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Draft: not yet reviewed by a clinician

Use this page to prepare questions for your care team. It does not replace their advice. Your own targets and doses come from your nephrologist, diabetes team and renal dietitian.

Questions to ask your care team

In short

Short visits go further when you bring written questions. Pick the three that matter most to you today, write the answers down, and bring a family member or friend if you can. KDIGO says education works best when care partners are included (KDIGO 2024, practice point 5.3.2), and the US Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has a free question builder for any visit (AHRQ). Each handbook page also ends with its own "Ask your care team" list.

How to use this list

  1. Print this page, or copy your top three questions into your phone.
  2. Tick the box when a question is answered, and write the answer next to it.
  3. Before you leave, say the plan back in your own words ("So I will…") to check you have it right.
  4. Ask for anything important in writing, especially sick-day rules and medicine changes.
  5. Bring your medicine list, your home blood pressure and weight readings, your CGM report and the app's summary (Reports for your team).

About my kidneys and my tests

  • What are my latest eGFR and UACR, and which G and A categories are they? (CKD stages)
  • Is my kidney disease from diabetes, or should we look for another cause?
  • What is my 2-year and 5-year risk of kidney failure (KFRE)? (KDIGO 2024, recommendation 2.2.1)
  • How often will you check my eGFR, UACR, potassium and blood count?
  • Was my last change more than normal variation? What might explain it?
  • Who else should be on my team: a renal dietitian, a diabetes educator, a pharmacist, a social worker? (KDIGO 2024, practice point 5.3.1)

About my medicines

  • Which of my medicines protect my kidneys and my heart, and what does each one do?
  • Should I be on an ACE inhibitor or ARB, finerenone, or a statin? (Type 1 diabetes and your kidneys)
  • Do any of my medicines need a different dose at my eGFR? (KDIGO 2024, practice point 4.2.1)
  • Which over-the-counter medicines, supplements and herbal remedies should I avoid? (KDIGO 2024, practice point 4.1.3; Medicines to avoid)
  • Which medicines do I pause when I am sick, and exactly when do I restart them? Will you write it down? (KDIGO 2024, practice point 4.3.2)
  • If I might become pregnant, which of my medicines are safe? (KDIGO 2024, practice point 4.1.4)

About food and fluid

  • Do I need to limit potassium, phosphorus, sodium, protein or fluid right now? What are my numbers? (Eating well)
  • Can you refer me to a renal dietitian?
  • Which foods for treating a low fit my diet best? (Treating a low)
  • Will you check the targets in my app and change any that are wrong for me? (Targets and warnings)

About type 1 diabetes

  • What A1c or time-in-range goal is safe for me now? (KDIGO 2022, recommendation 2.2.1)
  • Is my A1c still reliable at my stage, or should we use my CGM report? (KDIGO 2022, practice point 2.1.2)
  • Are my lows changing as my kidneys change? Should my insulin plan be reviewed?
  • When should I check ketones, and which number means I call you or go to the emergency room? (Sick days)
  • Is my glucagon in date, and has my family been shown how to use it?

About blood pressure and my heart

  • What blood pressure goal is right for me? Should I check it at home, and how?
  • Is my cholesterol treated? Should I take a statin?
  • What activity is safe for me? (Exercise)

When kidney function is falling (G4–G5)

  • When should I start learning about dialysis, a transplant and care without dialysis? (KDIGO 2024, practice points 2.2.2–2.2.3; Choosing a treatment)
  • Can I join kidney disease education classes? Medicare covers up to 6 sessions at stage 4 (Medicare).
  • Can I be referred for a transplant evaluation before I need dialysis? (KDIGO 2024, practice point 5.4.3; Transplant referral)
  • Should I protect the veins in one arm for a future fistula? (Dialysis access)
  • Is home dialysis possible for me?

On dialysis

  • What is my dry weight, and how much can I safely gain between sessions?
  • Are my dialysis numbers (adequacy, potassium, phosphate, albumin) where they should be? (Dialysis adequacy)
  • How should my insulin and meals change on dialysis days? (Insulin and dialysis)
  • Who do I call out of hours, and what happens if I miss a session?

After a transplant

  • Which signs mean I call the transplant center right away?
  • How will my anti-rejection medicines affect my glucose?
  • Which foods and vaccines should I avoid now?

Before any scan, surgery or new medicine

  • Does this scan use contrast dye? Have you seen my latest eGFR? (Scans and contrast; ACR–NKF consensus)
  • Should I pause any medicine before the procedure, and when do I restart it? (KDIGO 2024, practice point 4.3.3)
  • Is this new medicine safe at my eGFR, and does it affect my potassium or glucose?

For family and caregivers

  • Can I come to the education sessions? (KDIGO 2024, practice point 5.3.2)
  • What should I do if they have a severe low? Where is the glucagon?
  • What are the warning signs for this stage, and who do I call? (Get help now)
  • Where can I get support for myself? (Caregivers)

Getting the most from appointments · Your medicine list · Wallet cards · Managing CKD (NIDDK).

Sources

Not yet reviewed by a clinician. Facts and sources last checked 2026-10-06.