Appropriate treatment and management in the early stages of partial kidney failure may slow or even stop the usual progress to complete failure (end-stage renal failure or ESRF).

When your kidneys start to fail waste products and extra fluid will accumulate in your blood. A measurement of the amount of creatinine, one of these waste products, clearly indicates the extent of kidney failure.

By carefully managing your diet you can minimize the accumulation of waste products and extra fluids in your blood, and thus help your kidneys. By paying attention to what you drink you can do some of the work that healthy kidneys do in maintaining the right fluid balance in your body. A dietitian will advise you on changes you may need to make to your diet and fluid intake.

Diabetes and high blood pressure are conditions that can lead to kidney failure but are readily treated. If the kidneys continue to fail, side effects such as anemia and renal bone disease may develop.

When kidney failure is due to nephritis the need for dialysis can sometimes be delayed. This is because some types of nephritis are caused by the body’s immune system attacking the kidneys – medicines such as steroids, which make the immune system less effective, can sometimes help to delay or even stop the damage.

Early stage kidney failure may last several years for some patients, while for others it may only last a few weeks. This will depend on the cause of your kidney failure, how much kidney function you have left when you are diagnosed, and how well you respond to the medication and dietary changes recommended by your renal unit. During this period of monitoring or predialysis, your kidney function will be determined by regular blood and urine tests.