So I learned Thursday that my blood work showed kidney damage. My primary care doctor noted on my chart that I am stage 3b of kidney disease. Stage 5 means I need dialysis or a kidney transplant to stay alive.

My doctor said it was caused by my arthritis medication (diclofenac) that I’ve taken for over a decade.

Taking diclofenac is what has helped me be relatively pain-free all these years. I actually cried when she told me I needed to stop it.

I have discontinued using it and now am taking gabapentin 3 times a day. Plus I have some patches to put on my lower back to ease the pain when I cook, clean or try to do yard work or go for a walk. This is day 2 of taking the new medication and I feel pretty good.

I have to go back to my primary care doctor in 3 months to recheck my kidney function. Praying there’s some improvement.

Getting old sucks.