written by Margaret Helwirth, LPN

You might have felt for a while that something wasn’t right, or it came as a surprise but now it is official: You’ve been diagnosed with CKD, short for Chronic Kidney Disease.

After the initial shock, your next question might be, “What does this mean?” or “Is there something I can do?”

The short answer to the latter is: Yes. As for the first question, let’s start with some medical information before we get into the “what can I do” part.

The Main Causes of Chronic Kidney Disease:

• High Blood Pressure
• Diabetes

Followed by:

• Heart disease
• Obesity
• Family history of CKD
• Inherited kidney disorders
• Past damage to the kidneys
• Older age

Chronic Kidney Disease is a medical condition that cannot be cured. However, with treatment and the right lifestyle changes, you can help relieve symptoms, stay as healthy as possible, and slow down progression.

The 5 Stages of Chronic Kidney Disease:

• Stage 1: Early stage
• Stage 5: End stage

The determining factor in what stage you are in is a blood value called “GFR” (glomerular filtration rate). It shows how well your kidneys are functioning. The lower the number, the worse it is. As each one of us is different, it can take between two to five years to progress from one stage to the next. At stage 5, the next steps are dialysis and a kidney transplant.

Symptoms by Stage:

Stage 1 and 2: Often don’t get recognized as CKD with symptoms such as:

• High blood pressure
• Urinary tract infection
• Swelling in your hands and feet
• Blood and/or protein in your urine

Stage 3 and 4: Where you notice changes in your health:

• Feeling tired and weak
• Itchy and dry skin
• Lower back pain
• Muscle cramps
• Trouble sleeping
• Restless leg syndrome
• Urinating more or less often
• Urine that is foamy and darker than usual

Stage 5: Symptoms of Stage 1 to 4 plus:

• Less hungry than normal
• Little to no urine
• Changes in skin color
• Feeling sick to your stomach or throwing up

Lifestyle Changes:

Now that we gave you some medical background, let’s get into the lifestyle changes; the part where you can do your part!

• Manage your blood pressure
• Monitor your blood sugar levels
• Exercise regularly
• Eat a kidney-friendly diet
• Drink enough fluids (check with your health provider how much is recommended)
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Use caution when taking over-the-counter medications and supplements
• Limit or avoid alcohol
• No smoking

Reminder:

These are tools to slow down the progression of CKD, NOT a cure.

The above lists are comprehensive but not exhaustive, showing the most commonly known reasons, symptoms, and recommended changes. As always, talk to your health provider about what regular check-ups are needed and any lifestyle changes you are planning to make, so they can determine the best course of action for you.

We, the team at Vancouver Island Kidney Patients Association, are here to help you on this journey. Together we can make it!

Click the “Contact Us” tab to see how you can get in touch.