Breathing

[Avenger]

Is shortness of breath part of this?.

[Bassetmommer NKF Ambassador]

Hi Avenger,

When I was first diagnosed with stage 4, I had terrible shortness of breath. I was anemic. Got my iron back up and I was fine. Talk to your doctor and have them check you blood levels for ferritin and or hemoglobin. For me it was an easy fix to take OTC iron tablets. But talk to the doc first.

labtestsonline.org/tests/ir...

[orangecity41 NKF Ambassador in reply to Bassetmommer]

I am dealing with anemia also. Trying vegetarian iron pills. Doctor is not much help.

[lowraind]

I had experienced shortness of breath for about a year before I was diagnosed.

[Sammi_n_Munk]

Hi Avenger. Yeah. I had been experiencing the same thing. It seems that shortness of breath comes with the CKD territory. And much like Bassetmommer, I was also severely anemic. By the time I made it to the hospital (due to some other issues going on as well at that time), my hemoglobin was at 60! I wasn’t familiar with the numbering system back then, but one doctor had informed me that I had probably a week, or a week and a half left before my heart would’ve stopped. It certainly was an eye opening time, I can tell you that. According to what they told me then, my kidneys had been, what they called, “spilling”, and I had lost many nutrients because my case was so advanced, which led to dangerously low hemoglobin levels.

Don’t wait on this. Do your best to follow Bassetmommer’s advice. As she said, it’s an easy fix. Try not to allow this to advance to an ugly stage, as I did. Trust me, you don’t want to be there. Most of what you’re experiencing now should subside with the proper attention, ie diet, exercise, etc. Speak to your doctor, express your concerns, they should lead down the right path.

All the best to you, dear, and take good care. God bless. 😊👍

[rabbit01]

Yes. CKD made my haemoglobin low so I got out of breath quickly. EPO injections every two weeks help.

[AndrewT]

Dear Avenger,

Get, your Doctors, to check you IRON levels. These can be low, leading to low Haemoglobin, 'Top Up' the iron- maybe give some EPOtin- and you Should be 'Good To Go'...Notwithstanding any other complications.

As someone who has had a Transplant, back in July 2013, I know that you feel, well basically like S**T but don't want to admit it! The prospect, of Dialysis, IS looming large....

Stupidly enough, despite loosing a LOT of 'Free Time', you will probably actually feel Better, once Dialysis starts.

Please DO let me know, if I can help you further.

AndrewT