Kidney disease from diabetes can lead to symptoms as fluid and waste build up in the body. It’s called diabetic nephropathy or diabetic kidney disease.
Your doctor may test your urine for albumin, a protein that shows up when the kidneys are damaged. He or she also will check your blood pressure.
1. Nausea and Vomiting
Nausea and vomiting can occur with many diseases or conditions. If the nausea and vomiting are severe or lasting, causes dehydration, or occurs alongside other symptoms of diabetic nephropathy, you should talk to your doctor right away.
Diabetic nephropathy is the progressive kidney disease that results from diabetes. It affects 30-40% of people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes, and can lead to kidney failure if not treated. The kidneys are two organs on either side of your lower back that filter water and toxins (waste) from your blood, allowing them to leave your body in the form of urine. Your kidneys also make hormones that control your blood pressure and other vital functions.
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When you have diabetic nephropathy, high levels of sugar in your blood cause the small blood vessels in your kidneys to become damaged. This damage leads to the formation of scar tissue that can cause protein to leak out of the kidneys and into your pee. Your doctor can diagnose this condition by performing a urinalysis, which examines the visual, chemical and microscopic aspects of your urine.
In the early stages of diabetic nephropathy, your urine may be foamy. The proteins in your urine are called albumins and a high level of them is a sign that the glomeruli (glo-mare-uhl-is) in your kidney have become damaged. In stage 1, the glomeruli aren’t damaged enough to cause other symptoms, and your GFR is still normal.
As the disease progresses, you will probably need dialysis or a kidney transplant. The best way to prevent nephropathy is to get consistent treatment for your diabetes, maintain a healthy weight, and exercise regularly. You should also check your blood pressure and blood sugar often, and avoid foods that are high in fat, sodium or sugar.
2. Shortness of Breath
Your kidneys are two organs on the sides of your lower back that filter excess water and toxins (waste) from your blood, which leaves your body in your urine. They also make hormones that control your blood pressure and manage other important functions. If you have diabetes, high blood sugar can damage the tiny blood vessels that your kidneys use to filter fluids. The resulting damage is called diabetic nephropathy.
Your doctor can tell if you have diabetic nephropathy by looking at the protein in your urine. If your urine contains albumin, a protein, it’s a sign of kidney damage. Your doctor can also test your blood for creatinine (kree-tah-lin), a chemical that shows how well your kidneys are working. They may also order a kidney biopsy to see how your kidneys are functioning. During a kidney biopsy, your healthcare provider will numb the area with an anesthetic and remove a small sample of one or both kidneys to look at under a microscope.
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As kidney disease progresses, waste can build up to poisonous levels in your blood. This can cause many problems, including shortness of breath. In some cases, it can even lead to a coma.
You can prevent or slow the progression of diabetic nephropathy by controlling your blood sugar and taking your diabetes medicines as directed. You should also check your blood pressure regularly. High blood pressure can speed up the damage to your kidneys. You should also eat a healthy diet and avoid smoking or other tobacco products. Tobacco can increase your risk of developing diabetes-related kidney disease.
3. Weight Gain
A third of people with diabetes develop kidney disease, which is also called diabetic nephropathy. The disease is caused by long-standing high blood sugar levels that damage small blood vessels in the kidneys. The damaged vessels allow protein to leak into urine (proteinuria).
The kidneys filter waste and help balance the body’s fluids and electrolytes, which are minerals like sodium and potassium. Each kidney contains over a million tiny blood vessels called nephrons. The nephrons contain groups of kidney cells called glomeruli. Glomeruli have semi-permeable membranes that let water and soluble waste products pass through. These substances leave the body in the urine (pee).
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If you have diabetic nephropathy, the glomeruli may become damaged. Then, they can’t filter as well. This makes it harder for your body to get rid of the extra water and salt it stores. The extra water and salt can make you gain weight. The extra water can also make your skin swell up, and it can cause your feet to tingle and hurt. Your doctor can diagnose diabetic nephropathy by looking at your urine. The test checks for the presence of a protein called albumin. The test can be done in a sample of your urine, usually taken first thing in the morning or at the time of a medical visit.
Diabetic nephropathy progresses through five stages, from mild kidney damage to kidney failure. During the early stages, you might not have any symptoms. The condition can be reversed in the early stages if you control your blood glucose level and blood pressure with diet, exercise and medicines. The medicines include both insulin and oral diabetes medications. Keeping your blood glucose level in the normal range and avoiding blood-pressure medicines that contain contrast dye can slow the progression of the disease.
4. Nausea and Vomiting After Eating
If you have diabetes, it can affect how your kidneys work, leading to a type of kidney disease called diabetic nephropathy. This condition can lead to a buildup of waste products in your body, which can cause nausea and vomiting after eating.
Diabetic nephropathy may be hard to diagnose in its early stages, since you can have protein in your pee without having any other symptoms. To check for protein in your pee, your healthcare provider will use a special test called a urine dipstick. The dipstick contains a strip of paper coated with chemicals that change color when they come into contact with protein in your urine. The strip also measures the amount of creatinine, a substance made by your kidneys, in your pee. You can also have a 24-hour urine collection to measure the levels of albumin and creatinine, but this is more time-consuming and prone to errors than a spot urine sample.
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If the damage to your kidneys is more advanced, you may need dialysis or a kidney transplant to remove waste and excess fluid from your blood. Dialysis can be done at a dialysis center in three or four-hour sessions several times a week. It can also be done at home using a peritoneal dialysis method that allows sterile fluid to flow into your abdominal cavity through a catheter placed under the skin.
You can lower your risk of getting diabetic nephropathy by keeping your blood glucose level as close to normal as possible and following your healthcare provider’s recommendations for diet and exercise. You can also protect your kidneys by not smoking or taking any over-the-counter or herbal medications without checking with your doctor first.
