The kidneys perform a necessary life function

Dear Dr. Roach: I am an 83- year- old white male. I am overweight and have high blood pressure and Type 2 diabetes. I have been diagnosed with stage 4 kidney failure. I’m told there is not much hope in saving my kidneys from further damage. I’m told its inevitable that I will be headed for dialysis. Is there any hope for me? — D. M. S. Dear D. M. S.: There is hope. The kidneys filter toxins from the blood, and are necessary for life. In cases of complete kidney failure, a person will need dialysis treatment or a transplant.

Kidney function is divided into five stages. In stage 1, kidney function is still normal, but there may be other problems with the kidney. The remainder of the stages are divided by how much kidney function is left. The normal creatinine clearance rate is equal to or greater than 90. Stage 2 kidney failure is 60- 80; stage 3 is 30- 59; stage 4 is 15- 30; and stage 5 is less than 15. When someone reaches stage 5, planning should be well underway for deciding on the plan for kidney replacement therapy ( dialysis) if a person is not a candidate for transplant. Transplants are done occasionally for people over 65.

In stage 4 kidney failure, where you are, more than half of kidney function is gone, and it becomes more important than ever to slow loss of kidney function. This means very careful care of your diabetes and blood pressure, since these are likely to be the underlying cause in your case. It also means medications to preserve kidney function. Diet should be lower in sodium, and a plant- based diet has been shown to reduce progression.