Stress and CKD

[Yankees28]

Hello,

I would like to know if stress can cause CKD to get worse. I have been under extreme stress lately, not related to my CKD, but rather due to another non-health issue. Physically I have been feeling awful. So I just wondered if stress can make CKD worse. Thank you

[orangecity41 NKF Ambassador]

Here is link to article from NIH on stress and CKD. Article points out not much research has been done. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

[Yankees28 in reply to orangecity41]

Thank you. I just read this article. It is very interesting.

[userotc in reply to Yankees28]

Heres another, much of same really kidney.org/atoz/content/Str...

[Bassetmommer NKF Ambassador]

The answer is a big yes. Stress raises blood pressure, which is hard on the kidneys. Stress adds more cortisol and other chemicals and throws your body chemistry off. It can raise your glucose, which is definitely not good for the kidneys. And many people have some form of compensation to deal with stress that is not good such as alcohol, food or even anger. Stress is also a good thing in some level as it can motivate you to change, teach you to deal with life if you work through the stress and it makes you human. The best way to deal with stress is to become educated on the cause of the stress which will help you to find answers.

[Yankees28 in reply to Bassetmommer]

Thank you. Your reply was extremely helpful.

[Whitetail66 in reply to Yankees28]

I agree 100% with Bassetmommer. I went through some health issues when I was 26. Up until that time, I never had any health issues, aside from the common illnesses, i.e. colds/flu. I went to multiple doctors to find out why I felt like I had a serious issue going on. I finally ended up at the Medical College of Wisconsin’s internal medicine department, where the doctor ran every test he could think of, with the results showing nothing out of the ordinary. He finally looked at me, and as compassionately as he could, said that he believed it was stress. I didn’t accept that answer initially, and quite honestly was upset that he didn’t find a ‘smoking gun’. But after some reflection, I decided to delve into this ‘stress thing’. I found a book that was titled- ‘The Stress Solution’, which was written at the time, by the foremost authorities on stress in the world. It literally saved me, and opened my eyes to what stress can do to a person. I would highly recommend getting a copy if you can. There is a stress test in the book that you can take, and I was off the charts! I began to understand why my body felt l was dying. I felt this way for 4-5 months, until I found this book, and everything started making sense. There are stories of some of his patients and their struggles with stress, along with his own experiences. It also has techniques for dealing with stress, which absolutely work. Prolonged stress is not good for you at all. Like everything in life, moderation is key.

[UniqueCKD in reply to Bassetmommer]

I AGREE 100% stress is a huge factor for weakening the kidneys! Have you ever tried any mind-body approaches like this? bit.ly/3v9ktJ7

[Hunt70]

My BP was discovered really high out of control..I had something happen that got me over the top angry too long to go into but probably could of had a stroke! Dr found the High blood pressure and got it under control after a few weeks this was all when CKD was discovered so make sure your BP is under contract !

[Yankees28 in reply to Hunt70]

I will. I haven't checked it lately but I am going to. Thank you.

[Hunt70 in reply to Yankees28]

Control ha ha but BP is called silent killer ..it is so have it checked best wishes

[UniqueCKD in reply to Hunt70]

Hi Hunt70, Have you ever tried any mind-body approaches to lower GFR? maybe like this? bit.ly/3v9ktJ7

[WYOAnne NKF Ambassador]

Stress is just not good for your body whether you have CKD or not. You should find something that helps relieve what you are going through. I am not in your position, but when things seem to be really bothering me, I go for a walk. For me at least, things don't seem quite so bad when I get back.The real problem with stress is it can raise your BP. High BP left out of control can also damage your heart with time.

I am 22 years post-transplant and I now have to have an Echo-cardiogram every year. My BP was not under good control for awhile when I was first diagnosed with CKD and has caused some scarring in my heart.

Please take care of yourself!

[Yankees28 in reply to WYOAnne]

Thank you. I am going to try to do things that will take my mind off the stressful situation.

