A high creatinine on a lab printout is a signal, not a sentence. At SRS Speciality Clinic in KK Nagar, Dr. R. Sakthi Rajan reads the number with your history, urine tests and scan before anyone talks about “kidney failure.” This article explains what creatinine means, when chronic kidney disease (CKD) is diagnosed, and how diet fits the plan.
What creatinine is telling you
Creatinine is a waste product from muscle. The kidneys filter it. A higher blood level can mean slower filtration — or a day of dehydration, a new painkiller, a blocked urine flow, or simply more muscle mass. One value without trend is not a diagnosis.
eGFR (estimated filtration rate) is calculated from creatinine, age and sex. Stages of CKD use eGFR plus urine protein, not creatinine alone.
When to see a nephrologist in KK Nagar
- Creatinine or eGFR worsening on repeat tests
- Protein or blood in urine
- Swelling, poorly controlled blood pressure, or diabetes with changing kidney numbers
- Anaemia, bone-mineral changes, or medicines that affect the kidney
Start on our nephrologist in KK Nagar page. Same-visit blood work is often possible through our lab.
How CKD is diagnosed
CKD means reduced kidney function or kidney damage lasting more than three months. The work-up usually includes:
- Repeat creatinine, eGFR, electrolytes and urine protein
- Blood pressure and sugar review
- Ultrasound of the kidneys and bladder when obstruction or size change is a concern
- Medicine list: painkillers, some antibiotics, contrast dyes
Biopsy is only for selected cases. Dialysis is not the first conversation for most people who walk in with a slightly high creatinine.
CKD diet: principles, not a copied chart
Diet depends on your stage, potassium, phosphate, fluid status and whether you have diabetes. A printout from the internet can be too strict — or not strict enough. Typical themes a nephrologist may discuss:
- Salt: most people with high blood pressure or swelling need less added salt
- Protein: enough to avoid wasting, not a body-building load, unless your doctor says otherwise
- Potassium and phosphate: only limited if your blood tests show they are high
- Fluids: restricted when there is swelling or dialysis; not automatically for everyone
- Diabetes and blood pressure medicines: often more important than any superfood
Patient PDFs on pregnancy and kidney diet are on our downloads page. They do not replace a personal plan.
What you can do before the visit
Bring all lab sheets (not only the last one), your medicine list, and blood-pressure readings if you have them. Do not stop prescribed medicines because a social-media list called them “kidney toxic” without asking.
This article is for information only and is not a substitute for personal medical advice.
