First of all, allow me to introduce myself and give you a little background info about my family. My name is Traci and I am a 34 year old female in Rockland, Maine. Kidney problems seem to run in my family. My Nana (mother's mom) was overweight, had diabetes, heart problems, and eventually her kidneys shut down. I do not know if it was because of a specific kidney disease or not - although I am sure the fact that she loved sweets and was diabetic did not help any. My Nana had quadruple bypass surgery done (4 heart attacks) and died - she was still on dialysis. She was 81 I think. I believe she was a real trooper and hung on as long as she could. I think I have her willpower. She passed her problems down to the rest of us. My Uncle Ronnie had a cancerous tumor removed from one of his kidneys several years ago and - yes - he is overweight. My mother is overweight, diabetic, and up until recently showed some signs of kidney damage but is now doing ok. My brother had a history of kidney stones. Wow - this just keeps getting better.I had a biopsy done on my left kidney in Feb 1998 and the results showed that I have a kidney disease called IG Nephropathy. On Aug 8, 2006 I was hospitalized and diagnosed with End-Stage Renal Disease. I was in the ICU for 3-4 days as they could not get my BP down. For months I had been suffering from severe headaches only on the left side of my head and did not know what caused them. After I was diagnosed with the disease in 1998, my nephrologist just told me that he would prescribe me Metoprolol (for high BP) and said that THIS particular medicine will help minimize the amount of protein in my urine. That was all that was said to me. I was never even told that I had high BP at first. My PCP took me off of the Metoprolol, saying I did not need it as my BP is fine, in early 2006. I must of started getting the headaches about March - shortly after stopping. I was told in the hospital this: "Your kidneys have shut down. When someone has kidney problems they get high Blood Pressure. If BP is not treated then high BP will eventually lead to head pain. You normally get this pain only on one side of the head." I was yelled at for stopping my BP medicine when I told them over and over the Doctor who did this! Anyway - about 13 hours after any and all head discomfort went away I requested to be put in my own room. The attending nurse said my BP was still very high. I asked how much it was: 221/136. These numbers have been implanted in my head since then. I keep asking "If my BP was that high THEN after hours of feeling better, then I can only imagine how high it was when I was getting those severe headaches." I am so lucky to be alive.I had my fistula surgery on Aug 31, 2006 and was on Dialysis for a little over 3 years. On Dec 22, 2009 I received a successful kidney transplant from an anonymous deceased donor and it is still functioning great. No protein in my urine and my creatine is 1.1. But I suffer from so many other problems.............Honestly, I have wished that I was still on dialysis from about 2 weeks after I had the surgery. I felt so much better - mentally and physically - while I was on dialysis. Sorry guys, I am just giving my honest opinion. No one has to agree with me.
I Hate Dialysis Message Board
I Hate Dialysis Message Board
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