End-Stage Kidney Failure Symptoms

Our  kidneys have two main functions. They filter our blood, removing waste products and excess water, which pass out of our body  in the form of urine.

 

Kidneys also make hormones that:

• Help to make new red blood cells

• Maintain the amount of chemicals in our body

 

Damage to kidneys generally leads to kidney failure, which can affect these processes. End stage Kidney failure is also referred as end-stage kidney disease or established renal failure (ERF).

 

There are many symptoms of end-stage kidney failure. In this article, we will discuss all the symptoms of kidney failure in detail.

What is end-stage kidney failure?

End-stage kidney failure, or established renal failure is the fifth and final stage of chronic kidney disease (CKD). With this disease, your kidneys can’t perform their job perfectly. When kidneys fail, you need treatment either kidney transplant or dialysis to survive.

 

What causes kidney failure?

Various health conditions lead to kidney disease that damages the kidneys. This damage can take place all of sudden or take many years to slow down the functioning of kidneys. Gradually, kidney disease may lead to kidney failure.

 

Kidney disease is commonly caused by:

• Birth defects which interfere with the development of of kidney

• Autoimmune diseases such as lupus

• Kidney stones

• Cysts in the kidneys that are caused by an inherited disease known as poly-cystic kidney disease

• Heart disease

• Diabetes is he most cause of kidney failure in US

• Hypertension or high blood pressure is the second most common cause of renal-failure in US

• Severe infections like Urinary tractinfections (UTI)

 

End-stage kidney failure symptoms

 

Common symptoms of end-stage kidney failure may include:

• Itching or pruritus and dry skin

• Headache

• Fatigue and general ill feeling

• Sudden weight loss

• Loss of appetite

• Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much

• Nausea

 

Other symptoms usually include:

• Change in skin color (abnormally light or dark skin)

• Too much or too little urine production

• Nail changes

• Bone pain

• Confusion and drowsiness

• Problems in thinking and concentrating

• Numbness in hands, feet, or other areas

• Muscle cramps or twitching

• Bad breath

• Easy bruising, blood in stool, or nosebleeds

• Excessive thirst

• Frequent hiccups

• Problems with sexual function

• Absence of menstrual periods known as amenorrhea

• Swelling of feet and hands known as edema

• Vomiting, usually in the morning

• Metallic taste in your mouth

 

What are the signs of dying from end-stage kidney failure?

 

In last few days of life, symptoms of end-stage kidney failure may include:

• Pain such as bone pain or a headache

• Itch as a result of uremia (build-up of toxins in your blood caused by kidney failure)

• Agitation

• Metallic taste in mouth because of uremia

• Muscle cramps especially in legs

• breathing difficulties, such as shortness of breath

• Noisybreathing

• Nausea

• Becoming drowsy, bed-bound, or unconscious

• Sudden confusion (delirium)

• Unable to take solid foods, only being able to take few sips of fluid

• Reduction in urine production

• Swelling in the ankles, feet, or legs as a result of fluid built-up

• Seizures

• Difficulty in swallowing tablets.

 

Diagnosis and Tests

 

 How is end-stage kidney failure diagnosed?

 Your doctor diagnoses end-stage kidney failure with the help of physical examination as well as tests to determine the functioning of your kidney. Kidney function tests usually include:

 

Urinalysis

This test helps your doctor to check for blood and protein in your urine. These substances determine that your kidneys are not removing waste products efficiently.

 

Serum creatinine test

This test is used to determine creatinine levels in your blood. Creatinine is a waste product that should filter out from our body.

 

Blood urea nitrogen test

This test indicates nitrogen levels in your blood.

 

Estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR)

This test helps your doctor to indicate how perfectly your kidneys are filtering wastes.

 

Tests

People having chronic kidney disease generally see a kidney specialist known as a nephrologist. Nephrologist generally takes some blood tests at a set schedule to indicate levels of:

 

• Albumin (protein)

• Phosphorus, calcium (mineral), parathyroid hormone

• Creatinine

• Cholesterol (fat)

• Magnesium (mineral)

• Sodium and potassium

• Complete blood count (CBC) and red blood cells

Treatment

End-stage kidney disease can be treated with the help of kidney transplant or dialysis. You need to take medicines or stay on a special diet to help your body work perfectly.

