High blood pressure affects all the cells in the body including the kidneys which in turn can prevent them from doing their other jobs. This is a major cause of CKD so if you are at risk for high blood pressure it’s very important to get regular checkups and follow your doctor's instructions to keep it under control. I had to make many changes in my diet and lifestyle that included reducing my salt intake. Now I don’t even keep a salt shaker on the table. I have also found it helpful for me to monitor my pressure at home and share these results with my doctor.
Erythropoietin is the hormone which is responsible for directing your bone marrow to make new red blood cells. Without this hormone your red blood cell production declines and you become Anemic. This condition either requires a replacement hormone or a blood transfusion. Many CKD patients, like myself, require injections of a synthetic EPO hormone on a weekly basis. Anemia causes extreme fatigue and overall weakness. Other side effects of anemia include making you feel short of breathe and look pale. For me, anemia has been one of my biggest challenges with CKD. Please see my blog entry "Anemia and Fatigue in CKD" to review information about anemia. Over the last ten years I have needed multiple blood transfusions due to severe anemia.
Health fairs are just one of the community events the Northeast Kidney Foundation holds to educate the public on the what the kidneys do and the risks and prevention of CKD. On July 27 they are hosting the "Troy Block Party Health Fair" and will be doing risk assessments. This is just one way for them to build awareness about Kidney Disease. The event will be from 1:00 pm to 6:00 pm and you can contact Robert at (518)527-0649 or visit http://www.healthykidneys.org/ for more information.
Chronic Kidney disease is the slow loss of these functions and slowly gets worse over time until there is little or no kidney function left and this is called End Stage Renal Disease or kidney failure.
Once you reach this stage you will require either a kidney transplant or dialysis. Most people start with dialysis. Dialysis is a medical process in which a persons blood is cleaned of toxins and extra fluids replacing the normal function of a person's kidneys. Since I have been on dialysis for the last five and a half years we are going to talk about the different forms of dialysis, the benefits of each, and how to live a healthy life while living on dialysis. The most important thing to know about dialysis is you CAN live a full and productive life while receiving it. With many advancements in dialysis technology patients are living longer, healthier lives. Your life will change but approaching dialysis with a positive attitude and a willingness to take charge of your health will go a long way!
The current modalities of dialysis include hemodialysis, which can be done either in~center or at home, and involves running blood through a special filter known as a dialyzer to clean it by removing toxins and excess fluids. Another method is called peritoneal dialysis, usually done as a home treatment, and involves using the patient's peritoneum in the abdomen as a membrane across which fluids are dissolved and substances such as extra fluids and wastes like urea are removed. We will get into more specifics in the weeks ahead about each of these methods and how you can decide which method is the best for you.
Knowing what your kidneys do, knowing the risks of CKD and knowing how to prevent further damage is the best way to prevent the need for dialysis.
Thank you so much for joining me once again, I look forward to upcoming posts talking all about dialysis. I appreciate your comments, questions and concerns.
Keep on fighting all you Kidney Warriors!
~Kidney Blogger
The current modalities of dialysis include hemodialysis, which can be done either in~center or at home, and involves running blood through a special filter known as a dialyzer to clean it by removing toxins and excess fluids. Another method is called peritoneal dialysis, usually done as a home treatment, and involves using the patient's peritoneum in the abdomen as a membrane across which fluids are dissolved and substances such as extra fluids and wastes like urea are removed. We will get into more specifics in the weeks ahead about each of these methods and how you can decide which method is the best for you.
Knowing what your kidneys do, knowing the risks of CKD and knowing how to prevent further damage is the best way to prevent the need for dialysis.
Thank you so much for joining me once again, I look forward to upcoming posts talking all about dialysis. I appreciate your comments, questions and concerns.
Keep on fighting all you Kidney Warriors!
~Kidney Blogger
No comments:
Post a Comment