Kidney Disease

Question: kidney disease?...............? Does anyone know about kidney disease or have it? I started noticing that around my kidney area (on both sides) are aching..... just worried a little bit because someone in my family had their kidneys and liver fail.... I don't have insurance so it's not like i can go to the doctors....just curious if there are ways to prevent stuff and to better help the kidneys! thanks!

Answer: Yes, I have had a complete kidney failure from unknown etiology, however full function was restored after 3 weeks in the hospital. Renal failure is nothing to 'self-medicate'.. if you think you have problems and it runs in the family DO get a cursory exam by your family practitioner. You say you can't go to the doctors because of lack of insurance -- Sure you can. A routine visit should run about 60-80$ (you can call to various doctors/clinics for pricing) -- and the most basic of tests for kidney function might bring that number a bit over $100.00 -- But nothing drastic. Call around, explain your situation and insurance, that it runs in the family and you have a problem with funding. Lots of clinics will operate on a sliding scale (basically giving you a substantial discount, based on what you can afford). Pain in the kidney area is generally not the first indicator of kidney failure, but it is still something that needs attention. Please make an appointment asap. Get some Vitamin-D3 supplement pills from the grocery/pharmacy and take from 500-1000iu's per day, that has been proven to aid in kidney function. Try to reduce the amount of sodium (salt) in your diet as well, as it is particular rough on the kidneys. Though, your function is probably just fine and such measures are probably not necessary. Kidney and organ failure are not generally things that occur on their own (without cause).. other than in isolated cases such as my own where acute nephritis occurred and spontaneously reversed itself. Usually diabetes or other pathological illness , over time, cause the organ problems. So you might want to ask about what disease runs in the family, that has caused the kidney and liver failure. A 100$ might seem like a lot of money, but it is well worth the assurance you are 'ok'.. health has no price tag, I assure you. Besides, when was the last time you had a general health exam? Surely won't hurt. All the best,

Question: How does kidney disease affect the immune system? I know a lot about kidney disease (renal failure), but can't seem to find the answer to one question: how is the immune system affected by kidney disease? I would like to know if people with kidney disease are more likely to catch colds, flus, etc. than those without it? If anyone knows the answer to this question, I'd appreciate your answer! Thanks.

Answer: I just had my kidney transplant about 4 months ago and now that I am on tons of medicine to prevent rejection, my immune system is SO low. Before the transplant though I was never told my immune system was low, even while on dialysis. The only thing I had to watch was my diet, mostly sodium intake, but as for my immune system before the transplant, it was the same. Now though I have to be very careful around kids and anyone who even has a minor cold due to my medications effecting my immune system.

Question: What mechanism in Kidney Disease CAUSES high blood pressure? I know that high BP can cause kidney disease, but going the other way, what is it about kidney disease that causes high BP?

Answer: The kidneys are very important in helping to control blood pressure. They sense how much blood is flowing through certain parts of the kidneys (the glomeruli) and how high the pressure is in those blood vessels. If the kidney thinks the pressure is not high enough, it releases a hormone called renin, which acts to raise blood pressure. In chronic kidney disease, the damage in the kidney often means that blood isn't flowing through the glomeruli normally, so the kidney thinks your blood pressure must be low and releases renin to try and raise it. In the rest of the body the blood is flowing normally so the result overall is high blood pressure.

Question: What is the best dog food for a dog with kidney disease? Well, my newly adopted dog was just diagnosed with kidney disease. They said it's not bad yet, but that I should feed her some special kidney disease food. I take her to the vet in Petsmart (Banfield), so she recommended Hills K/D (the only kind they sell there). Anyway, I was wondering what anyone thinks is the best dog food for kidney disease "treatment". Thanks for any suggestions!! :) ps: it's chronic kidney disease, in case it matters. And she's only 3 years old. Thanks again!

Answer: The veterinarian I work for always recommends Hill's K/D for kidney problems. Don't get it confused with C/D. It helps bladder problems. Oh, and don't feed her table scraps. Human food can damage the kidneys and liver.

Question: Can kidney disease induced anemia be treated with iron supplements? Can taking iron supplements help overcome anemia caused by kidney disease/failure? And why does kidney disease/failure often cause nausea and loss of appetite? Thank you!

