solution are Duncan Capicchiano and Fiona Chin. They are both capable Naturopaths from Melbourne, Australia. With more than 13 health therapists from their Melbourne clinic, they have been able to help thousands of patients live healthier lives.
Duncan received from the Australian College of Natural Medicine his advanced Diploma in Naturopathy. He also has additional training and diplomas in Craniosacral therapy, Kinesiology, Homeopathy, and Nutrition and Herbal Medicine.
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What Is Kidney Disease
Healthy kidneys filter the blood through tiny structures called nephrons, which remove waste, control fluid balance, and maintain electrolyte balance. When your kidneys are damaged, they cannot function properly and waste can build up in the body.
There are two types of kidney disease:
- Acute kidney disease: Kidneys suddenly stop functioning suddenly
- Chronic kidney disease: Kidney function gradually declines for over 3 months
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What Treatments Are Available
At stage 3, you do not yet need dialysis or a kidney transplant. Lifestyle changes play a large role in CKD treatment, but certain medications may also be prescribed. Its common for people with CKD to develop diabetes or high blood pressure as a result. To control your glucose level and maintain healthy blood pressure, your doctor will probably prescribe a blood pressure medicine.
The two most frequently prescribed blood pressure medications are:
Research has shown that both of these medications help to slow kidney disease progressioneven in people with diabetes who do not have high blood pressure, according to DaVita Kidney Care.
Other treatments that may be prescribed to help with the symptoms and side effects of CKD include:
- Calcium and/or vitamin D supplements to prevent bone fractures
- Chlorestol-lowering drugs
Do I Need Any Further Tests
As mentioned, the eGFR test is done to diagnose and monitor the progression and severity of CKD. For example, it should be done routinely at least once a year in people with stages 1 and 2 CKD, and more frequently in those with stage 3, 4 or 5 CKD.
You are likely to have routine urine dipstick tests from time to time to check for blood and protein in the urine. Also, blood tests may be done from time to time to check on your blood level of chemicals such as sodium, potassium, calcium and phosphate. The need for other tests then depends on various factors and your doctor will advise. For example:
- An ultrasound scan of the kidneys or a kidney biopsy may be advised if certain kidney conditions are suspected. For example, if you have a lot of protein or blood in your urine, if you have pain that seems to be coming from a kidney, etc.
- A scan or having a sample taken is not needed in most cases. This is because most people with CKD have a known cause for the impaired kidney function, such as a complication of diabetes, high blood pressure or ageing.
- If the CKD progresses to stage 3 or worse then various other tests may be done. For example, blood tests to check for anaemia and an altered level of parathyroid hormone . PTH is involved in the control of the blood level of calcium and phosphate.
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Treatment Of Kidney Disease Stage 3
Once you are diagnosed with stage 3 kidney disease, there is no way to treat the damage that has already been done to your kidneys. The following steps for your treatment have to do with treating the issues caused by decreased kidney functioning and preventing further damage.
These treatments include:
- Monitoring your weight to remain healthy
- Attending to anemia
Additionally, you may need to take medications. Which medications and even if you need to take them entirely depends on the cause of your kidney disease. Some of these medications could be:
- An angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor which lowers your blood pressure
- An angiotensin receptor blocker which would also lower your blood pressure
- Diuretics to help flush out waste
- Any type of medication that could help lower your cholesterol
- Erythropoietin which helps build red blood cells for people who struggle with anemia
- Vitamin D to strengthen the bones and avoid bone loss
- A phosphate binder
Reducing The Impact Of Kidney Disease
No matter what stage youre at, being aware of how you feel, along with effective management, can slow the progress of kidney disease and reduce the chance of other complications.
If youd like to know more, Kidney Health Australia is here for support. You can call our Kidney Helpline and speak to a health professional on 1800 454 363 between 9am-5pm Australian Eastern Standard Time. Its a free call.
You can also chat to your doctor or or App from the Apple Store and .
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Whom To Consult For Diagnosis Of Stage 3 Ckd
At stage 3 CKD, patients should consult a nephrologist. Nephrologists are doctors specializing in the treatment of the kidneys and the renal system. The patients will first go through some basic examinations. This will be flowed by comprehensive lab testing of the samples taken from the patients. You will also be required to hand in your entire medical history and answer questions put forward by the nephrologist. This will help them in making an accurate diagnosis and choosing a suitable approach for the treatment. The main aim of the treatment will be to reverse the kidney damage and keep them functioning efficiently.
Swiss Chard Spinach And Beet Greens
Most leafy green vegetables, including Swiss chard, spinach, and beet greens, are not recommended on a kidney diet due to their potassium content.
For example, 1 cup of cooked spinach contains around 839 milligrams of potassium, which is nearly half of the daily recommended amount for someone with stage 3 chronic kidney disease.
Opt for lower potassium green vegetables such as green beans, asparagus, lettuce, and celery to limit your daily potassium intake.
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Stage 3 Kidney Disease Life Expectancy
When diagnosed and managed early, stage 3 CKD has a longer life expectancy than more advanced stages of kidney disease. Estimates can vary based on age and lifestyle.
One such estimate says that the average life expectancy is 24 years in men who are 40, and 28 in women of the same age group.
Aside from overall life expectancy, its important to consider your risk of disease progression. One 10-year study of stage 3 CKD patients found that about half progressed to more advanced stages of kidney disease.
Its also possible to experience complications from CKD, such as cardiovascular disease, which can affect your overall life expectancy.
Medical Treatment To Consider
With stage 3 chronic kidney disease, there is no need for dialysis or kidney transplants. Patients are prescribed medications to address any underlying medical issues that could be contributing to their kidney damage.
This might include glucose management drugs for diabetics and ACE inhibitors for those with high blood pressure. In addition, some medications might be prescribed to help alleviate the diseases side effects. For example, patients might be given iron supplements for anemia, diuretics for edema, drugs to lower cholesterol or calcium supplements to prevent bone fractures.
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Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate
A normal eGFR is 90 ml/minute/1.73 m or more. If some of the glomeruli do not filter as much as normal then the kidney is said to have reduced or impaired kidney function.
The eGFR test involves a blood test which measures a chemical called creatinine. Creatinine is a breakdown product of muscle. Creatinine is normally cleared from the blood by the kidneys. If your kidneys are not working very well and the glomeruli are not filtering as much blood as normal, the level of creatinine in the blood goes up.
The eGFR is calculated from your age, sex and blood creatinine level. An adjustment to the calculation is needed for people with African-Caribbean origin. See the separate leaflets called Routine Kidney Function Blood Test and Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate .
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Living With Stage 3 Kidney Disease
Aside from taking your prescribed medications and eating a healthy diet, adopting other lifestyle changes can help you manage CKD stage 3. Talk to your doctor about the following:
- Exercise. Aim for a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate activity per day on most days of the week. A doctor can help you begin an exercise program safely.
- Blood pressure management. High blood pressure can be a precursor for CKD, and it can make your condition worse. Aim for a blood pressure of 140/90 and below.
- Stress management. Techniques can include exercise, getting better sleep, and meditation.
- Smoking cessation. Talk to a doctor about the right methods of quitting smoking for you.
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Reducing The Risk Of Developing Cardiovascular Diseases
People with chronic kidney disease have an increased risk of developing CVDs, such as heart disease, stroke, and peripheral arterial disease. People with CKD are actually twenty times more likely to die from cardiovascular-related problems than from kidney failure. This is why reducing any other cardiovascular risk factors is so important. See the separate leaflet called Cardiovascular Disease .
This typically includes: