No energy and kidney failure

[jambo101]

 As my kidney failure progresses i find i have less and less energy to the point now where i dont feel like doing anything but going back to bed. i was wondering what it is about kidney failure that causes the lack of energy. Also how much energy will be restored once i start dialysis.

[Mr Ken]

As my kidney failure progresses i find i have less and less energy to the point now where i dont feel like doing anything but going back to bed. i was wondering what it is about kidney failure that causes the lack of energy. Also how much energy will be restored once i start dialysis.

Low Hemoglobin - Kidney's produce a hormone that causes bone marrow to produce red blood cells. If this hormone is reduced then you are not producing large amounts of red blood cells. Also Iron is key. Low iron will impact how you feel. This is why you most likely will be getting epergen (sp) shots.... Those buggers play an important role in keeping your electrolytes in check.... Once they are knocked out Pandora's box is released. Protein, calcium, iron, phosphates, hemoglobin, potassium......... All have to be monitored and controlled by you on what you eat....... Welcome to dialysis.

Ken


 

[GA_DAWG]

Fluid buildup also will cause you to have a lower oxygen level in your blood that adds to tiredness. I admit I never knew exactly how many things kidneys did until mine decided not to work.

[kitkatz]

Low energy can be caused by:
Low hemoglobin
Fluid build up.
Lack of protein in your diet and body due to low protein diet required
Diet requirements are not being met for your body.
High rates of TOXINS in your bloodstream.

[Whamo]

  You might try a protein meal before you hook up.  Better yet, take amino acids to supplement your protein intake.  I use Advanced Bionutritionals' "Perfect Amino":

[Riki]

I think kitkatz hit everything, at least anything I can think of. *G*

Anything that your kidneys are no longer doing can pull down your energy levels.  Dialysis can restore some of it, but not right away, and probably not completely.  Everybody is different and dialysis will affect them differently.  Some people are able to continue with full time jobs while on dialysis, while others just don't have the energy to keep a job anymore.  Myself, for instance, am in college full time, but by the end of the day, I'm dragging my butt home and can't wait to crawl into bed for a nap.  You'll find that how you feel after dialysis can vary too.  Some people are full of energy and ready to go, while others are just drained.  I'm the latter, which is why I love my evening shifts.  I can just go home and go to bed. *G*

I will say that if you are at a point where you're unable to do anything, it might be time to think about starting dialysis.  Most people want to wait until it's absolutely necessary, but if you start earlier, it's easier to bounce back.

[Charlie B53]

My diet is high in protein.

I have a couple of eggs daily.  Another meal is a lean cut of steak or a thick chop, either well trimmed of fat. I really need to think about eating a vegetable once in a while.

Egg Nog in season but I have to be careful with that as the  fluid volume adds up quickly.

Dr prescribed the Renal Vitamin.  Labs also indicated I was VERY low on Vit D.  I take two different types of the three available.  You will have to check with your Neph as not all forms of Vit D will work with Renal Patients.  Initially my Pain Dr noticed the Vit D deficiency and prescribed one form of Vit D.  Neph noticed it was the wrong type for us, canceled that and ordered the other two.

Iron is tested regularly and added as needed during treatment.  Same with the epogen replacement that is used to help increase red blood cell production.

I am still tired all the time.  Wondering if I need to find me a new coke dealer.

[PrimeTimer]

Epo will become your new best friend. He will make a world of difference to you. For some people it is Procrit. For others it is Mircera. 

Meant to add that if you do dialysis at a center they will give these injections during or after dialysis. When my husband and I did hemodialysis at home he gave himself Epo injections.




self-edited to add injection info.

[Riki]

Epo will become your new best friend. He will make a world of difference to you. For some people it is Procrit. For others it is Mircera. 

Another option may be Aranesp.  I was told that it lasts longer so you don't need as many injections.  When I was on it, I got it once every 2 weeks, though when I was on EPO, it was 3 times a week.

In our unit, everyone gets iron at least once every 2 weeks.  It's given by IV through the machine.  It'll either ben Venofer or Feralicit.  the Feralicit actually dropped my blood pressure.

I'm at a point now where I don't need either, but I still take an iron pill daily.

[Simon Dog]

Another long lasting ESA is Mircera, with is pretty much pegylated EPO.   I got the OK with the hemo guy at the BNMC (big name medical center) before I OK'ed the switch since alarm bells go off when I suspect a change is being suggested to improve clinic profits.    He sent me two medical journal studies - one that proved Mircera had more frequent side effects and one proving that EPO had more frequent side effects.   Overall, he approved the switch.

Epo will become your new best friend. He will make a world of difference to you. For some people it is Procrit. For others it is Mircera. 

Procrit is another name for EPO.   Which name is used depends on the target market (WTF?).  Mircera is time released EPO.

Nephs target an HGB in the 9-10 range, which is lower than normal by several points.  This is done to reduce the risk of thrombolytic side effects.

[rcjordan]

>Mircera

I'm with Fresenius, so I get Mircera.

The US Renal Anemia Market Sees Some Shifting As Mircera Use Expands Beyond Fresenius Medical Care Clinics and Auryxia Makes its Debut with a New Iron Deficiency Anemia Indication in the Pre-Dialysis Setting

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-us-renal-anemia-market-sees-some-shifting-as-mircera-use-expands-beyond-fresenius-medical-care-clinics-and-auryxia-makes-its-debut-with-a-new-iron-deficiency-anemia-indication-in-the-pre-dialysis-setting-300644443.html

In the dialysis setting, brand share for ESAs is largely aligned with unit ownership – Amgen's Epogen is dominant in DaVita units, Roche/Vifor Pharma's Mircera leads in FMC units, and Amgen's Aranesp is the market leader in independent and small-to-medium sized dialysis chains.  In Q1 2018, a higher percentage of nephrologists in independent units and smaller dialysis chains reported use of Roche's Mircera, the first inkling of an expansion beyond the original agreement with Fresenius Medical Care which was established in May 2015.  Indeed, more than one-third of the nephrologists reported an increase in their use of Mircera in the dialysis setting in the past three months.  In contrast, 20% report decreased use of Epogen and 14% report decreased use of Aranesp, indicating pressure on Amgen's ESA franchise.

[rcjordan]

<added>

>Nephs target an HGB in the 9-10 range, which is lower than normal by several points

I'm at 10.2 and feel exhausted almost all the time.