Answer: Iron alone would not help as kidney failure results in too low levels of erythropoietin, a hormone the kidneys makes that induces the bone marrow to make RBCs. Iron often is given, but the levels have to be monitored, as iron overload can lead to serious toxicity, including liver toxcity. In all cases of anemia, iron levels have to be measured to justify iron supplementation. see: http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec17/ch234/ch234e.html

Question: How long does a person with kidney disease live? Do you know someone who has/had kidney disease? If so how long did they live? How many kidney transplants did they receive, 1? 2? 3? Or are you a doctor who knows statistics. I would really like to know how long people usually live if they had kidney failure as a young child and had a transplant and now need another kidney transplant. How long can that person really expect to live?

Answer: Even if they don't get a Kidney, there is dialysis. You can live to be quite old as long as you are dialysed and follow a strict diet, it is not easy, since traditional dialysis is 3 days a week for 3-4 hrs at a time and it can leave you quite weak; there is also peritoneal dialysis that is more under the control of the patient and hence has more freedom

Question: Will anything help a dog with kidney disease gain or maintain weight? My senior dog, Luigi, (exact age unknown as he is a rescue) has kidney disease and has lost a nearly 1/3 of his body weight. He is otherwise well, happy, and eating well (special kidney diet food) but has gone from 37 to just over 27 lbs. The vet just smiles but doesn't seem to have any helpful suggestions. He is on Azodyl for kidney support.

Answer: I agree with the previous answer-- high carb low protein almost zero fat It is very difficult on the kidneys to digest fat and protein. You might also add some extra IV fluids to help him with the kidney failure. Your vet could let you do that at home simply by injecting fluid subQ.

Question: What causes kidney disease and the subsequently the need for dialysis? What exactly causes kidney disease and subsequently the need for kidney dialysis?

Answer: There are many causes of kidney disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, bad infections that weren't treated & attacked your kidneys, PKD, etc. The need for dialysis comes in when your kidney function is low (about 15%, sometimes higher or lower depending the patient) and your kidneys can no longer do the work for your body. Dialysis does the work of your kidneys.

Question: How can you tell if you have kidney failure or chronic kidney disease? And some one was saying if you have kidney failure or chronic kidney disease there are foods you cannot eat is that true. How can you tell if you have chronic kidney disease .And why is it some foods make it worse.

Answer: You go to a doctor.

Question: What are the homeostatic mechanisms involved in chronic kidney disease? How does chronic kidney disease affect homeostatic mechanisms? What is the cause and what is the effect on homeostatic mechanisms, what are the treatments?

Answer: The kidneys are regarded as homeostatic organs. If you stop and consider what the kidneys do, you'll know how chronic kidney disease affects the homeostatic functions of these organs. I'm not sure you're wording this question correctly -- "What are the homeostatic mechanisms involved in chronic kidney disease?" -- Kidney disease doesn't implement homeostatic mechanisms...it interferes with homeostasis.. "How does chronic kidney disease affect homeostatic mechanisms?" -- As I said, stop and consider what the kidneys do and then review how chronic disease affects the kidneys. "What is the cause and what is the effect on homeostatic mechanisms" -- Like I said... "what are the treatments?" -- Dietary restrictions, hypertension management, diabetes management, lipid management, weight management, smoking cessation, epogen injections, diuretics, vit. D, phosphate binders management, dialysis or transplantation. Obviously, the course of treatment depends on the causes and contributory factors.

Question: How is IV fuilds helping a dog with kidney disease? I am curious about the process of injecting a dog that has kidney disease with IV fluids. I understand it helps, but how does the fluids make their way from under the skin to the blatter and flushes the kidneys in the meantime?

Answer: The fluids are given subcutaneous, which means the fluids are given under the skin. Then the body slowly absorbs the fluids and they get flushed out through the kidneys which help get rid of toxin build up in the kidneys. I did this with my cat for two years and it really helped.

Question: What are some natural remedies and diet tips for my cat's kidney disease? My cat, 6 yrs old, could possibly have kidney failure (it might be a bladder infection but I won't find out for another 2 weeks after antibiotics); he's still energetic and doesn't show any signs of illness. Ironically I have kidney disease as well and am using natural remedies like dandelion root tea and other herbs. Wheatgrass has also improved my health a lot. I am wondering these herbs would apply to cats as well? Does anyone have any suggestions for diet (should it be homemade)? I've been doing research and they all say low salt, but some sites say good high quality protein while others say low protein. And should I stop using the chemical Frontline (flea medicine) on my cat? Also, where on my cat are his kidneys located? Thanks!

