What Everyone with Type 2 Diabetes Should Know About Kidney Disease

My family’s no stranger to diabetes and kidney disease. Here’s what you should know about them and how to prevent or delay complications.

Everyone in my family has or had type 1 or type 2 diabetes — including me — until recently.

On June 1, 2019, my sister received a double organ transplant (a new kidney and pancreas), essentially curing her of type 1 diabetes.

In September 2023, my brother passed away, awaiting a new kidney. He had heart disease and type 2 diabetes and was on dialysis for 2 years.

My father also had type 2 diabetes and died of heart disease in the early 2000s.

You could say we know a thing or two about diabetes and kidney disease, but that would be wrong. There’s so much we know — a lot of it firsthand — but still so much we don’t understand.

When you receive a type 2 diabetes diagnosis, the constantly changing information regarding treatments due to medical advancements can be overwhelming. So many new words are thrown at you, like blood glucose, counting carbohydrates, GLP-1 and GLP-2, insulin, and kidney disease.

Trust me when I say you’re not alone.

As someone who’s had type 2 diabetes for 20 years, I still have difficulty keeping up with the latest recommendations, but I do my best every day.

Read on to learn more about type 2 diabetes and kidney disease and how to prevent or delay complications down the road.

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What is diabetes-related kidney disease?

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), 1 in 3 people with diabetes has diabetes-related kidney disease. In fact, diabetes is the leading cause of kidney disease.

In the simplest of terms, over time, high blood glucose levels can damage the blood vessels in your kidneys and cause them not to function properly.

Your kidneys filter the blood in your body and remove toxins and waste. If they can’t do their job correctly, waste can build up in your body and cause all sorts of complications. Sometimes, it can take years for the effects of diabetes-related kidney disease to appear, and many signs and symptoms can go unnoticed.

If you have type 2 diabetes and are worried about kidney disease, here are a few signs and symptoms to watch how for:

• swelling in your hands or feet
• changes in urination, such as your urine is a darker color
• itching
• shortness of breath
• fatigue
• high blood pressure

While this isn’t an exhaustive list, if you notice any of these symptoms, check in with a healthcare professional immediately.

If your blood pressure continues to remain high, a doctor may consider prescribing you high blood pressure medication (like mine did) to manage the advancement of diabetes-related kidney disease.

How can I cope with the stress of managing my diabetes and kidney disease?

Living with a chronic health condition like type 2 diabetes can be stressful, especially in a world where jobs, families, and getting through the day sometimes take all of your energy.

As with any situation, managing stress comes down to a personal decision: What works for you?

Listen to music, watch funny videos, maybe play with your pets, or talk with a friend.

Some seek therapy or practice meditation, while others hit the gym to work on their fitness. For me, it’s walking. I try to walk daily, sometimes counting my steps as I go. I’m not looking for a specific number of steps or time limit, just long enough for my body to relax.

How can I keep my kidneys healthy if I have diabetes?

The best way to keep your kidneys healthy if you have diabetes is to do the best you can every day. It isn’t always easy, but consistency goes a long way in keeping or delaying the onset of diabetes-related kidney disease.

Here’s a list of tips you can practice daily to help you achieve success every day:

• Know your number: Follow your doctor’s recommendations for testing your blood glucose levels.
• Get active: While walking is my preferred movement, a recent knee injury has limited what I can do. Now, I flip on the TV and find a video online, usually from YouTube, and practice seated mobility exercises. I’ve done yoga, weight training, and even Tai chi — it opened up a new world of possibilities.
• Get regular checkups: Pretending like you don’t have diabetes isn’t going to make it go away. While checking your blood glucose regularly is best, having your doctor check your A1C (a 3-month average of your blood glucose levels) can give a clearer picture. Your blood pressure is also important, so your doctor will usually check it during every visit. Most importantly, get your pee tested. It’s often the first test that suggests diabetes-related kidney disease.
• Consider quitting smoking: If you smoke, consider reaching out for support to quit. Smoking can worsen any health condition, including diabetes and kidney disease.

By practicing all of the above, you can prevent or delay complications from diabetes. Remember, consistency is the key!

Takeaway

As for me and diabetes-related kidney disease, about a dozen years ago, my kidney function test came back abnormal. My doctor started me on a low-dose blood pressure medication, and thankfully, my kidney function tests have all come back normal.

If I can do it, so can you!