Newly diagnosed
Questions to Ask Your Nephrologist
This article is general information. Your nephrologist or renal dietitian knows your lab results and can tell you what is right for you.
A nephrologist is a doctor who specializes in the kidneys. Visits can feel short and the information can feel like a lot, so it helps many people to walk in with a plan. The National Kidney Foundation (NKF) publishes guides for these visits, and this article gathers their ideas in a way that follows the flow of a real appointment. It is general information. Your own doctor knows your situation and decides what matters for you.
Getting ready
A little preparation makes the visit easier. The NKF suggests phoning the office beforehand to ask what to expect: the kind of exam, whether a urine sample will be needed and how to dress. It also encourages you to bring a relative or friend, who can listen and take notes, and to arrive about 15 minutes early.
Things the NKF suggests having with you are:
- Your story: your symptoms and how long each has been there, your medical history and any surgeries.
- Your care team: the names and contact details of your doctors, and your insurance cards.
- Your medicines: a current list of everything you take.
- Your results: lab reports from other places, plus recent home blood pressure and weight readings. Bringing your own blood pressure cuff lets the office compare it with theirs.
- Your questions: a notebook where you have written down what worries you.
Understanding where you are
These questions help you picture the starting point. You might ask why you were referred, what is behind your kidney problem, what your eGFR is and which stage it points to, and how quickly your kidney function is changing. If the terms are new, What Is eGFR? and Kidney Function Tests can help you follow along.
Protecting your kidneys
The NKF suggests asking what can slow, delay or even reverse the decline, and how you can prevent further damage. Useful follow-ups are how to manage your other risk factors, whether any of your medicines should be avoided or reduced (including over-the-counter ones), and which symptoms deserve attention. People in the earlier stages are also encouraged to ask whether other health complications are a concern for them.
Everyday life
Questions about daily habits come up in almost every visit. You can ask whether you need to change what you eat, whether protein, sodium or potassium should be limited in your case, and whether a kidney dietitian would be a good idea. You can also ask about other lifestyle changes, such as activity or sleep. Our overview Kidney-Friendly Eating Basics explains the main terms first.
Looking ahead
For people in the later stages, the NKF suggests asking about the treatment options for kidney failure and how to learn about each one, including the side effects. Examples it mentions are home hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis and how to start the process toward a kidney transplant. It also suggests asking how your kidney function will be monitored from now on, and what your other health conditions mean in this picture.
Support and who to call
Do not leave without knowing whom to contact if a new problem or question comes up, and which symptoms should be reported right away. The NKF also suggests asking what resources exist for you and your family.
If you do not have kidney disease but are concerned
For people with risk factors but no diagnosis, the NKF suggests asking which tests will follow kidney function, how often to be checked, what early warning signs to know about, whether any medicines could affect the kidneys, and whether seeing a nephrologist makes sense.
Making the most of the visit
Write the answers down, or ask your companion to. If something is not clear, it is fine to ask the doctor to explain it in plain words.
Related reading
Sources
- National Kidney Foundation: Managing Kidney Disease at Every Stage: Questions to Ask Your Doctor
- National Kidney Foundation: Your First Visit with a Kidney Doctor
What is the one question you wish you had asked sooner?
You are not alone with this. Tell us in the group, where people share what works for them and cheer each other on.
Join the group See the books