Diabetes and kidney disease are extremely serious diseases, and both can be fatal if left untreated. It is possible to contract kidney disease from diabetes. In order to better understand the connection, it is important to understand diabetes and the role the kidneys play with this disease.
Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic condition that occurs when the body is unable to produce enough insulin (type 1 diabetes) or when the cells are unable to utilize insulin (type 2 diabetes). The insulin hormone is used by the fat and muscle cells in the body to help absorb and metabolize blood glucose.
When the cells in the body are unable to absorb and metabolize blood sugar, the glucose levels rise and this can cause serious damage to the body. This is when the kidneys try to pick up the slack to rid the blood of the excess sugar.
The kidneys are the blood filtering system in the body. Each kidney is home to tons of little “sponges” that pull toxins out of the blood and send them into the urinary tract to be discarded. The kidneys are capable of filtering out the excess blood sugar for a short period of time. However, after a little while, the kidneys start to become damaged and this can lead to kidney disease and eventually kidney failure.
Diabetes Kidney Disease Symptoms
Diabetes and kidney disease can share several symptoms. However, these symptoms usually present in people who have not been diagnosed with diabetes yet. The symptoms of diabetes can be fairly noticeable. However, symptoms for kidney disease are usually fairly vague.
This is why it is so important for diabetics to monitor blood sugar regularly. It is also important to check the urine for glucose on a regular basis. The best way to determine if diabetes is affecting the kidneys is by detecting glucose in the urine.
According to the American Diabetes Association, symptoms for diabetes include excessive hunger/thirst, frequent urination, sleepiness, vision changes, and fruity smelling breath/sweat/urine.
Symptoms of kidney disease can include many of the symptoms of diabetes plus confusion, irritation, dizziness, blurred/double vision, and on rare occasions, loss of consciousness.
Treatment For Diabetes And Chronic Kidney Disease
The best treatment for chronic kidney disease and diabetes is prevention. If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, it is extremely important to follow the treatment plan prescribed by your physician to prevent complications such as kidney disease. If your diabetes treatment plan does not seem to be controlling your blood sugar levels adequately, contact your physician to discuss other treatment options.
Treatment options for kidney disease due to diabetes are not good. There are certain medications that can help with kidney disease for a period of time. However, once kidney failure occurs, the only options are dialysis or a kidney transplant. That is why it is so important to control diabetes and protect your kidneys!
