Stage 5

Stage 5 Kidney Disease

When you reach stage 5, your eGFR drops below 15, and you will either be very close to kidney failure or already experiencing it. You could have trouble breathing and sleeping, and you might also find that you have a loss of appetite. You could also suffer from muscle cramps and itching—all common symptoms of advanced kidney disease.

At this stage, the only treatment options for survival are to start dialysis or to receive a kidney transplant. That’s why it’s important to begin discussing treatments before stage 5 begins, so that you can have a safe option designated before your condition becomes an emergency.