This may have been written about already. I apologize if I overlooked it. I donated 4.5 years ago. Since then my creatinine has remained a steady 1.6. As a result my egfr puts me in the category of CKD3. That's now on my medical record. i was wondering if the fact that this is the result of donation is a factor in interpreting it. In other words, is it less of a concern that it's not the result of disease? I do remember my personal nephrologist saying that with aging my kidney function will dwindle by age 90 to a need for dialysis. I am not alarmed by that since I am not aspiring to live here that long :)
Dear Pastor Jeff,
So then isn't 1.6 your 'new normal'? Of course there is a difference between kidney donors and non-donors. We only have one kidney, so creatinine is higher than pre-donation. But we also do not have kidney disease, so the higher level tends to be stable. The CKD3 thing would only work if you were not a donor and had declining kidney function.
I'm not sure about your nephrologist telling you scary stories. Who can make a prediction like that about 30 years down the road?
I do think donors (and everyone!) should maintain a good weight and blood pressure, get plenty of exercise and stay away from NSAID's. These things will not hurt your future 90 year old self's kidney function!
Love, elephant
I've been told something similar, that late in my eighties or nineties I may need dialysis but I figure by then xenografts or dialysis will be much improved or this will simply be an easy ticket out if I make it that far. I don't aspire to reach 100 and at that point, kidney disease will likely be the least of my problem. Like I told the evaluation team, if this costs me a few years of life in my 90s but gives someone many more years in the prime of their life, then it's a more optimal use of that kidney function.
Thank you Elephant for your good words. I've always appreciated reading what you've had to say.
RKEM i agree with your sentiments completely. In spite of the good medical folks and extensive testing, I never thought I would come through this completely unscathed. Just glad to help.
I'm 71 now, 15 years after kidney donation. I'm optimistically presuming that if I reach 90 things will have progressed so much by then that I will be able to pick up a spare mechanical kidney or two at Wall-Mart.
Or dialysis machines will have shrunk down so much you can wear them like a wrist watch. ;)