I have kidney disease
Let’s start with the basics!
In the following text, you will learn how your kidneys work in general, how to best prevent them from potential damage and what to do if your kidney function is already impaired. Hopefully, learning about the basics will make the kidneys a bit easier to understand and will enable you to have a confident discussion about disease-related topics with your physician.
Patient situation
Chronic kidney disease is a gradual process in which the kidneys slowly lose their function.
Chronic kidney disease is defined as abnormalities of kidney structure or function, present for more than 3 months, with implications for health.
Perhaps you have already noticed physical changes yourself: Do you often feel tired and powerless? Do you have less appetite than usual? Are you having trouble falling asleep or are you unable to concentrate? Do you often experience nausea? These signs could indicate the gradual loss of kidney function.
With appropriate treatment, your physician can find ways to relieve these symptoms. Having an open discussion with your physician about how you’re feeling is crucial. Learn how to cope with your illness while still enjoying life.
Determining the GFR
Chronic kidney disease can be divided into different stages. These are known as CKD stages (chronic kidney disease stages).
CKD stage 1 describes a slightly reduced function of the kidneys and CKD stage 5 is the terminal stage. Your physician calculates the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) for classification. It indicates how well the kidneys cleanse the blood of toxins and excrete those into the urine. The GFR is expressed in milliliters per minute. The lower the GFR, the worse your kidneys are functioning.
For example, a GFR between 60 and 89 indicates slightly decreased kidney functioning. This corresponds to CKD stage 2. A GFR between 15 and 29 suggests severely impaired kidney function with CKD stage 4.
If the GFR is lower than 15, kidney replacement therapybecomes more and more likely due to inadequate kidney function. At this stage, you and your physician will decide on when is the most ideal time to start a replacement therapy.
If you have unpleasant thoughts, stick to the following principles:
- I am not alone!
My physician, my family and my care team are at my side - All the necessary steps can be learned!
Others did it, so I can do it, too - My symptoms can be alleviated!
With the right therapy, I'll feel better
Be brave and believe in your strength! Being open about your problems to the physician will help you find the treatment that suits your situation best. Let loved ones engage in conversations, too. Address your fears and worries openly.
Find out how your kidneys work in the next section
