About this topic
The kidneys are bean-shaped organs in the back of your belly, just above your waist. They filter your blood and get rid of waste products and extra fluid from your body. The waste is turned into urine. Sometimes, your kidneys do not work well. Kidney failure is an illness where your kidney stops cleaning waste from the blood. ‚
Kidney failure may be: ‚
- Acute ¢ ˆ ’ Happens all of a sudden. It may be caused by infection, drugs, chemicals, or trauma.
- Chronic ¢ ˆ ’ Happens slowly over time. It may be caused by illnesses like high blood pressure or diabetes. It may cause weight loss, headaches, muscle cramps, changes in skin color, unusual itching, and sleeping troubles.
The doctor uses urine and blood lab tests, as well as CT scans to diagnose this condition. Doctors need to treat this illness to make your kidneys work again. If your kidneys are badly damaged, your doctor will need to use a machine or procedure called dialysis to remove the waste products from your blood. Sometimes, a new healthy kidney from someone else is used to replace your kidneys. This is a kidney transplant. ‚
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What care is needed at home?
- Ask your doctor what you need to do when you go home. Make sure you ask questions if you do not understand what the doctor says. This way you will know what you need to do.
- Make sure to take all of the drugs ordered by your doctor.
- You may need dialysis until your kidneys are able to work well.
- If you had a catheter placed for your dialysis treatments, you will be taught how to care for the catheter.
- If surgery was done, keep your wound clean and dry for the first 24 hours. Do not touch your wound or dressing if you have not washed your hands yet.
- You can take a shower when your doctor tells you to. You may use soap and water to wash your wound. Make sure not to soak it. Gently towel-dry the wound afterwards.
- Keep your legs above the level of your heart when in bed. This may help with your bodys blood flow and lower swelling in your feet.
- If you have had a transplant, your doctor will give you drugs to keep your body from rejecting your new kidney.
- Learn how to take your blood pressure and keep your pressure within a normal range. Take your blood pressure drugs as ordered by your doctor.
- You may need to limit the amount of water and fluids that you drink. Your doctor will tell you how much you can have each day. If you have extra fluid in your body, problems can happen.
What follow-up care is needed?
- Your condition needs close monitoring. Your doctor may ask you to make visits to the office to check on your progress. Be sure to keep these visits.
- Your doctor will tell you if you need other tests. These may include lab tests and, if needed, a piece of tissue from your kidney or biopsy may be tested.
- If you are on peritoneal dialysis, you will need to attend sessions to learn how to do this procedure at home.
- If you have stitches or staples, you will need to have them taken out. Your doctor will often want to do this in 1 to 2 weeks.
What drugs may be needed?
Your doctor may order drugs to: ‚
- Help with pain
- Prevent or fight an infection
- Remove body fluids
- Control blood pressure
- Raise your bodys red blood cells
- Balance your body's minerals
Will physical activity be limited?
- Your body needs time to recover. Get lots of rest.
- If surgery was done, avoid activities that tire you out and ask your doctor how much weight you can lift.
What changes to diet are needed?
- You need to limit your food and fluid intake. Your doctor will tell you what you can and cannot eat. This will help lessen the work of your recovering kidneys.
- Eat high-carb, low-protein meals. Some foods high in good carbs are:
- Fresh fruit like oranges, apples, pears, peaches, and watermelon
- Veggies like broccoli, spinach, carrots, tomatoes, and cabbage
- Limit your salt by not using table salt, sauces, canned foods, salted snacks, and foods that are cured.
- Cut back on the number of calories you eat if you are on peritoneal dialysis. The sugar in the fluid used for dialysis can make you gain weight.
What problems could happen?
- Heart, brain, liver, lung problems
- High blood pressure
- Anemia
- Infection
- Bleeding
- New kidney is rejected
What can be done to prevent this health problem?
- Avoid taking drugs that are not prescribed by your doctor. Some drugs are very harmful for your kidneys.
- If you have an illness like diabetes or heart problems, visit your doctor often. This may help prevent problems that can harm your kidneys.
- Talk with your doctor about how much water you need each day to keep your kidneys working well. If your body gets less water than it needs, fluid loss can happen. This problem makes your kidneys work harder and can cause harm. Carry a water bottle with you so you can drink during the day to keep your fluids at a normal level.
- If you have an infection and you see changes in your urine, see your doctor right away.
When do I need to call the doctor?
- Signs of infection. These include a fever of 100.4 ‚ °F (38 ‚ °C) or higher, chills, pain with passing urine, wound that will not heal.
- Swelling in your legs, ankles, and feet. Puffy eyelids and face.
- No urine for more than 6 hours
- Sudden problems with breathing, chest pain, and belly pain
- Weakness of the legs
- Upset stomach and throwing up
- Health problem is not better or you are feeling worse
Helpful tips
- Stay away from dirty water. Do not swim in pools or lakes that seem dirty.
- Wear loose clothing that will not rub on your dialysis tube or wound site.
- If you have a family member or relative with kidney disease, visit your doctor for an exam.
- Try to wait 2 years after having a kidney transplant before planning a pregnancy.
- Use a water bottle with markings to keep track of how much you drink.
- Stay away from crowded places and from people who may have an infection.
Teach Back: Helping You Understand
The Teach Back Method helps you understand the information we are giving you. The idea is simple. After talking with the staff, tell them in your own words what you were just told. This helps to make sure the staff has covered each thing clearly. It also helps to explain things that may have been a bit confusing. Before going home, make sure you are able to do these: ‚
- I can tell you about my condition.
- I can tell you what changes I need to make with my diet or drugs.
- I can tell you what I will do if I have swelling in my legs, ankles, feet, eyelids, or face.
Where can I learn more?
KidsHealth ‚
http://kidshealth.org/kid/health_problems/bladder/kidney_conditions.html ‚
National Kidney Disease Education Program ‚
http://www.nkdep.nih.gov/patients/healthy_kidneys.htm ‚
National Kidney Foundation ‚
http://www.kidney.org/atoz/pdf/choosing_treat.pdf ‚
The Kidney & Urology Foundation of America ‚
http://www.kidneyurology.org/Library/Kidney_Health/Kidney_Failure.php ‚
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
Copyright
Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