Kidney disease often has no symptoms, so diagnosis can be a shock. You may worry that your kidney disease will worsen and you'll end up on dialysis.
Kidney disease often has no symptoms, so diagnosis can be a shock. You may worry that your kidney disease will worsen and you'll end up on dialysis.
In fact, the outlook in most cases is more reassuring. Kidney disease is common and usually stable (not going to get worse). Fewer than 1 in 20 people with the condition ever have kidney failure and need dialysis or a kidney transplant.
" People who have just found out they have kidney disease should try not to panic, " says Tim Statham of the National Kidney Federation (NKF). " A poor kidney function does not necessarily lead to kidney failure. There may be a perfectly normal cause, such as your age. As with other organs, kidney function naturally slows down as you get older. "
"Hearing that you have kidney disease can be quite challenging," adds Fiona Loud of the British Kidney Patient Association. "It is a good idea to ask your doctor for advice about how it could affect you and for guidance on looking after your kidneys from now on."
Although your kidney
is unlikely to get worse or cause you serious day-to-day problems, it is a warning about your future health. That's because kidney disease, even if it's mild and stable, automatically puts you at a higher than average risk of [heart disease and .If you have kidney disease, you'll benefit from improving your lifestyle and looking after your heart even more than the general population. Your doctor will support and advise you, and you can help yourself by doing the following:
Here's more information on
.It's important that you are vaccinated against:
Kidney disease puts you at higher risk of catching flu . There's also a greater chance if you catch flu that it will lead to more serious illnesses, including bronchitis and
.Flu and pneumonia vaccinations are free from your local doctor's surgery for kidney disease patients. The flu jab is available each autumn from September. The pneumo jab is usually only needed once, but some people need booster doses every five years.
Read more about the flu jab .
Read more about the pneumo jab .
If you have kidney failure, you should be vaccinated against
before you start dialysis or have a kidney transplant.Read more about the hepatitis B vaccination .
If you have kidney disease, it's important to take care with pharmacy medicines as some can be potentially harmful. Read more about pharmacy remedies and kidney disease.
Kidney problems are made worse by high blood pressure (hypertension) and diabetes. If you also have either of these conditions, your doctor will probably prescribe long-term daily tablets to prevent kidney damage.
Blood pressure-lowering tablets called ACE inhibitors are usually prescribed. These protect the kidneys, but can sometimes cause a cough. If that happens, a similar group of tablets known as angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) can be used.
Although both ACE inhibitors and ARBs protect your kidneys, they can cause problems if you are dehydrated, so you should ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice if you have diarrhoea and vomiting.
Because kidney disease puts you at a higher risk of cardiovascular disease (heart attacks and strokes), your doctor may offer you medicines called
. Statins lower the level of cholesterol in the blood, reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.If you have kidney disease, your doctor may alter the doses of medicines you are taking for other conditions. They may also advise that you temporarily stop taking some of your prescribed medicines if you become unwell with diarrhoea, vomiting or a fever. That's to avoid the risk of further dehydration or damage to your kidneys.
However, you should never stop taking any prescribed medicines without checking with a doctor or pharmacist first. It's important to restart your medicines once you are better.
Sometimes it's not possible to stop kidney disease getting worse. If your kidney disease is already severe or in decline, your doctor will refer you to a hospital-based kidney specialist team, who will work out a treatment plan for you.
This may include following a special diet and taking additional medicines, such as iron treatment to prevent
, and vitamin D supplements for healthy bones and muscles.The hospital team of doctors, nurses, dietitians, social workers and pharmacists will help you prepare for the possibility of going on to
or having a .Read more about the
and .There are local kidney patient support organisations run by kidney patients in most hospitals, so ask at your unit for details.
Important: Our website provides useful information but is not a substitute for medical advice. You should always seek the advice of your doctor when making decisions about your health.