I had open heart surgery August 2025. While in surgery kidneys failed. Stage 4 CKD. Got better and off dialysis. My eGFR level went from a 1 to a 26. Then I have been dropping 2 points for the past two months and now at 22. Im scared cause its getting worse. Is this normal? Help
Hi Dana, Although my own conditions are not as serious as your own I did get stuck with the thoughts of "I'm heading one way" which wasn't in the direction I wanted.
I was all consumed with the health I had lost, and with the things I can no longer do and was looking at a bleak future.
I'm 46, Stage 3A and also my arteries are so thick with plaque, that the Dr compared them to a 80 year old smoker.
I've never smoked, and have always prided myself on my "good health".
However, since I found this Forum, I have learned to find peace of mind, thanks to the invaluable source info, advice, support and understanding of the people and the Team.
I've learned to appreciate the things I can do, whilst I can still do them.
I agree with the prior response from the team that your Kidneys are fighting for you to have jumped from 1-26. You got hit with a curve ball and still smashed it out of the ground, so try to be impressed with yourself.
That tells me that you are doing something right and its now about maintaining the higher end of those numbers.
We will face death at some stage, and it seems you have already come close, but You, Me, and Everyone here aren't dead yet, so lets not wait for it, lets live the life we have left.
Fck Waiting on Death, Let Death Wait for us.
Amen because without God I am nothing. It's just the devil putting bad thoughts in my head. Thank you for your reply.
Hi. My name is Sandy/65. For the past 3 years my efgr gas been declining. I am now at 14. Different nephrologist have told me different this. When I was a 16 I was told dialysis at 14. When I was 14 I was told when I get to a 10 dialysis. At one time I was really stressed, worrying bout dialysis. I finally decided that I was not going to be on "death row" worrying. So now I'm mostly stress-free and trying to be content for what-ever time I've got left. My motto is "I've got God, and God got me. Amen! Hallelujah!
I’m praying for you that you get the help you need and you heal
First, take a breath. What you've been through is incredibly hard, and it makes complete sense that you're scared. The fact that your eGFR climbed from 1 to 26 after surgery is actually remarkable — that's a sign your kidneys have real fight in them.
A small drop after that kind of recovery can happen, but a consistent Show Full Answer