Diagnosed with CKD, have anxiety and I am worried

[Animal_Mum]

Hello. Before joining, I read a lot of goo posts that helped me already but of course I have slightly different worries and fears [a lot]. Reading up on the internet just makes them worse.

Everything there is negative and scary.

I think I always had a lower than healthy GFR [for years], around the 60 mark but the doctor and the nurses at my surgery made it seem so unimportant that it never occurred to me that this could be serious.

I suffer from anxiety [my whole life and I am on medication for it] and I have had hypochondria on and off, depending on my mental strength.

It took me two years recently to calm myself so much through meditation and hard work to actually be able to face problems with out a complete breakdown.

Last week, the nurse told me in more detail that I have CKD and my results were 58. She told me to exercise [not very possible as I have M.E - Chronic Fatigue Sydrome too] and all the other things about food etc.

When I got home I obviously looked it up online and was scared witless.

I do a lot of things that COULD make it worse [like smoking now and then - not often], drinking now and then [also not often at all], I like spicy food [rarely] etc. But I am not keen on giving those up as I do them rarely and they are most of my only pleasures. I know that the advice will be to stop all those things but despite my fears, I believe that moderation is the key, or life would be awfully dull. I eat relatively healthy [cook from scratch, not a lot of salt, sugar or fat] and I have my ideal weight [towards the slim side].

As far as I remember all my other data is normal, I don't have diabetes and my blood pressure is spot on.

Then I read about the possibility of being in more danger of getting heart problems or strokes [my biggest fears, my dad died of stroke and had a heart attack years before]. But nowhere does it tell you WHY, how does CKD lead to Heart attack and Stroke?

Is it because people with high blood pressure often develop CKD? or is it that CKD LEADS TO high blood pressure or is it that something else about CKD causes those things?????

They just throw it out there, without any explanations.

The stupid thing right now is that whilst I was quite calm, this has brought my anxiety out again big time, which I know is bad for the heart, which makes me feel scared even more. I can't win.

I love how many on here give down to earth advice, which is why I joined. I think it was quite irresponsible to give me bit of info and leave it at that, with me suffering from anxiety. But the nurse probably didn't know about my anxiety and I didn't think at the time to ask more questions as it was all so quickly. Plus that particular nurse never knows too much anyway [she's an asthma nurse and even there she often gives me wrong advice - she seems very scatter brained].

Sorry for writing such a long post. You can boil it down to the question:

What EXACTLY leads to heart attacks and strokes when you have CKD?

I will one day ask my GP but it takes weeks to get an appointment and I need to know now.

So a hearty [pun intended] "Hello" from me and I hope someone can put me at least a little bit at ease.

[Stevo99]

Kidneys get worse naturally as you age anyway, ckd isn't a disease as you think mostly it's part of the aging process and how well you look after yourself

How old are you?

Also medications can effect kidney function especially prolonged use

High blood pressure damages kindneys and if ignored will cause kidney problems

How it leads to a heart attack or stroke I'm assuming is because the blood isn't getting properly filterd and certain proteins and waste are not being removed from the blood as efficiently as it could be, I'm assuming this could add to a heart attack or stroke but don't be alarmed you have a reasonably good gfr some people have below 15 gfr and are relatively fine,

So not to worry

Best advise is keep active best you can and

Choose the health option as much as you can

Try to avoid salt and as for smoking ...well we all know that's never good for anyone

I know the Internet is the 1st place we all go for info but honestly it's the worse thing to do is to start reading the stories online most of them conflict each other and confuses you as you try to adapt what it's telling you to your personal circumstances

I wish you well

[nonie2147 in reply to Stevo99]

GREAT ADVICE! WILL TRY TO FOLLOW- COMPLETELY CHANGED MY DIET AND NOW DRINK GALLON WATER PER DAY. NEVER DRANK MUCH OF IT BEFORE.

[Bunkin]

I have PKD and high bp. Probably my kidneys lead to high bp so now I have to monitor it. My GFR is 15. At first, like you, reading everything on the internet scared me to death and when he put me on bp meds, I wouldn't take them. I have changed what I eat, exercise 30 minutes a day. Just got back from hiking in the mountains! So know that your GFR is way better than mine and after awhile once it sinks in, maybe you won't worry as much. I try not to. I feel great so I just go day by day!! Prayers for you, God can do anything!!!

