Chronic Kidney Disease
People with early-stage CKD may not show any symptoms until the disease progresses to a more advanced stage. When that happens, they may experience weakness, confusion, loss of appetite, ammonia-like breath odor, itchiness, pallor (pale skin), swollen feet and ankles, or frequent urination during the night. Doctors will carry out tests to determine an appropriate treatment plan for patients, including a creatinine blood test to measure kidney function and determine the GFR, as well as an ultrasound or CT scan of the kidneys and urinary tract. In some cases, the doctor will also do a biopsy of the kidney for testing. Since CKD is a condition which does not present early-stage symptoms, only the creatinine blood test to measure kidney function and determine the GFR can measure how much the disease has progressed.
Kidney Transplant
Some people with kidney failure may be able to have a kidney transplant. During transplant surgery, a healthy kidney from a donor is placed into your body. The new, donated kidney does the work that your two kidneys used to do. The donated kidney can only come from a living relative.
A kidney transplant is a treatment for kidney failure; it’s not a cure. You will need to take medicines every day to make sure your immune system doesn't reject the new kidney. You will also need to see your doctor regularly. A working transplanted kidney does a better job of filtering wastes and keeping you healthy than dialysis. However, a kidney transplant isn’t for everyone. Your doctor may tell you that you’re not healthy enough for transplant surgery.