How Long Can We Live with Stage 3 CKD

We can live as long as a normal person live with CKD stage 3. Many patients wrongly believe that once we are diagnosed with kidney problem, our life span will be shortened greatly. Actually, how long can we live depends on what we do.

In general, there are three possible conditions for CKD stage 3 and with different condition, we may have different life expectancy and prognosis. These three conditions go as follows:

1. CKD is kept in stage 3 forever

It is possible for CKD to stay in stage 3 forever if treatment is timely and proper. In such a case, we can live a normal life with CKD stage 3. Kidney disease progresses because more and more renal tissues are damaged, so if we want to prevent CKD stage 3 from developing to stage 4, we must protect residual healthy kidney tissues firstly and then repair damaged renal intrinsic cells. Meanwhile, adjusting diet to reduce the production of wastes like creatinine and urea nitrogen, so as to reduce renal burden.

2. CKD stage 3 progresses continuously, but the progression is slowed down

In many countries, patients are prescribed oral medicines to remit symptoms of CKD stage. This method is effective in stopping kidney disease temporarily, but unfortunately, it fail to help patients avoid kidney failure, which means kidney failure will still come sooner or later.

3. Leave CKD stage 3 alone

CKD stage 3 progresses to stage 4 and then stage 5 (Kidney Failure) if left uncontrolled. Kidney failure is the end result of every kind of kidney problem and once CKD steps to this stage, dialysis or kidney transplant will be needed. Dialysis and Kidney Transplant are the last two options of kidney failure. Although they are effective to maintain patient's life to some extent, both of them are risky. Also, compared with non-dialysis patients, patients with dialysis usually have a shorter life span.

With different attitudes toward CKD stage 3, patients will have different future life and different life span. Therefore, long long a person with CKD stage 3 live really depends on how he treats his disease.