[aadd4444]

Dear Friend, I have already mentioned that I think ,sometimes, psychological problems are more hazardous than physical problems. A fearless person dies only once, but, somebody who is always scared or frightened, dies many times in his or her life. Try to be strong and always think of joyful things. Of course, hypertension and diabetes will aggravate the health condition of someone who suffers from kidney problems. I don't want to make you sad by telling you to quit every thing, but, I just tell you to limit those things. Limit your protein, fat, sugar, salt, smoking etc. To answer your question, I think you should try and try not to have stress and try to always think of good things as well as observing or controlling your blood pressure and glucose or sugar. The last, but not the least is that I think you can not find in all the world a person who is relaxed, tranquil or composed completely. The majority of the people suffer from anxiety. Nobody knows what is going to happen an hour after. Any way, I pray for you to be always healthy and wish you a very happy and long life.

[nonie2147 in reply to aadd4444]

THANK YOU-NEEDED TO SEE THIS. AM 78, AND HAVE ALWAYS HAD ANXIETY/DEPRESSION. THIS NEW DX OF CKD3-HAS THROWN ME. CHANGED DIET, DRINK GALLON WATER---TRY NOT TO STRESS-TOO MUCH. NOT AWARE OF ANY OTHER MEDICAL PROBLEMS-BUM FRIGHTENED. PRAYING AND COUNTING ON GOD TO CARRY ME THROUGH THIS.

[Animal_Mum]

Thank you guys. I have so many more questions but for now you helped me already [a little bit].

[poppydolly]

Don't mean to be insensitive but have you ever thought you could worry yourself to death!. It is what it is and it's very easy for the "professionals" to say don't do this, that and the other but it's your life and you only get the one. I am now minus both kidneys and have recently survived two serious bouts of sepsis and I've come to believe that there's no point in worrying. It won't change anything and could make matters worse. Take care and in the words of the late Dave Allen "may YOUR God go with you".

[Animal_Mum in reply to poppydolly]

You know, it crossed my mind a couple of times...no seriously, my anxiety is not under my control. I had it since early childhood and is mostly down to an inherited chemical imbalance.

I am 49 and have done everything you can think of to fight it. Unless it is medicated it is akin to standing under an oncoming tsunami with an umbrella. How are you supposed to fight that? I have tried to talk to my adrenal glands and rain but they just won't listen to reason.

Thanks for the reply but it isn't helping very much to tell me I can worry myself to death as this is exactly what I am aware [and worried] about.

If I could help it in any way I would. I even went to university and got my BSc [hons] in Neuroscience in order to find out what exactly I can do and what the underlying mechanics for anxiety are. You know what? Nothing that I haven't tried already.

When I saw councellors, they believe it is all in my head and patronise me by making me go through CBT, which is trying to teach someone to steer a car that is missing a steering wheel.

I appreciate that you answered but I'd also like to say that your kind of advice isn't making me feel better at all...au contraire, au contraire...

[nonie2147 in reply to Animal_Mum]

I AM 78, AND HAVE BEEN LIVING WITH ANXIETY-DEPRESSION ALL MY LIFE, SO BELIEVE ME----I UNDERSTAND. VERY LITTLE ANYONE CAN SAY-HELPS. MEDICATION KEEPS IT UNDER CONTROL- BUT IT IS ALWAYS THERE. YES- A CHEMICAL IMBALANCE. WITHOUT THE MEDS, I AM A MESS- AND DRIVE MY FAMILY CRAZY. THE TINIEST THING CAN THROW ME- AND CKD=====PUT ME RIGHT OVER THE EDGE-HAD STOPPED MEDS. AM BACK ON THEM, NOW- AND AM HANDLING CKD BETTER-A LITTLE. GOOD LUCK AND GOD BLESS. ONLY ONE WHO UNDERSTANDS AND WILL HELP.

[aadd4444 in reply to Animal_Mum]

Dear One, I, sincerely, pray for you to be recovered as soon as possible. I just can tell you that there is no one in this world who is totally calm, tranquil and composed. Anxiety is something that all the people suffer from it. I wish you a very healthy and happy life.

[nonie2147 in reply to Animal_Mum]

STRESS,ANXIETY, DEPRESSION- I RELATE VERY WELL. HAD STOP MY DEPRESSION MEDS. FOUND I HAD CKD3 AND HAD A TOTAL MELTDOWN. BEEN THIS WAY ALL MY LIFE-AM 78. BACK ON ANTI DEPRESSANTS, GOING TO PHYSICAL THERAPY-AND STRESS MANAGEMENT. ON TRANQUILIZERS AND PAIN MEDS FOR SPINAL FRACTURES. THE CKD WAS THE LAST STRAW. EVEN WITH MEDS, I AM ALWAYS ON EDGE--- AM TRYING-ONLY GOD CAN HELP. I UNDERSTAND HOW YOU FEEL-NO ONE CAN TALK US DOWN FROM FEELING THIS WAY. WE ARE WHO WE ARE. TRUSTING GOD-ONLY ONE WHO CAN TALK US DOWN AND LIFT US UP. GOD BLESS