Why Is Chronic Kidney Disease Silent?

One thing that really surprised me about chronic kidney disease, or CKD, is that it is sometimes called a "silent disease." What does that even mean to us? Basically, it means that you can have the disease for a while without even knowing it. Then one day, it becomes more serious.

I wanted to share my experience with chronic kidney disease and how it scared me straight.  It wasn't until I started experiencing some symptoms that I even realized there was a problem. I just thought I was getting older.

I didn't think much of the "symptoms"

At first, I didn't think much of the occasional fatigue and trouble sleeping. But then, I started to notice that my appetite wasn't what it used to be. I was feeling more bloated than usual. It wasn't until a routine check-up with my doctor that I learned that my kidney numbers were dropping.

I was shocked to hear this and didn't even know anything was going on. But my doctor explained to me that it's common for CKD to be "silent" in its early stages. The kidneys are still able to filter waste products out of the blood. This is even when they're not functioning properly, so it can be hard to notice anything is wrong.

The kidneys are pretty good at filtering waste products out of the blood. They don't have to work properly for this. So, people with early-stage CKD may not have any symptoms at all. But, over time, the kidneys can become more and more damaged. This can cause complications like high blood pressure and bone disease. In some cases, it can even lead to kidney failure, which is pretty serious.

My doctor caught CKD early

Luckily, my doctor caught it early enough. We could work together to slow down the progression of the disease. I made some serious lifestyle changes, like eating a healthier diet and staying active. We monitored my kidney functions regularly.

The good news is that there's a simple blood test that can check your kidney function. If you catch it CKD early, there are treatments that can slow down the progression of the disease. It's important to get tested if you're at risk. Especially if you have high blood pressure, diabetes, or a family history of kidney disease.  I have all of the above.

It has been a couple of years now, and I'm grateful that I got tested and caught this early. If I had ignored those early symptoms, who knows how much worse it could have gotten? So, I want to encourage anyone who's at risk or experiencing any symptoms to talk to their doctor about getting tested. Don't wait until it's too late to take control of your kidney health.

Don't ignore the signs. Even though CKD is called a silent disease, it is not something to take lightly. Talk to your doctor about getting tested and taking control of your kidney health today. I know I's glad I did.