Who knows your body better than you do? By being more aware of its subtle changes, you may catch many diseases in the early stages, when they are easier to treat.
For chronic kidney disease (CKD), be aware if you have any of the following:
- High blood pressure.
- Blood and/or protein in your urine.
- More frequent urination, particularly at night; difficult or painful urination.
- Puffiness around eyes, swelling of hands and feet.
Get a blood and urine test immediately. Your doctor will tell you if these tests have the following results:
- A creatinine and Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN) blood test, outside the normal range. BUN and creatinine are waste that build up in your blood when your kidney function is reduced.
- A glomerular filtration rate (GFR) less than 60. GFR is a measure of kidney function.
Then it's time to take action and make the necessary changes to get your health back on track.
Having the testing for the donation process has been a great experience. Earlier I was told my cholesterol was a little high and my calcium was a bit low. By the next test, approximately 1 1/2 months later, both were adjusted to normal ranges.
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