Covid X Kidneys : So yeah, it's day 48 for us. My... - ICUsteps

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Covid X Kidneys

Marcita profile image
24 Replies

So yeah, it's day 48 for us. My mom is struggling a lot with delirium, muscle wastage and some bedsores on her back.

My concern now is her kidneys which are not working properly and she is having dialysis from time to time. Doctors told us they have no ideia if that will be a permanent condition.

What do your doctors tell you about covid and kidney failure?

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Marcita profile image
Marcita
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24 Replies
Malletus profile image
Malletus

Hi Marcita

Sorry to hear this about your mom’s continuing difficulties, I’ve been following your posts on here. My hubby is on day 45 in Covid ICU. He also has acute kidney failure although now he is starting to produce small amounts of urine himself but the docs tell me it is not “good quality” urine so he still needs to be on the kidney machine from time to time when the toxins build up. One of his consultants told me they do not know whether or when the kidneys will recover, another told me that kidneys can recover from acute kidney failure, which is what our loved ones have. So quite mixed messages! I am thinking of asking to speak to the nephrologist at the hospital to get clearer information but I guess they just don’t know?!

Marcita profile image
Marcita in reply toMalletus

Mom has a nephrologist team watching her but they really have no answers. She does pass a good amount of urine which is great and spent some days without dialysis but 2 days ago she had to have a session.

I remember a doctor said that her urea and creatinine levels were high. They get her levels to a normal range and then they go high again.

Mccarthy0702 profile image
Mccarthy0702 in reply toMalletus

My dad was 6 weeks on and off the kidney dialysis while having this covid . He would only ever have a day off and then end up back , Doctor always saying he was producing urine but not good quality .

Then last Friday his kidneys somehow just started recovery and not needing the machine .

Try not to worry to much as a doctor said to me when they are critical it’s the kidneys which are the last to repair.

Malletus profile image
Malletus in reply toMccarthy0702

Hey thanks Mccarthy0702, this is good to know! I heard that about kidneys being last to repair in ICU, but it’s great to know that this actually happened for your Dad. How’s he doing now?

Mccarthy0702 profile image
Mccarthy0702 in reply toMalletus

My dad is day 46 in ICU now still ventilator dependent , but now stable enough to have started the weaning off.

Physically getting a little better every day but suffering with this ICU delirium which is upsetting. He is communicating with us nodding head ect but frustrated he can’t talk with the tracheotomy.

Taking each day as it come and it’ definitely a long journey. My dad was a fit and healthy 65 year old I never thought a virus could be so utterly devastating when you look at him 😢

Just got to try to remain positive as he has come along way . Xx

Rgsable profile image
Rgsable

The same thing that they have told you. They've told me. They wouldn't know now but I've read a lot of the icu patients somewhere and they didn't need the dialysis permanently.

Malletus profile image
Malletus in reply toRgsable

I guess we just have to be patient. It’s such a long journey, there’s always another thing to worry about!

Sepsur profile image
Sepsur

I had dialysis for 7 wks - my kidneys are fine now & Ive had chemo & immunotherapy since both put pressure on kidneys. In fact Ive shifted from being high risk for Tumor lysis syndrome to extremely low risk thanks to my renal function.

There does appear to be a greater percentage of kidney issues - but don’t overlook the possibility of the medication used to fight the virus can cause issue ( it did with me). I have not need any help with my kidneys since ICU if that is a comfort.

Marcita profile image
Marcita in reply toSepsur

It definitely is. Thank you. Hope mom's kidneys get fine soon!

Marcita profile image
Marcita in reply toSepsur

Can you help me find the link for nutritional information of an ICU patient? I'm sure I've seen it somewhere. Thank you.

Rhyl1 profile image
Rhyl1PartnerModeratorICUsteps in reply toMarcita

There’s nutritional information on the ICUsteps website icusteps.org/assets/files/i...

BBDEBS profile image
BBDEBS

No knowledge about covid, but for me, my consultant told me kidneys are the laziest in the body and first to go on holiday when the body goes into multiple organ failure.

However, they can also be kick started back up. I was on and off dialysis for 5 weeks, and a low potassium diet when I went home. My consultant discharged me from her clinic 4 years ago yesterday after coma 13th feb 2016.

They can and do often come back into line, the need a helping hand x lazy little kidneys x

Marcita profile image
Marcita in reply toBBDEBS

I like the way you put it hehehe.

Thank you so much ⚘

Grant_za profile image
Grant_za

Those bedsores, they should not be happening in a hospital environment. You need to speak to management about that. Your mom should be on a nimbus mattress, or some other brand of alternating pressure mattress. That with turning every 3 hrs or so - not major turning, but just enough to change pressure on her body. Pressure sores can lead to infection very very quickly and very expensive to treat using negative pressure wound therapy. The hospital must take full responsibility and commit to covering all related expenses. Pressure ulcers in a hospital environment is a direct result of negligent nursing.

Marcita profile image
Marcita in reply toGrant_za

Unfortunately I live in Brazil and at this moment our health system is collapsing (thanks Mr. Useless President) 😔

Doctors are just trying to keep people alive and breathing . My mom was lucky enough to get a bed at the ICU because at this point they are already choosing who can get a ventilator or not and the young people are the priority. I can't really complain. It's a public hospital and they don't have much people or much resources to avoid such incidents right now... Trust me compared to others my mom had a great assistance. Except for the bedsores they took a great care of her...

Grant_za profile image
Grant_za in reply toMarcita

It's terrible when politicians allow a health care system to fall apart. We see the same in South Africa.

Perhaps ask a nurse if the hospital has alternating pressure mattresses - they probably do. Or even offer to assist a nurse to turn your mother, just a little bit to get pressure off the existing sores.

Mguzman1 profile image
Mguzman1 in reply toMarcita

Hi Marcita how’s your mom and the baby coming along? We buried my mom on Wednesday that was a nightmare. Hi hope all is well with you and your mom. Take care of yourself and the baby. Best wishes

Mguzman1 profile image
Mguzman1 in reply toMguzman1

Our lives will never be the same again.

Dabofoppo profile image
Dabofoppo

I have worked with a few covid patients recently in a hospice all of them required dialysis covid definitely effects the kidneys of the 3 that have left the hospice none of them have required any further dialysis.

Marcita profile image
Marcita in reply toDabofoppo

That makes me very happy!

Avaco profile image
Avaco

Hello every one,

Just would like to know if your loved one is on vent support or got an procedure of tracheostomy.

My mom is on dah 40th and on ventilator support very hard to see her going tube from mouth please let me know if any one else also facing the same issue.Please guide me.

Thanks

DrARDS profile image
DrARDS

Hope your Mum is doing better Marcita! Stay strong for her. Day by day she’ll get there. 🤞🏾🙏🏽

Marcita profile image
Marcita in reply toDrARDS

Thanks for asking. She's doing better. She's fully awake and fully conscious and her voice tone is getting higher each day. Also eating soft food (a lot, she has a great appetite) and getting tons of fluids and passing a great amount of urine.

Unfortunately she has developed some bedsores which don't look nice at all but she's in her way to full recover... she can't move much also but she's trying hard.

She had previous issues like prediabetes and hypertension but we are keeping an eye on that also.

Marcita profile image
Marcita

Update: after being released from the school my mom's kidney didn't require dyalisis anymore!

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