What Does It Mean To Be In Third Stage CKD

A:

A: kidney disease is divided into 5 stages. The glomerular filtration rate(GFR) is the best measure of kidney function. It is the number used to figure out a person’s stage of kidney disease. Usually the lower the GFR is, the more severe kidney damage is. A person with third stage chronic kidney disease has kidney damage with a moderate decrease in the GFR of 30-59ml/min. In stage 2 and stage 3 CKD, there is no obvious symptoms. However, as kidney function declines, wastes like creatinine and blood urea nitrogen can build up in the blood. Therefore, a person with third stage chronic kidney disease is more likely to develop complications of kidney disease such as high blood pressure, anemia and bone problems.

Besides, a person may present the following symptoms with third stage CKD.

1. Fatigue

Fatigue is a common symptom of anemia due to insufficient erythropoietin.

2. Too much fluid

The kidneys lose the ability to control how much fluid stay in your body. You may notice edema in your legs, hands or face around the eyes.

3. Urination changes

You may urinate more or less, or go to bathroom frequently at night. The urine may be foamy if there is protein in it,or dark orange, tea colored or red if there is blood in it.

4. Kidney pain

Kidney pain may be felt by the patients with polycystic kidney disease(PKD), kidney stones or infection.

For your mom with third stage chronic kidney disease, she should take effective treatment to keep it under control. If she keep it under control, you still have a great chance to restore your kidney tissue and improve kidney function.