Answer: First off...the kidneys are located just past the send of the rib cage on both sides...the right kidney is slightly closer to the front of the cat. Frontline Plus doesn't go into the animals system, so it will have no effects on the kidneys...so don't stop using it. I wouldn't reccomend any "natural remedies" without consulting your vet...cats and people can very different recations to plants...and a lot of plats can be nephrotoxic (toxic to the kidneys) in cats! A diet wont help kidney failure until bloodwork confirms Azotemia...this means the that BUN and CREATINIE are elevated. So unless this has been confirmed by your vet, changing the diet wont help. However, if Azotemia is confirmed, then a low protein/low phospherous diet is highly recomended. The protein that is in the kidney diets is a high quality one. Several brands make kidney diets.... Purina NF, Royal Canin/IVD modified....Hill's K/D..... Royal Canin Renal LP..... However, they are by prescription only, so you have to get them from your vet. If you are interested in making your own diet, you can contact UC Davis, and for a small fee, they will formulate a diet you can cook at home specificaly for your cats needs.... I'm not sure why its going to take so long to confirm that your cat has kidney disease...a simple blood test should confirm if the kidney values are normal or not. Good Luck! http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=572 http://www.felinecrf.com/

Question: Why does creatinine remain in the bloodstream in kidney disease? I thought that with kidney disease, everything is excreted in the urine, such as proteins, blood, and other larger size molecules. If that is the case, what makes creatinine stay in the bloodstream as opposed to be excreted with the other molecules?

Answer: In kidney failure, the kidneys are unable to excrete waste products (such are creatinine) from the blood (not increased excretion as you say in the first sentence).

Question: How would a person with Kidney disease be a Buddhist monk? I had a kidney transplant and I have a rare disease called cystinosis, in Buddhism it says to give up worldy possesions. I will eventually go and become a Monk when I am older, but I dont know how I will take my medications. Buddhists arent supposed to take anything with them so I want to ask for some answers

Answer: A monk is allowed to use medicines if they are offered in the same way as food. Once offered, neither food nor medicine should be handled again by a layperson, as that renders it no longer allowable. Medicines can be considered as those things that are specifically for illness; those things having tonic or reviving quality (such as tea or sugar); and certain items which have a nutritional value in times of debilitation, hunger or fatigue (such as cheese or non-dairy chocolate).

Question: Are parapelvic cysts a sign of polycystic kidney disease? I've been diagnosed with having multiple parapelvic cysts on both kidneys. Is this a form of polycystic kidney disease?

Answer: Diagnostic criteria for PKD require two or more cysts in one kidney and at least one cyst in the contralateral kidney in young subjects, but four or more in subjects older than 60 years because of the increased frequency of benign simple cysts. Most often, the diagnosis is made from a positive family history and imaging studies showing large kidneys with multiple bilateral cysts and possibly liver cysts. Before the age of 30 years, CT scan or T2-weighted MRI is more sensitive for detecting presymptomatic disease because the sensitivity of ultrasound falls. Hope it helps. All the best!

Question: How long can you live with chronic kidney disease and what is the percentage successful transplant? Chronic kidney disease alot of people of them but dont realize it how long can live with the disease of you slow the progression down and what is the successful transplant rate

Answer: Normal GFR is between 90 and 100. Over the age of 40, everybody's GFR reduces by 1 point each year. When GFR gets below 15, a person receives dialysis. Kidney disease can be treated with careful attention to diet, usually a low protein diet. GFR can be improved by as much as 10 points by changing to a vegetarian diet. Soy protein is good for kidney function. There are many internet sites which provide information regarding vegetarian diets etc for kidney disease. There are also various natural supplements that improve kidney function, Co-enzyme Q10 for example. As to how long you can live with kidney disease, it depends what caused it in the first place. In some cases people can live for quite a number of years before needing dialysis or transplant. 1 week ago Source(s): http://renux.dmed.ed.ac.uk/EdREN/EdRenIN... http://bastyrcenter.org/content/view/882... http://www.ksat.com/health/16833033/deta... http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0...