Even though I don't wish to jump to any conclusions, I feel it's important to know the signs of Kidney Disease, being that it is far more prevalent than I had ever imagined.
10
Symptoms of Kidney Disease
Many
people who have chronic kidney disease don't know it, because the early signs
can be very subtle. It can take many years to go from chronic kidney disease
(CKD) to kidney failure. Some people with CKD live out their lives without ever
reaching kidney failure.
However,
for people at any stage of kidney disease, knowledge is power. Knowing the
symptoms of kidney disease can help you get the treatment you need to feel your
best. If you or someone you know has one or more of the following symptoms of
kidney disease, or you are worried about kidney problems, see a doctor for
blood and urine tests. Remember, many of the symptoms can be due to reasons
other than kidney disease. The only way to know the cause of your symptoms is
to see your doctor.
Symptom 1: Changes in Urination
Kidneys make urine, so when the kidneys are failing, the urine may change. How?
* You may have to get up at night to urinate.
* Urine may be foamy or bubbly. You may urinate more often, or in greater amounts than usual, with pale urine.
* You may urinate less often, or in smaller amounts than usual with dark colored urine.
* Your urine may contain blood.
* You may feel pressure or have difficulty urinating.
Symptom
2: Swelling
Failing
kidneys don't remove extra fluid, which builds up in your body causing swelling
in the legs, ankles, feet, face, and/or hands.
Symptom
3: Fatigue
Healthy
kidneys make a hormone called erythropoietin (a-rith'-ro-po'-uh-tin) that tells
your body to make oxygen-carrying red blood cells. As the kidneys fail, they
make less erythropoietin. With fewer red blood cells to carry oxygen, your
muscles and brain become tired very quickly. This condition is called anemia,
and it can be treated.
Symptom
4: Skin Rash/Itching
Kidneys
remove wastes from the bloodstream. When the kidneys fail, the buildup of
wastes in your blood can cause severe itching.
Symptom
5: Metallic Taste in Mouth/Ammonia Breath
A buildup
of wastes in the blood (called uremia) can make food taste different and cause
bad breath. You may also notice that you stop liking to eat meat, or that you
are losing weight because you just don't feel like eating.
Symptom
6: Nausea and Vomiting
A severe
buildup of wastes in the blood (uremia) can also cause nausea and vomiting.
Loss of appetite can lead to weight loss.
Symptom 7: Shortness of Breath
Trouble catching your breath can be related to the kidneys in two ways. First, extra fluid in the body can build up in the lungs. And second, anemia (a shortage of oxygen-carrying red blood cells) can leave your body oxygen-starved and short of breath.
Symptom 8: Feeling Cold
Anemia can make you feel cold all the time, even in a warm room.
Symptom 9: Dizziness and Trouble Concentrating
Anemia related to kidney failure means that your brain is not getting enough oxygen. This can lead to memory problems, trouble with concentration, and dizziness.
Symptom 10: Leg/Flank Pain
Some people with kidney problems may have pain in the back or side related to the affected kidney. Polycystic kidney disease, which causes large, fluid-filled cysts on the kidneys and sometimes the liver, can cause pain.
Of course, almost every single one of these symptoms is masked by my MS, making it impossible to differentiate between what I have become accustomed to and possible kidney problems. So to this I say STUPID, FUCKING MS!!!!!
Take, for example, fatigue. Hmm, people who have MS usually feel quite fatigued. Then there's the "skin itching" symptom. I've had this symptom with my MS for many years, so there is no way I could have associated it to kidney problems. Food tasting different, well yes, I've noticed this but I also started a few new medications this year and I assumed this was why my taste buds were slightly out of whack. I like the "dizziness and trouble concentrating" one most of all. Hello, I have MS! These things are a way of life for me! Thank goodness for Meclizine, or I would be flat on my face because of my severe chronic vertigo. As for trouble concentrating, all I can say is DUH! It goes hand-in-hand with having MS.
Alright, I won't jump to any conclusions just yet, but I feel I may be headed towards more severe health problems if I don't get my butt into gear. I plan on going to the lab tomorrow to have my fasting blood draw so I can get these tests under way. I won't even attempt to hide that I am concerned that kidney problems may be in my own personal future, but I guess if I have to learn to handle this, I will.
