The FastDay Forum

I have seen my nephrologist today. I have chronic kidney disease related to an inherited abnormality of my kidneys. I've known about it for 15 years or so and things were stable until I had my second child 7 years ago when things took a downward turn and I developed heavy proteinuria in late pregnancy which didn't resolve on delivery. Since then I've had ongoing proteinuria with slowly declining kidney function. Well today I had my outpatient appointment, my proteinuria has halved and my kidney function has improved in the last 4 months. Nothing apart from starting 5:2 and loosing 8kg in weight has changed, my meds are all the same. My nephrologist has no explanation for the improvement and I have to rerun all the tests in 4-6 months but I'm hopeful that 5:2 is behind the improvement and then hopefully if I continue with this WOL my kidneys will continue to improve or at least the deterioration will slow down.

that's fantastic!

I have a friend with this. I'll have to tell him, though I'm not sure other conditions like type 2 diabetes will allow him to try this.

First of all, congratulations on the great news!
I hope the diet changes are responsible for it and I hope you recover fully

[carorees]

Wow! Brilliant news! You must be very pleased? Do you think it is evidence of autophagy? Someone weekday posted a while back about improvements in GFR after following 5:2. Fingers crossed for you that this improvement continues.

[wildmissus]

Wow, that is really interesting. My oldest daughter has damaged kidneys and although everything is 'sorted' at the moment she has annual checks to make sure there is no change. If the future does change for her then this would be something to look into.

Thank you all for your kind words. I'm not sure what how fasting has helped, I know the underlying problem with my kidneys can never be 'cured' as its a genetic abnormality in the structure of my kidney and my last biopsy showed I had lost about 20% of my glomeruli (the filtering bits in the kidney), but if I can help maintain the remaining part of my kidney so much the better.
I did find this interesting article, which documents improvements in chronic kidney disease in Muslims fasting for Ramadan
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20814128

So there does seem to be something in fasting and improvments in kidney disease.

[janeg]

that is very good news.

Fantastic news. I love hearing about the health benefits of fasting as well as the weight loss.

[carorees]

Interesting article discussing the role of autophagy in kidney function: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23642034

Thank you for putting this info on here. I have PKD and have been searching the web for info, about the effects of fasting on the kidneys. I could find nothing from anyone who's tried it. And here you are, on this forum,that I've been glued to for the past week.
I am so pleased you have seen positive results in test and your kidney health. Have you had any test since? I would also be interested to know what your renal doctors think about you fasting, if they have said anything at all.
I've read lots about kidney diets over the last week and they say, reduced salt and protein (or a vegan diet) can slow down the loss of kidney function, but this is not advised to patients until they have lost most of their kidney function, because that type of diet is not sustainable and people are unlikely to keep it up for the rest of their lives.
On the BBC documentary with Dr M. they said something about the protein in the diet. The protein helps cell production and reducing it makes the body reduce cell production and work on fixing damaged cells. This could be why you've had such good results. I really must watch the documentary again.
I started 5:2 last Thursday and have done 2 fast this week, that I found very manageable. I was already thinking this could very well be the WOL for me but had a little voice in the back of my head asking "could it be bad for my kidneys?".
Wouldn't it be good if 5:2 could help keep our kidneys healthier for longer. It's a shame those big pharmaceuticals make so much money out of us being sick, or we could have all know this a lot sooner (I wouldn't be surprised if they know it too and that's why they don't advice it)
I would love to hear how you are getting on, on 5:2 and if you have seen any more improvements in your health.
All the best
Dee

Not sure if you've seen my message @Nikipins because it was such a long time ago that you started this post.
Dee

Hi @justdee, I managed to get myself locked out of the forum for a few days after upgrading to i0s7 but back on track now. Well my kidney tests have unfortunately not been so good recently. After the initial improvement in my proteinuria from approx 1g a day to less than 0.5g per day at the next test a couple of months later it had jumped to 3g per day confirmed on repeat. All rather disappointing. My underlying diagnosis seems to be in doubt, I have a rare form of inherited kidney disease which is not behaving as expected and now the nephrologist thinks I might have an even rarer form, I'm hoping to avoid another renal Biopsy as that would be number 3! As to the fasting I have to admit to not telling the nephrologist. I can't see that it will affect the problem in my kidney. He did suggest I loose someweight at the last visit so 12kg down courtesy of 5:2 should help. I was also on the verge of being started on another tablet for my blood pressure but the weight loss seems to have helped so I have avoided more medication. I am careful to not to overdo the protein intake and avoid salt in my diet. The nephrologist did telle not to do the Atkins as it can push people into renal failure due to the high protein load. So rather mixed report I'm afraid, more kidney tests in the next couple of weeks so I'll let you know how I get on. Good luck to you!

Hi Nikipins,

Sorry to hear about your continuing kidney problems. My husband has FSGS, another rare form of genetic kidney disease. He tried 5:2 with me at the beginning of this year and lost a stone, he is currently about 3-4 stone overweight, but it made no difference at his routine blood test except his overall cholesterol level was slightly higher than it had been so he jacked it in which is a shame as the weight has piled on again and I really cannot believe his G.P. Never mentions it.

He is now permanently off statins, hooray, as he can no longer tolerate them, he is left with permanent muscle pain and other not good side effects. We just do the best we can but he is still unable to ride his bike over a year after stopping the statins, not good.

Anyway, keep us posted on your progress and I hope things improve for you soon, hubs has only had one biopsy, says he will never have another so you are very brave having had three but then you are a woman and we are made of sterner stuff

Ballerina x

Ha ha re the biopsy. I've only had 2 so far the first one was pretty uncomfortable the second one a asked for sedation and can't remember it at all so if I do have to have a third sedation it will be! The sedation that was used is very strange apparently I was conscious through out and talking but the drug prevents you forming short term memory so I don't remember it at all. About 10 years ago I had a serious illness and ended up on intensive care for 4 weeks and the drug was also used then, I have no recollection of the first 10 days on itu, which is disconcerting to say the least as again I was awake and communicating throughout. It's the same drug midazolam that's used in date rape and I can see why!
Good luck to hubby, I take statins also but thankfully they don't seem to upset me.

I've had dental work whilst 'under' on a Valium shot, awake so you can be communicated with but no memory afterwords. A wonderful twilight zone I would be happy to visit more often

Ballerina x