 

Dialysis

Dialysis is a treatment that purifies and filters blood of those people whose kidneys are failing.

 

Dialysis can:

• Remove extra water, salt, and various waste products so they do not  collect in your body

• Maintain vitamins and minerals levels in your body

• Regulate blood pressure

• Help your body in the formation of red blood cells.

 

Generally, a doctor will discuss this procedure with you before you need it. Dialysis removes extra fluid from your blood when kidneys are unable to perform their job. You may need this process when your kidney performs only 10-15% of its job.

 

Two types of methods are used to perform dialysis:

• During hemodialysis, blood passes by a tube into a filter, or an artificial kidney. This method can be done at a dialysis center or at home.

• Peritoneal dialysis (PD) can be done by passing a special solution in your body then removing itto clean your blood. PD can be done at work, home, or while traveling.

 

 

How much time does a person take  to die from kidney failure without dialysis?

Depending on how fastly your toxins build up, death generally follows  from a few days to several weeks. As the toxins strengthen, a person may feel some physical and emotional changes. In the last days, the body begins to shut down.

 

Kidney transplant

A kidney transplant is a surgery that is done to replace a diseased (failure) kidney with a healthy kidney from a donor. Your doctor will send you to a kidney transplant center. There, you will be treated by the transplant team.

 

Special diet

You may need to follow a special to treat chronic kidney disease. The diet usually include:

 

• Taking foods that have low protein

• Getting too much calories if your weight is losing

• Limiting fluids intake

• Limiting salt, phosphorus, potassium, and other electrolytes

 

Other treatments

Other treatment depends upon your symptoms, they may include:

 

• Extra vitamin D and calcium (Always talk to your healthcare provider before taking any supplements)

• Medicines known as phosphate binders, help to prevent phosphoruslevels from reaching too high.

• Treatment for anemia, like taking extra iron in your diet, shots of medicine named erythropoietin, iron shots or pills,  and blood transfusions.

• Medicines to regulate your blood pressure.

 

Talk to your doctor about vaccinations such as:

• Flu vaccine

• Hepatitis A vaccine

• Hepatitis B vaccine

• Pneumonia vaccine (PPV)

 

What is the life expectancy of a person with end-stage renal disease?

The life expectancy for an individual receiving dialysis is about 5 to 10 years, though many people live for 20-30 years. People who have done kidney transplants tend to live 15 to 20 years.

 

Complications

 Health conditions that may cause end-stage kidney usually include:

 

• Anemia

• Bleeding from intestines or stomach

• Joint, bone, and muscle pain

• Changes in blood glucose levels

• Damage to arms and legs nerves

• Heart attack, heart failure and high blood pressure

• High levels of potassium

• Increased infection risk

• Liver damage or liver failure

• Malnutrition

• Infertility or miscarriages

• Restless legs syndrome

• Dementia, stroke, and seizures

• Edema and swelling

• Fractures related to low calcium and high phosphoruslevels

 

Prevention of end-stage kidney failure

In a few cases, there is no way to prevent end-stage kidney failure.

This is a case when this disease is due to malformation or genetic condition, injury, or infection. We can prevent end-stage kidney failure by changing diet and lifestyle. Dietary habits reduce the risk of developing high blood pressure and diabetes that are leading causes of ESRD. These changes may include:

 

• Maintaining a balanced body weight according to your height

• Taking a healthy, balanced diet

• Reducing  saturated fat intake

• Limiting or avoiding alcohol consumption

• Avoiding or limiting intake of sweetened drink and foods

• Reducing the intake of processed or heavily refined foods

• Getting enough exercise

• Get enough quality sleep

• Stay hydrated

 

Summary

End-stage kidney failure is the last stage of chronic kidney disease (CKD). There are a lot of symptoms of end-stage kidney failure. The most common signs of dying from end-stage renal failure are pain in various body parts, muscle cramps and frequent or less urination. Dialysis and kidney transplant are treatments for established renal failure. We can prevent it by adopting a healthy life-style.