Kidney failure diagnosis

[yogen]

Is there any symptom prior to kidney failure?  Usually, after damage of both kidneys, it’s only then we grab the disease.  What are the precautions and how to diagnose premature occurrence of the disease?

[frijole]

I am sorry.  This forum is for hepatitis patients - no doctors present - and we don't know anything about kidney disease.  You might try one of the other MedHelp forums.
frijole

[alagirl]

Actually, I think this question has a lot of merit and I don't think we should be so quick to dismiss it.  Studies have shown that the rate of kidney disease in people with hcv is much much higher, and that is AFTER correcting for those people who had renal issues prior to contracting hcv, or who contracted it as a result of their treatment for renal disease.  One of the problems caused by hcv can be Cryoglobulinemia, where protein globs stick together in the blood and lead to renal issues: http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/hepatitis/hepatitis-c.html

A very recent study among veterans found that after adjusting for any other factors, those who had hep c were 40% more likely to develop renal issues.

http://cjasn.asnjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/2/4/715

It can also cause vasculitis

http://rheumatology.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/41/6/708

There are many "extrahepatic" which basically means, "outside the liver" manisfestation of hepatitis c.  I think that most doctors just aren't reading the research and tend to treat them as issues that have nothing to do with the hep c even though they coincidentally form after the disease has taken hold.  So they treat them as seperate issues instead of treating them with the hep c.

Yogen, I don't know the specific symptoms of renal failure other than possibly the passage of small amounts of very dark urine, and retained fluid in the body.  I know that it is at times related to very high blood pressure as well.  But the first thing to do if you suspect you are having problems would be, always, to let your physician know.  Especially in this case, because renal failure can progress extremely rapidly.  He might be able to draw blood to check levels related to your kidney function, such as creatinine, etc.  There are also procedures they can do to check your blood vessels - I have no idea what they are called - but you and your physician should decide what's necessary in your case.

[copyman]

most chronic kindey disease takes up to 10 years to develop. it is very rare that it will be rapid. have blood & urine tests.

[alagirl]

for someone who is asymptomatic that's true.  however, for someone writing in to the board, i'm assuming they're writing because they feel they may have symptoms of renal issues.  in that case, it can progress quickly.  

there are also toxins, medications, inflammation, and glomerulonephritis - one of risk factors from hep c - that can cause renal failure in a very short amount of time.  In this case, however, I think we are both advising the same thing, that he or she seek a workup to assess the status of the kidneys since its quite impossible for either of us to magically guess the status.

http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/rapidly-progressive-crescentic-glomerulonephritis/overview.html

http://www.medem.com/medlb/article_detaillb.cfm?article_ID=ZZZCFVFA09D&sub_cat=323

[mindlesley]

Symptoms and signs of kidney failure, from my experience and knowledge of physiology:
1. Pain in lower back or even abdomen (rarely)
2. Urinary changes: less volume of urine or sometimes more frequent, usually lighter in color, not dark - thats hep C. Failing kidneys cant concentrate the urine.
3. Unusual fatigue, daytime sleepiness and/or insomnia.
4. Difficulty walking long distances. Legs feel dead! (Uremic peripheral neuropathy)
5. High blood pressure. Needs to be checked sitting, standing and lying down.
6. High jugular pressure. Dr. needs to check vein in your neck.
7. Feeling ill after eating high protein food and/or fatty or hi phosphate food.
8. Itchiness especially after eating the above.
Hope that this is at least a guide for you. Some are a bit hard to distinguish from the Hep C signs and symptoms but a good doctor can help with this. Sorry I took so long to reply to this post hope you're OK. Mindy xxx