hi everyone I am new here. My fiancé has chronic kidney failure 4 and he smokes cigarettes all day long and drinks alcohol all day. I know he is so scared of just finding out that he has this disease but I told him he needs to stop doing these 2 things cause they are so bad for the kidneys. He doesn’t listen to me of course, he tells me that they don’t have anything to do with Kidney failure it has to do w his high blood pressure. I do understand that is why he got this disease but the smoking and drinking is going to make the matters worse. Does anyone have any information on how smoking and liquor makes kidney disease worse. It would sure help me on my daily fight.
Thank you 😊
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Allaison0866
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Smoking and drinking alcohol can have significant negative effects on someone with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) Stage 4. At this stage of CKD, kidney function is severely impaired, and the kidneys are working at only 15-29% of their normal capacity. Both smoking and alcohol consumption can worsen the condition and lead to more severe complications.
Smoking and CKD Stage 4
Smoking has several harmful effects on people with CKD, including:
Increased Risk of Cardiovascular Disease: Smoking is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD), which is already a common complication in CKD. It can further damage blood vessels, increase blood pressure, and reduce the ability of the heart to pump blood, all of which can worsen kidney function.
Reduced Kidney Blood Flow: Smoking causes constriction of blood vessels, which can reduce blood flow to the kidneys. This can worsen kidney function in someone with CKD.
Increased Protein in Urine: Smoking can increase the level of protein in the urine (proteinuria), which is a marker of kidney damage and a predictor of disease progression in CKD.
Increased Risk of Infections: Smoking weakens the immune system, making it harder for the body to fight infections. People with CKD are already at higher risk for infections, especially if they are on dialysis or have a compromised immune system.
Worsening Hypertension: Smoking increases blood pressure, and high blood pressure is a major cause and consequence of CKD. Elevated blood pressure can cause further damage to the kidneys.
Alcohol and CKD Stage 4
Alcohol can have multiple adverse effects on kidney function, particularly in someone with advanced CKD:
Increased Blood Pressure: Alcohol can raise blood pressure, which is dangerous for people with CKD. Chronic high blood pressure can accelerate kidney damage and increase the risk of heart disease.
Dehydration: Alcohol is a diuretic, meaning it can cause dehydration by increasing urination. Dehydration can worsen kidney function in someone with CKD and increase the risk of kidney damage or failure.
Liver Damage: Excessive alcohol consumption can harm the liver, which can complicate kidney disease. The liver and kidneys work together to filter waste and toxins, so damage to the liver can further strain kidney function.
Electrolyte Imbalance: Alcohol can cause changes in electrolyte levels (e.g., potassium, sodium, and phosphate), which are already prone to imbalances in CKD. These imbalances can cause serious complications, such as heart arrhythmias or muscle weakness.
Increased Toxin Load: Drinking alcohol increases the load of toxins in the body. When kidney function is already compromised, the kidneys are less able to filter these toxins out of the bloodstream, potentially leading to a buildup that can cause additional harm.
Impact on Medications: Alcohol can interfere with medications commonly prescribed to people with CKD, including blood pressure medications and medications to manage other complications like anemia. Alcohol can also interfere with the liver's ability to process medications.
Key Considerations
Moderation: If someone with CKD Stage 4 chooses to drink, it should be done in moderation, and it is essential to consult with a healthcare provider for guidance specific to their situation.
Avoiding Smoking: Ideally, someone with CKD should quit smoking altogether to help preserve kidney function and reduce the risk of other complications.
I could send many links advising against these habits but sadly suspect it would be fruitless and a waste of time. Id be surprised if he doesn't already know that its risking his health and mortality etc. unless he is just simply choosing to ignore. Good luck, take care.
I totally understand. I try every day and get into arguments everyday about this subject. I guess there is nothing else I can do. Thanks for replying 😉
I agree with Userotc. Sadly, denial is huge aspect of kidney disease. CKD is often chronic...it often quietly takes place over time. It's easy to ignore. My husband is a diabetic, type 2, who was obsessed with foods, restaurants, etc. When I brought up his health situation, he snapped..."Stop! Back off! I love food! If I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die happy!!" And so he blissfully popped his pills, took his insulin, and gobbled his foods for some years until the day came when his no-nonsense nephrologist told him he had 7 years to live. He finally woke up. He immediately changed his ways - cutting out the sugars and carbs. But the damage was done, his kidneys failed about two years later and dialysis was implemented. Thankfully, he continued to take his life seriously and, while on dialysis, managed to completely get off insulin and more. His doctors cheered and he received a kidney transplant shortly thereafter. Today, my now slender husband continues to monitor his diet carefully.
