CKD and covid 19

I have mild CKD and wondered if that makes me a higher risk with covid 19

[HealthBuddyMelissa]

I would say yes but you need to discuss with your doctor on how to keep your kidneys functioning well should you get ill.

[Hidden in reply to HealthBuddyMelissa]

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[Hidden]

Please check with your own doctor as we are all different would be my advice as I too have CKD x

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

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[Hidden]

You might like to read up the effects of low vitamin D, which is part of CKD impairment and important to the function of the body.

[RickHow]

If you mean are you at higher risk to catch the "flu". NO. The virus doesn't know if you are CKD or not. It is on surfaces, or from contact with another, etc. You touch a surface with the virus, have CKD or not, you are likely to get the "flu". Now your treatment may be a bit different since you can't have Nsaids, etc. The exception to all this are those that are receiving dialysis.

[Hidden]

Simply being CKD means your immune system is lowered. IE, less vitamin D being produced by the diseased kidneys affects a considerable amount of the body's functions, including the immune system.

This does not pose any greater risk to us than anyone else, but it does leave us more vulnerable.

As I understand it there are two phases.

1 Flu like symptoms

2 Pneumonia

Phase 2 affecting the population with lowered immune systems. Usually the elderly. But also anyone with a lowered immune system.

How badly is the immune system compromised is the real question. I guess the amount of vitamin D in the system would be a guide to the answer for this.

There is no need to panic and there is certainly no reason to be smug about it either.

Take all reasonable precautions regardless, it is in everybody's interest that we do.