What is chronic kidney disease?
Chronic kidney disease means your kidneys have not worked right for a while.
Your kidneys have an important job. They remove waste and extra fluid from your blood. This waste and fluid goes out of your body in your urine.
When your kidneys don't work as they should, wastes build up in your blood. This makes you sick.
High blood pressure and diabetes can cause kidney damage. Other causes include kidney infections and some medicines.
Chronic kidney disease is also called chronic renal failure. Or it may be called chronic renal insufficiency.
What are the symptoms?
You may not have symptoms if your disease is mild. If you lose more kidney function, you may:
- Have swelling and weight gain. This is from the extra fluid in your tissues. It is called edema (say "ih-DEE-muh").
- Often feel sick to your stomach (nauseated) or vomit.
- Have trouble sleeping.
- Urinate less than normal.
- Have trouble thinking clearly.
- Feel very tired.
Follow-up care is a key part of your treatment and safety. Be sure to make and go to all appointments, and call your doctor or nurse call line if you are having problems. It's also a good idea to know your test results and keep a list of the medicines you take.
Where can you learn more?
Go to https://www.healthwise.net/patientEd
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