Looking back, there are a few things I wish I had done differently. They are as follows: 1) Looked objectively into the relationship situation prior to marriage. I naively thought I could change him, but that turned out impossible to do. It's a lonely business keeping yourself on track and guiding our children into a healthy lifestyle with an uncooperative spouse. Not to mention the difficulty of not getting enticed and trapped in that unhealthy lifestyle myself. 2) Gone to his doctor's appointments to stay current on his health for myself and to "correct the record" when/if he tried to deny matters. Don't let him blindside you, is my advice. 3) Considered steps needed in dealing with the spouse's choice of work, the financial arrangements, insurance matters, the advanced health care directives, the wills and trusts, and more. I innately knew things were going to go downhill. Yet I did nothing. So, I had no access to his voice-mail, his clients were calling in, his multiple bank accounts were off-limits, and more. Always have good back-up plans.
Obviously, only you can make the decision that works for you. I did marry my spouse. I have come through all of this a stronger and wiser women. It's truly been a journey as a caregiver. Today, we have a mutual respect and understanding for each. And, yes, there is love too. So what should one do? No two situations are exactly the same. Simply keep asking good questions. Use this community, your doctors, and others to get a good picture of things. And in that process, you'll find answers and confidence. And then it's onward and forward.
Thank you so much for all that intimate information and as you I am very involved in everything he does. I am coping well with all this. I make advices to him but as they say you can lead a horse to water but they are the only ones that can drink it. I mentioned this site to him today and he wants nothing to do with it. He is so scared what is going to happen to him he doesn’t want to know. Me, I would want to be educated on what is coming.
that’s another thing i bring up all the time also. How much $ he spends on cigarettes everyday. He needs to be saving that money for the co pays for the dialysis which is probably going to be 100$ a day. He says he wants to do dialysis and live. I have questioned whether or not myself as who would smoke 3-4 packs a day w CKD stage 4 and still smoke
This may sound harsh, but is this someone you really want to marry? He does not seem to care about his own health, but what is it doing to you emotionally and physically? I ask this as someone whose husband has CKD, is diabetic, has IBS and has just had cataract surgery. He is not the most compliant with doing what he should be doing and I am the one who is exhausted. It is a full time job and then some.
I am glad. There is an online discussion support group: AARP Family Caregivers Discussion Group that is helpful for anyone dealing with being the caregiver. It is helpful!
Thanks for replying but this was happening way before the news of the CKD stage 4. It’s even gotten worse since knowing about the stage 4 so yes he is depressed about it and definitely scared. I would be also but I wouldn’t make things worse for myself
It's very difficult to stop both of these addictions even with professional help, They're hard to eliminate. Still, you could urge him to attend some AA meetings as well as any county or city programs they msy have to stop smoking. Unfortunately, unless he wants to make the effort to do this, there's little you can do. At the very least, he msy benefit from some personal counseling to help with the depression that seems to be present that is driving these addictions. Bless you for caring about him and trying to help.
He’s stage 4. When he becomes stage 5, that is considered End Stage Renal Disease. That is fatal. Dialysis is life support, as is transplant. His lifespan becomes automatically shorter once he starts dialysis.
As someone else said, think long and hard about this marriage. It isn’t easy to take care of someone on dialysis. Quality of life goes down. Dialysis will keep you alive, but you are often miserable.
The fact is, most dialysis patients are dead within 5-10 years. This number has not changed since the 1970s. Yes, people can live longer, and do. However, considering his other factors of lifestyle, it won’t be good. Are you prepared to take care of someone who is on dialysis, and be a widow in 5 to 10 years?
I am prepared for whatever is coming. God is always with me. He will point me in the right direction. How can you leave someone when they are sick. That is horrible to even think of something like that. Especially if you love that person
Engagement is a promise, marriage is a vow. You aren’t married yet. If you are prepared to marry someone who is already killing himself twice over and has told you he’d OK with dying, it’s your choice to make.
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