What is

[Yvonne]

Please what is Chronic kidney disease stage four???

[Jean]

I am in stage 4. Really it is JUST, the measure of how well your kidneys are working. The next step of course, CKD5 is the dialysis stage. Hope that helps.

[okarol]

Here is another related thread     
What are the Stages of CKD? http://ihatedialysis.com/forum/index.php?topic=13202.0

[Des]

Stages of chronic kidney disease
Stage    Description   GFR   What this means to you
1   Kidney damage with normal or high GFR   90 or above   •   Your doctor will try to find the cause of your kidney disease and begin treatment.
•   Keep your blood pressure below 130/80 mm Hg. If you have diabetes, control your blood sugar levels.
•   See your doctor regularly to monitor your condition.
2   Kidney damage with mildly low GFR   60–89   •   Your doctor will estimate how quickly your disease is progressing.
•   Control your blood pressure and blood sugar levels.
•   Continue regular monitoring.
3   Kidney damage with moderately low GFR   30–59   •   Your doctor will check you for complications, such as anemia and bone disease, and begin treatment if needed.
•   Continue monitoring.
4   Kidney damage with severely low GFR   15–29   •   Decide what type of treatment you want if kidney failure develops.
•   Continue treatment and monitoring.
5   Kidney failure   Below 15    •   Start dialysis or have a kidney transplant

MY GFR IS 20 and I am a stage 4

[Yvonne]

Thank you for your replies.  John's GFR is 13.1 this weeks test and creatinine is 325 and they do not want to see him again for another 3 months!!!!!!!!  I suppose they know what they are doing.  Yvonne the wife

[monrein]

Yvonne, if John starts to be nauseous and feel worse and worse you will need to call and push to have him start D.  It only makes sense to go by symptoms rather than any absolute numbers and everyone is different.  I started D at a GFR of 16 because I felt perfectly wretched.

[Yvonne]

Thanks momrein, I was ready to call the Dr. Saturday night as John was bad, but he said no it was just interjestion. He went to bed in a lot of pain, slept some of the night and stayed in bed until 11am on Sunday.  He is fine now just very sleepy. He does not want to start dialysis as I think he thinks that will be............................ I wish I knew what he is thinking Yvonne

[Des]

I have to be honest ......

I do not really get him???

Dialysis is going to make him feel MUCH better.... I think he should start soonest..

I have been bitching and moaning because "they" ( the doctors) let us (the sick) wait until we are at deaths door before we are allowed to start dialysis... I would want to start earlier.

Just me venting- not judging or anything.

Please try to convince him to start... I know he will feel better.
   

[willowtreewren]

I agree with Des.

My husband had no idea how bad he was feeling because it was a gradual decline. Once he started dialysis, he felt immensely better.

Aleta

[MandaMe1986]

My dad did the same thing, he didn't want to start. Until they told him he had no choice. Then just jumped in.

[Yvonne]

I think that will hapen to John, an emergency trip to the hospital again in the middle of the night like all the previous times.
John's surgoen has ordered a CT scan for him and it's booked in for the 1st July, both the hernias have happened again so the repair they did in January did not work. They said they may have to resite the stoma, we are having so much trouble changing the bag twice a a day as it just will not stick and the hernias is now the size of a mellon.
He had another iron infusion yesterday, the nurse said one more and she will do another blood test to see if it's working, then he will not have to have anymore, they may just increase the EPO to 3 times a week. Yvonne the wife

[Des]

I am really thinking of you....

Be strong and know that you do have someone on the other side of the world thinking and praying for you and John.

Hugs

[ODAT]

I just want to add that my mom also feels and looks a lot better since starting dialysis. You never know how bad you've felt until you feel good. She hasn't had any issues so far and has settled in to the transport and time in dialysis.