Kidney Complications
The kidneys have a special role in our body, acting as filters to remove waste from your blood. Diabetes can affect the filtering system set up by the kidneys and cause it to not function as well or even to fail. When your kidneys fail, it leads to losing their ability to filter out the waste from your blood, which leads to kidney disease.
If you do not keep your blood sugar levels within the range determined by your doctor, your blood vessels and nerves can be damaged. Over time, this can cause issues such as kidney disease.
Diabetes can stop your kidneys from working properly. When kidneys no longer work well, they cannot clean waste out of your body. To check your kidneys and spot any potential problems, it’s important to test your urine for protein.
Below is a list of symptoms that may potentially indicate that you have kidney damage. Please talk with your health care provider about any of these symptoms at your next appointment.
- Swollen feet
- Confusion
- Dry itchy skin
- Very tired
- Not hungry
- Grouchy
Together, you and your healthcare provider can work on a plan that will fit your lifestyle and keep your blood sugar levels in check. If you take steps to get your diabetes under control, you will feel better today and for the months and years to come.