[Hunt70 in reply to WYOAnne]

Have not been around due to dizzy spells...being focused on not passing out...I live in a Florida air needed work from Friday to Tue till fixed think heat exhaustion dehydration got me ...I now really drinking water and coconut water does wonders being sent to cardiologist....it takes time to get appointments...CKD does make ya crazy... wanting to stop all from progressive!! I am now working with a doctor I had no primary when I found all out...new Dr seems good patient and has taken interest..it does take time to build trust .... prayers for all here in CKD land

[Taisha2121]

Hello, I am sorry you are experiencing stress especially having to deal with CKD.For me personally, stress on occasion can cause anxiety and effect your body in many ways ie; elevate BP, which definitely is not good for CKD patients. It really depends on the individual, I handle stress personally by exercise, meditation or enjoying a good book. You have to find that quiet place and reduce toxicity in your life, including toxic people. Good luck.

[Hunt70 in reply to Taisha2121]

Thanks I have basically removed two people by ignoring totally...was best thing for my health...both narssasistic ... And probably helped my BP lol 😉

[UniqueCKD]

As a clinician of 20+ years of holistic medicine, stress/fear can ABSOLUTELY can deplete the kidneys vitality! So not surprising that your GFR went down. Anything that "taxes" the kidneys will increase its workload...and it is already running on a low battery. Have you ever tried any mind-body approaches like this? I put the link in here: bit.ly/3v9ktJ7

[Bassetmommer NKF Ambassador]

I wanted to add something here about stress. Becoming educated on stress and trauma was a critical part of my professional life. I want to share some basic things I learned through the years.Stress is a natural occurring condition. Most animals have stress in some level. Humans are an animal. From way back in prehistorical times, stress was our educator. Our body responded to stressors as a way to protect us. We still have those mechanism or systems in our body. It is called the reptilian brain. siimland.com/how-your-repti...

What happens to stimulus is we have a natural and often uncontrollable reaction. Commonly known as flight, fight or freeze. Flight: we run, ignore, excuse or ignore. Fight: we get angry, physical, and nasty. These two reactions cause chemical to implode in our bodies such as cortisol and other anxiety and energy chemicals.... think blood pressure. Freeze is a reaction that people do not realize we employ more often than not. Think of a rabbit that freezes its movement when its afraid. Our body can do the same thing and shut down in reaction to stress. For example, we do not process food and we get bound up or have stomach issues.

How we deal with stress is learning how our body reacts. If you are a flight person, trying to sit and mediate is not going to work. It will only make you go around and around in your head Instead: walking, running or exercise is a better choice. For fight, you need to find an outlet for the anger. Writing, painting or any form of expression that is not violent is healthy. But sometimes, your body needs to express so working out like boxing or chopping wood would be great. For freeze, which is what I do, meditation does help. Being quite helps. Talking with a professional or good friend helps to process and remove the blockage. Changing your environment helps greatly.... like taking a walk or being outside

I have also found that using this thinking process helps.

What is my stress trigger?

What caused the trigger?

Did whatever cause the trigger have any immediate danger to me?

Ask yourself: Am I safe?

Is the source of the trigger something I can remove from my life?

Is the trigger something that I can identify and then be aware of for the future.

Is there something to learn from the trigger? What is the lesson? (This helps to disarm the trigger)

Repeat often: I am safe. I am safe.

Breathe.

I hope this helps everyone.

[Sarah_402 in reply to Bassetmommer]

Thanks for this explanation and recommendations on how to deal with flight, fight, or freeze…. Really good info.

[Worrylady in reply to Bassetmommer]

I’ve had postpartum depression before I had kidney failure and now on dialysis. I have anxiety during dialysis and after dialysis that raises my blood pressure. With all the side effects of hemodialysis I usually feel anxiety and fear of dying and leaving my love ones. I don’t know what to do sometimes.