Symptoms

[Hope]

Hi guys,

Newbie here... I've been doing a lot of research on kidney failure and was dissapointed in what most websites list as "symptoms" of kidney disease. When I found this site, I read a few threads from members about RLS or leg cramps, but (If I remember correctly) everyone who experienced these symptoms said they started to experience it after they started dialysis. My friend was diagnosed with ESRD a couple of weeks ago, but he was expriencing SEVERE muscles cramps, usually at night, sometimes 3 to 4 times a night, before he learned of his condition and started dialysis. He also had random hiccups that would last for at least an hour, usually long after he had something to eat or drink. Then, just as randomly and suddenly as they came, they would dissapear. It just didn't make sense to me. I researched hiccups and muscle cramps/spasms and none of the websites mentioned anything about kidney failure. Anyway, If this question has been asked already, I apologize... I tried to read every thread but holy hell, that would take a year. How many of you experienced muscle spasms and/or frequent hiccups prior to starting dialysis? I'd say 98% of the websites I searched did not list these as kidney failure symptoms. So I'm wondering if these symptoms are uncommon?

Also, his attitude and personality changed for the worse. I thought he was being a jerk, but now I'm thinking all the toxins in his body and brain might have had something to do with the change in character and mood swings. Anyone else experience this?

[KICKSTART]

The reason most people get muscle cramps when they start on dialysis is due to the amount of fluid being taken off , this is what usually cases them. I wouldn't have thought that hiccups were a direct sign of kidney failure nor really relevant symptoms. As for the change in your friends personality he is probably just having a hard time coming to terms with being diagnosed, not everyone can deal with it and we all have different ways of coping, he is probably angry at the world right now. Its not always down to 'toxins' , we do have emotions as well . I would expect mood swings for quite some time partly due to actually kidney failure and partly due emotions. All you can do is be supportive and understanding and give him time to come to terms with it .

[rose1999]

Now you mention hiccups it reminds me that my Dad used to get random bouts ofthem for no apparent reason.  He was treated for an ulcer and told this was a symptom, but he didn't have an ulcer (he's not one to question what the Dr tells him) and since he's been on dialysis he's not had the hiccups. Perhaps we've made a discovery here??

[del]

My husband had restless legs and muscle cramps before he started dialysis.  When he started dia;ysis it got a lot better.  He found once on dialysis if his clearance wasn't good enough he would get restless legs.  One summer when he was on in center the doc cut his time on the machine back 1/2 hour. restles legs got really bad!!  Neither of us was getting any sleep at night. Didn't even thing that less time on dialysis would ause it.  When he told the neph about it he looked at the bloodwork. seems his creatinine was higher than usual.  Increased time he spend on the machine and restless legs disappeared.

[MIbarra]

I had muscle cramps and RLS before dialysis and neither after I was on dialysis for a while.

[Romona]

I had leg pain and muscle twitches before diagnosis.

[peleroja]

I wish I could remember where I read it, but severe irritability is one of the symptoms of kidney problems (don't know why).  Guess that explains why I've been such a bitch most of my life!!!!!

[Hope]

Now you mention hiccups it reminds me that my Dad used to get random bouts ofthem for no apparent reason. He was treated for an ulcer and told this was a symptom, but he didn't have an ulcer (he's not one to question what the Dr tells him) and since he's been on dialysis he's not had the hiccups. Perhaps we've made a discovery here??

1 out of 100 websites mentioned hiccups as one of the later symptoms of ESRD. If I didn't check every website I would have probably missed it. When my friend was admitted to the hospital he had 2% function left. I guess it's not that common?

I wish I could remember where I read it, but severe irritability is one of the symptoms of kidney problems (don't know why). Guess that explains why I've been such a bitch most of my life!!!!!

I read that on a few websites as well.

As for the change in your friends personality he is probably just having a hard time coming to terms with being diagnosed, not everyone can deal with it and we all have different ways of coping, he is probably angry at the world right now. Its not always down to 'toxins' , we do have emotions as well . 

Definitely, it's traumatic....I was noticing drastic mood swings.... He would be his usual self one day and someone nobody recognized the next day, starting about 6 months before he was diagnosed

[paris]

Yes, to leg cramps, RLS and mood swings and vomiting.  My neph said it is all part of ESRD.  Fluids, toxins building up is really hard on the body.  Your friend is fortunate to have someone who is trying  to understand this crazy journey he is on.

[stauffenberg]

Electrolytes in the body power the contraction of muscles, and since the patient's electrolyte balance is disturbed by kidney failure, these patients can suffer muscle cramping even before excess fluid withdrawal during dialysis causes muscle problems.

Renal failure also exposes the nervous system to toxins, and this toxic effect can induce repeated bouts of hiccuping.

Pope Pius XII was extremely worried about his gum recession, so he followed the advice of a quack dentist to rinse his mouth with tannic acid to correct that problem, and then mistakenly swallowed the tannic acid afterward.  This caused the Pope to suffer intractable hiccuping for years afterwards, and he was so distressed by this that he sent a message to Roman Catholics all over the world, asking them to send any advice they could give as to how to stop hiccups.  The Vatican was flooded with letters, but it is not recorded whether His Holiness ever found a useful home remedy among them.

[RichardMEL]

Yes I had cramps in my legs for years before I started dialysis. It would usually happen in the middle of the night and wake me up in heaps of pain... and usually when my cat was sitting on me so when I shot up out of bed someone was very unhappy with me... lol

[Deanne]

I'm pre-ESRD at 25% function and have had bouts of cramps for about 10 years. I'll get them regularly for a while, then they go away for months at a time. I didn't know that about irritability! For the past few years I've noticed I get more irritable than I used to, too. I thought I was staying the same, but everyone else in the world was just getting more and more annoying!