How do I deal with hair falling out and short hairs sticking out all over, insomnia, fatigue, no joy of food or drink. I am miserable.

[KGsrKGsr]

So many symptoms

[Bassetmommer NKF Ambassador]

Dearest KGsr,Joy is an emotion that you can choose just like being miserable. Its all about your mindset. I get it you're upset and frightened and are having some really nasty side effects. Let's talk about them.

Your hair is falling out. I am not a doctor, but I am wondering if this is more due to what you are eating or not eating and not CKD. Or it could be from other medications. Please talk to your doctor about that and see if they have a solution. There are products out there to help.

Insomnia and fatigue go hand in hand. The not sleeping is common for CKD. There are some solutions, again talk to the doctor. But for now, try making sure your going to bed routine is the same every night. Do not use a screen device before going to bed such as a computer or phone. There is some research about the type of light from a screen that does affect the mechanism of falling asleep. Talk to your doctor about OTC medications such as melatonin, which by the way is being researched as being beneficial to CKD. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/226....

No joy or food or drink. Try this: any time you eat something, think of it as a gift to help the body be its best and not a punishment. "Yes I am eating salad again because it is good for my body. Thanks for the gift." Instead of thinking about what you cannot enjoy, find the foods you can. I am not sure what stage you are at, but a renal diet does not have to be punishment. Its all how you look at it. For example, I love bread. Store bought bread is often terrible for CKD and especially for diabetes. So I learned to make my own. It is a project that my family gets engaged in and the results do not set my glucose levels off like store bought bread. I control what goes in it. It is a hobby now. I grow my own veggies, so also a hobby now. I cook recipes and share them with other patients who have CKD and so that is a social endeavor now. I have changed completely how I look at my EXTREMELY restrictive diet...because I am plant based too. Yes it is a challenge, but I make it a sport and not a punishment. And I LOVE FOOD. I used to bake cakes and make my own candy as gifts. I had to stop because of course it was not beneficial for me. So now I look at the foods I can safely enjoy. We go to to all sorts of Farmers Markets and specialty shops for the finest and most natural ingredients. Makes the veggies and products I do buy more enjoyable. It has helped to expand my repertoire of foods. Who knew I would like eggplant?

And lastly: The National Kidney Foundation has an excellent peer mentor program. You will be matched with someone who has similar situation as you do. You and your peer can chat about your feelings or any topic you want. It is easy to sign up for too. kidney.org/patients/peers

Just so you know, everyone goes through the feelings you have. I did when I was first diagnosed. I had a peer mentor who helped me and I decided early on that I had to take control of my situation and not the situation having control over me. I was told over 4 years ago to prepare for dialysis within six months..... they were wrong. But even so, it was all about my mind set. You can do this too.