Could I have CKD? I'm cinfused and worried now because of symptoms

[Hellion46]

I'm a 46 yr old female with hypertention for 15 plus years I'm over weight a smoker and high risk for heart disease kidney disease and stroke. My Doctor only mentioned 6 mos ago that we should test my kidney function. I've had symptoms of frequent urination night sweats trouble sleeping because I wake almost every hour to urinate. I am sick most mornings with vomiting bile. I've had edema and swelling off and on for years. I'm tired all the time I just don't feel myself. I had no idea about what CKD until a few days ago. I checked my lab work and my GFR level was 63 6mos ago I'm confused as to why I am having these symptoms when they say you don't have symptoms until much later. Could my levels have dropped? I haven't even had a urine test or confirmation of even having CKD any information or advise would be greatly appreciated. This is mind blowing

[Hidden]

Hi,

There is a lot you can do if you are motivated enough. While there is no cure for CKD. There are things to do to slow down the progression. I've listed some of them here for you to think about.

Since you said you smoke. Stop. It's not good for you on many levels. If you drink alcohol, slow way down or stop completely if you can.

Speak to your doctors and begin a weight loss program to help you get to a healthy weight. Part of this should include kidney-friendly meals. You can find many good recipes on davita.com that will help you. A referral to a Renal Dietitian will be a great help for you to develop a meal plan with that goal in mind. If you obtain a referral, bring your las years worth of lab tests with you and let the RD look over areas when you need to cut back on like protein, phosphorous, potassium, calcium, and sodium.

Putting together a Care Team of professionals to provide you with the advice and information you need to make an intelligent, informed decision. Remember that we are talking about your health and you must be proactive. If you have a doctor who is unwilling to be supportive in this, find a different doctor. Based on some of the complaints you listed, your CT should include at least the following: Primary Care Physician, Nephrologist, Urologist, Gastroenterologist, Cardiologist and a Renal Dietitian.

Has your PCP asked you about seeing a specialist, like a vascular surgeon? You mentioned that you have edema and they can do a vein mapping or pressure tests on the limbs affected. If the edema is on your legs, do you wear compression stockings? These can help until a more permanent solution is made.

Stop drinking any liquids at least an hour before bedtime to help avoid waking up too many times during the night to urinate. After dinner, avoid drinking any stimulants. Stick to water.

I also suggest you use drugs.com to check on your medications to see if you are taking any that are actually counter-productive to one health issue while helping you with another. Look specifically for interactions. Sometimes it's not the medicine but the dosage.

There are other things for you to consider but I don't want to overwhelm you right off. Come back often and share and/or ask questions. Many here at KD will be happy to share ideas and listen to you.

[Hellion46 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you so much for replying. I definitely will be talking to my Doctor on Friday about the things you have mentioned. I sure wish I had known about CKD sooner. It's nice to know I have some one to talk.. thank you again

[Zazzel]

Hi there, I'm sorry you are going through all this. Your symptoms could be a mix of issues. You are at that perimenopausal age when hormones go crazy which could be the cause the night sweats and trouble sleeping. You may want To add a gynecologist trip to Mr K list below. Ovarian cysts can cause stomach pain and are common for people in your age group. I just went through months of that. I felt sick a lot.

The edema is certainly a symptom of kidney issues. I had symptoms for several years before being diagnosed with kidney disease, so that rule about no symptoms is generalized. There are others on here who has symptoms as well. I had itchy palms that drove me crazy. When I changed my diet and started living a more kidney friendly lifestyle the symptoms went away for the most part. Occassionally I still have flares.

Mr K gave some great advice below. Sounds like it would be wise to go to a gastroentologist to get your stomach issues worked out. As we get older, everything in our body starts functioning differently than it used to. Think of it like a car. You can abuse a brand new car, but after awhile, if you don't get regular checkups, it starts to malfunction. Same with us.

If none of that solves anything, consider that you might have food allergies or intolerances causing the stomach issues. I would get sick on a regular basis until I got those under control.

It's a challenge to figure out since we are all so different, but keep pushing for answers. It took several years of testing before I got my answers.

Good luck!

[Hidden in reply to Zazzel]

Ooops! Didn't know about the Ovarian Cysts.

[Zazzel in reply to Hidden]

I din't either until I got them myself. Our bodies can freak out in so many ways. Even though we all sometimes get frustrated with our doctors, I sure am glad they are there to help us figure this stuff out and for all the amazingly intelligent people who created tests and machines etc to help figure out what is wrong with us.