Ayesha’s condition is now Stage 5 of Chronic Kidney Disease

A person with stage 5 chronic kidney disease has end stage renal disease (ESRD) with a glomerular filtration rate (GFR) of 15 ml/min or less. At this advanced stage of kidney disease, the kidneys have lost nearly all their ability to do their job effectively, and eventually dialysis or a kidney transplant is needed to live.

Symptoms of stage 5 CKD

Symptoms that can occur in stage 5 CKD include:

▪ Loss of appetite

▪ Nausea or vomiting

▪ Headaches

▪ Being tired

▪ Being unable to concentrate

▪ Itching

▪ Making little or no urine

▪ Swelling, especially around the eyes and ankles

▪ Muscle cramps

▪ Tingling in hands or feet

▪ Changes in skin color

▪ Increased skin pigmentation

Because the kidneys are no longer able to remove waste and fluids from the body, toxins build up in the blood, causing an overall ill feeling. Kidneys also have other functions they are no longer able to perform such as regulating blood pressure, producing the hormone that helps make red blood cells and activating vitamin D for healthy bones.

Dialysis treatments for people with stage 5 CKD

Most people report feeling much better once they begin dialysis. As the toxins are removed from the blood medicines replace the functions the kidneys can no longer perform, they find they can enjoy a good quality of life.

There are two types of dialysis treatments for people with stage 5 kidney disease which Ayesha is undergoing:

Hemodialysis: This treatment that can be done in a center or in a patient’s home with assistance from a care partner. A dialysis machine removes a small amount of a patient’s blood through a man-made membrane called a dialyzer, or artificial kidney, to clean out toxins that the kidneys can no longer remove. The filtered blood is then returned to the body.

Peritoneal dialysis (PD): Unlike hemodialysis, PD is a needle-free treatment and a care partner is not required to to help assist during treatment. PD can be performed at home or at work.

Kidney transplant is another treatment option

When at stage 5 CKD, either dialysis or a kidney transplant is necessary to continue living.