The leading cause of kidney failure in the United States is diabetic chronic kidney disease. It is a fact that you better get used to if you are a diabetic. The sure progression of diabetic chronic kidney disease is to end up with kidney failure. The best way to slow or prevent this progression is to treat your diabetes. The problem is that diabetic chronic kidney disease so often leads to kidney failure because the patient doesn’t know they even have a problem for a long period of time.
In the United States, about 24 million people have diabetes. About a fourth of them, or 6 million people, don’t know they have it and remain undiagnosed. So the obvious thing to do is to get your glucose levels tested yearly. If you catch it in the early stages, you have the best chance of managing your diabetes naturally without having to resort to insulin.
So What if I Already Have Diabetic Chronic Kidney Disease?
Current consensus is that controlling high blood pressure is the best way to control kidney disease. Of course, with diabetic chronic kidney disease, strictly controlling the blood sugar levels is almost as important in controlling the disease, and of upmost importance to controlling your diabetes. Ideally, you will gain control of your diabetes before diabetic chronic kidney disease sets in, and before any kidney damage at all occurs.
Diabetes causes damage to the small blood vessels throughout the entire body, affecting all the organs and body tissues. Diabetics often develop high blood pressure and hardening of the arteries which also creates a risk factor for eye disorders and heart disease. Research shows that high blood pressure is the single most important predictor for diabetes developing into diabetic chronic kidney disease. Certain medicines that control blood pressure are also more effective in preventing diabetic chronic kidney disease so you should ask your doctor about these.
What are some Symptoms of Diabetic Chronic Kidney Disease?
- Protein in the urine
- High blood pressure
- Leg swelling, especially around the ankles
- Increased need to urinate, particularly at night
- Abnormal blood tests, such as creatinine and GFR tests
- Less need for insulin or anti-diabetic pills for no apparent reason
- Morning sickness, nausea and vomiting
- Weakness, pallor and anemia
- Diabetic eye disease
If you have these symptoms, you need to begin seriously looking at all ways of controlling your blood sugar and also your high blood pressure. Along with the traditional medical approaches, there are many natural, alternative treatments you can use to manage both diabetes and high blood pressure. Don’t let diabetic chronic kidney disease be your killer!
