Stage 3 of Chronic Kidney Disease

A person with stage 3 chronic kidney disease (CKD) has kidney damage with a moderate decrease in theglomerular filtration rate (GFR) of 30-59 ml/min. As kidney function declines waste products can build up in the blood causing a condition known as “uremia.” In stage 3 a person is more likely to develop complications of kidney diseasesuch as high blood pressure,anemia (a shortage of red blood cells) and/or early bone disease.
Symptoms may start to become present in stage 3, such as:
§ Fatigue: Feeling tired is common for people with CKD and is often caused by anemia.
§ Too much fluid: The kidneysmay lose their ability to control how much fluid stays in the body. A person may notice swelling (edema) in their lower legs, hands or face around the eyes. With too much fluid someone could even feel short of breath.
§ Urination changes: Urine may be foamy if there is protein in it, or dark orange, brown, tea colored or red if it contains blood. A person may urinate more or less, or get up at night to go to the bathroom.
§ Kidney pain: Most people with CKD do not have kidney pain, but with some kinds of kidney problems, such as polycystic kidney disease (PKD) or infections, they may have pain in their back where the kidneys are.
§ Sleep problems: Some people have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep. Itching, muscle cramps or restless legs can keep them awake.
Some top dietitians have made a meal plan for stage 3 CKD patients.
· Eat more grains, fruit and vegetables, but whole grains and some fruits and vegetables may be limited if blood tests show phosphorus or potassium levels are higher than the normal.
· Low the intake of fats .
· Eat less food which contains high protein, sodium ingredients or salt.
· Pay attention to the supplement of vitamin and mineral substance.
· Limit calcium if blood levels are above normal.
· Have the right amount of protein which is at the Daily Reference Intake level of 0.8 grams per kilogram body.
· Control the intake of calories to maintain a healthy weight.

With the proper treatment and healthy diet, the patients with stage 3 CKD can slow their progression of their disease effectively, but these patients still need to accept physical examinations including a blood test for creatinine, hemoglobin, calcium and phosphorus levels. A regular examination can help these patients to fight against their diseases.