GFR has been between 44-59 for 14 years - trying to figure out if I should be concerned.

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My GFR has been between 44 and 59 for 14 years with periods of high creatinine and occasional blood and crystals in urine. The majority of the GFR numbers are 55 or below. The doctor isn't concerned about it because it's stable at these levels. I'm a white female - 56. I am not freaking out about it but I have a nagging doubt in my head that something's not right. Has anyone else had numbers for that long that were nothing and the low GFR numbers were just the way their bodies worked?

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    You are missing your Protein/Creatinine Ratio (urine) which is a very important number, but otherwise your doctor's advise appears to be based on standard operating procedure (SOP). I would suggest you look at the National Kidney Foundation eGFR Calculator webpage if you wish more info. There is a lot of information there and it will provide much more about your kidneys. I guessed at some data and ran the GFR calculator and your doctor appears to be doing what is recommended. You have more data and can refine this calculation. You have to remember GFR is one-size-fits-all medical construct taken to an extreme. Age is a major component but everybody doesn't age the same, creatinine values do not reflect heavily muscled people, the use of race has its problems, etc. GFR is mainly used to monitor. There are a bunch of other calculators, mostly for doctors, but they are the interesting ones. Maybe playing with these calculators would help allay your concerns.

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