Create a plan that empowers you to take charge of your kidney health and live your best life. Managing kidney health involves understanding your treatment options, making informed decisions, and developing a personalized plan. Work with your healthcare team to create a plan that works best for your lifestyle and stage of kidney disease.
How you manage your chronic kidney disease (CKD) depends on the cause of your kidney disease, how well your kidneys are working and what stage of kidney disease you have.
There are healthy lifestyle habits you can make to prevent kidney disease from progressing and help you feel you best.
Your doctor may prescribe medicines to help manage symptoms, slow down progression of your disease, or help prevent other kidney-related problems. Your doctor may also prescribe medicines to help manage health conditions that can cause CKD, such as high blood pressure or diabetes. It’s important to talk with your doctor about which medicines they recommend to help you manage your symptoms and prevent further damage to your kidneys.
When you have kidney failure (also called end-stage renal disease, or ESRD), it means your kidneys have stopped working. You will need to start dialysis or receive a kidney transplant in order to live.
Dialysis is a treatment to clean your blood when your kidneys are not able to. It helps your body remove waste and extra fluids in your blood. It does some of the work that your kidneys did when they were healthy. There are 2 types of dialysis, hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis.
A kidney transplant is a surgery to give you a healthy kidney from someone else's body. A kidney transplant may come from a living donor or from a deceased donor. A kidney transplant is not a cure, but a treatment for kidney failure. You will need to take medicines and take special care of your transplanted kidney for the rest of your life.
You may choose not to start dialysis or get a kidney transplant, and some people who start dialysis decide to stop. Medical management refers to supportive care and treatment to manage your symptoms and live comfortably – without dialysis or transplant. It is important to understand that medical management, which can include pain management, counseling and discussions about end-of-life preferences, is not treatment for kidney failure and will not keep you alive.
Managing your CKD involves working together with a team of healthcare professionals. Each member brings unique skills and experience to make sure you receive care that addresses your specific needs and improves your overall well-being. Work with your healthcare team to decide together on the best steps to manage your health:
Talk with your healthcare team about options for managing your CKD based on your stage and the cause of your kidney disease.
Your opinion and what you prefer really matter. It's important to talk openly with your healthcare team. This builds trust and ensures decisions are based on your goals and lifestyle.
Shared decisions between you and your healthcare team should consider your quality of life, balancing the benefits and burdens of various treatment options.
Your plan can be changed as your needs and health change. It's about keeping it right for you.
Living with kidney disease can take a toll on your mental and emotional health. The stress of taking lots of medicines, thinking about what you can eat or being on dialysis can be overwhelming. It is normal to have emotional ups and downs from time to time, but when those feelings become more frequent or more serious, getting help from a professional can make it easier for you to cope and feel less overwhelmed.
Another important piece of your kidney disease plan is understanding your health insurance coverage. It's important to talk with your insurance provider abouts costs for lab tests, medicines, dialysis, and other necessary treatments.
Additionally, tapping into local community resources can provide valuable support. These resources may include support groups, getting emergency aid, and financial assistance programs. Search the American Kidney Fund’s Community Resource Finder find help paying your bills, accessing health care, options for food and house assistance, and help with transportation to your doctor’s visits.
Managing your kidney disease should be unique to you. Use this tool to build a plan of action based on your needs to help you manage your health and feel your best.
Learn more about kidney disease and prevention
Understand your complete diagnosis to get the best treatment for your kidney disease
