[Mrs Trellis]

I've been hovering around the stage 4/5 borders for about 18 months with EGFR's of between 11 and 16. All my paperwork lists me as stage 5. I was initially pencilled for transplant before last Christmas, and again in March but have held things at bay by religiously taking my drugs, moderate exercise, plenty of sleep?and refusing to get stressed about anything. Sorting my horrendous anaemia also helped – it's possible my iron levels are now a little on the high side – that'll need checking next time too along with the uric acid.

I imagine it's never been checked as I've never made too much fuss about the gout – it's tended not to coincide with my nephrologist visits so it's taken second place. I was always more worried about the anaemia, as it got so bad I could barely breathe or compose a sentence. That's fine now, and I can tackle the gout!

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Dietwise – as long as I don't make it any worse I'm on the right track.

[Mrs Trellis]

Thanks zip – I realise I can't cure it by diet – I was just hoping for suggestions to hold it at bay or at least stop it from getitng any?worse until I see my nephrologist at the end of November. My GP is understandably reluctant to prescribe anything as he doesn't want to interfere with the renal unit's carefully balanced drug cocktail I already take.

Looking at some of my old blood results I don't see uric acid levels listed. Only what I think is Urea (listed as URE) which is 19.6. I'll see if I can get it tested before my hospital appointment (but hopefully after this attack has settled) so the nephrologist can see what he's working with.

I did knock up a batch of black bean?soup and had it with my phosphate binders, not too bad. On the whole I reckon if the “bad for kidney” foods clash with the “good for gout” foods I should err on the side of looking after what's left of my kidneys first.

For now I'm just carrying on regardless – avoiding beer etc. I've got some black beans in stock now – and although I eat very few pulses I'll have them in preference to other types when I do. Likewise, although I'm on limited fruit – I'll keep cherries towards the top of the list. Can't hurt, and at least I know they're unlikely to make matters worse.

As far as I know allopurinol is Ok for kidneys, but colchicine is not great for them, I'll let you know how I get on.

I'm hopefully having a pre-emptive live donor transplant – I was expecting to have had it by now, but my kidneys are hanging in there a bit better than expected, so I'm still in limbo – but glad of it.

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Thanks for the advice

Mrs T

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