Kidney Damage

Diabetes can cause kidney damage that can lead to kidney failure.  Another word for kidney problem is nephropathy.  There are things you can do to take charge and prevent kidney problems.  A recent study shows that controlling your blood sugar can prevent or delay the onset of nephropathy.  Keeping your blood pressure under control is also important to prevent kidney damage.  Finding and treating kidney problems early can help

save your kidneys.

The kidneys keep the right amount of water in the body and help filter wastes from the blood.  The wastes then pass from the blood into the urine.  High blood sugar and high blood pressure slowly damage the filters in the kidneys.  When kidneys continue to worsen, wastes build up in the blood.  This can cause a person to feel very sick.  “Kidney failure” is when the kidneys filter very little or no wastes.

When the kidneys fail, a person has three treatment options.  Two of them are types of dialysis.  One type of dialysis is called “hemodialysis”.  It filters the blood through an artificial kidney machine to remove the wastes.  Hemodialysis is done in a dialysis center.  The other type of dialysis is called “peritoneal” dialysis.  It clears out the waste by placing a special solution in the abdomen and later letting in run out.  Peritoneal dialysis is done at home.  Another treatment option for kidney failure is to get a kidney transplant.

Test Your Urine

Your health care provider can find out how well your kidneys are working by testing your urine for protein.  A large amount of protein is a sign of moderate kidney damage.  It can be detected by a routine urine test.  If no protein is found, another test for smaller amounts of protein called micro albumin or “A-C Ratio” is done.  If kidney damage is discovered at this early point, it can be stopped or reversed.  Advanced kidney damage can be detected when a high level of creatinine is found in your blood.  It is important to have your urine and blood checked every year to see how well your kidneys are working.

Protect Your Kidneys

·    Control Your Blood Sugar

High blood sugar can damage your kidneys.  Work with your health care team to keep your blood sugar levels as close to normal as you can.

 

·    Control Your Blood Pressure

High blood pressure can damage your kidneys.  You may want to check your blood pressure at home to be sure it stays lower than 130/80.  If you have protein in your urine, your blood pressure should be kept even lower, 127/80. Your blood pressure should be checked during each visit.  Your doctor may have you take a blood pressure pill, called an ACE inhibitor, to help control your blood pressure and protect your kidneys.

·    Take Your Blood Pressure Medicines

If you have problems taking your medicines, work with your physician until you find one that works best for you.  Take your blood pressure medicines everyday as prescribed. Even if you were told to fast for lab tests, take your blood pressure medicine the day of your clinic visit.  This will help the physician decide how well your blood pressure medicine is working.

·    Choose Healthy Foods

You may want to talk to your health care team about cutting back on foods that are high in proteins (such as meat, milk, and cheese).  A diet high in proteins can cause more damage to your kidneys over time.  Eating less salt places less burden on your kidneys and can reduce your blood pressure.

·    Know the Effects of Some Medicines and X-ray Dyes

If a x-ray using a dye is planned, ask your health care provider about the possible effects that some medicines and X-ray dyes can have on your kidneys.  You will need to drink extra water following these tests.

 Prevent and Treat Infections

Bladder and kidney infections can also damage your kidneys.  Call your health care provider right away if you have any of these signs which might indicate a bladder or kidney infection.

Do not drink cranberry juice to try to treat these symptoms.  Cranberry juice contains a lot of simple sugar.  This will raise your blood sugar and most likely worsen an infection if present.  The reason many people use cranberry juice for these symptoms is that it increases the acid of the urine and helps kill any bacteria that may be present.  If cranberry juice has worked for you in the past, you can try to increase the acid of your urine by taking a 500 mg tablet of Vitamin C.

Drinking plain water and avoiding soda pop places less stress on the kidneys.

It is best to go to the clinic and have your urine checked.  If you do have an infection, you will be given an antibiotic to stop the infection.  It is important to complete the antibiotics as directed by the physician and the pharmacist.  After you have finished taking the antibiotic, you will need to have your urine checked again to be sure the infection is gone.