A guide to taking care of yourself if you have idiopathic polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD)

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Leading a healthy life, managing disease, seeking advice from a doctor, and following self-care suggestions are all effective ways for patients with polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) - an inherited disease. dominant in adults.

1. Have a healthy diet

Although there is no specific diet recommended for people with polycystic kidney disease, eating the right foods can help you stay healthy and prevent complications. Making good food choices can help slow the growth of cysts, prevent diabetes, heart problems, and speed up recovery time from treatments like dialysis and transplants.
You need to eat less salt and less protein, eat more foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, choose high-fiber carbohydrates and limit foods rich in potassium. Talk to your doctor about your diet. They will make recommendations based on your test results. and recommend foods that you like.

2. Enhance initiative

Exercise will help you feel better and keep your weight right. It also helps lower blood pressure, manage stress, and improve muscle strength and heart health. When it feels right, your body will respond better to dialysis and the transplant.
Choose for yourself a type of exercise that you feel good about and that you enjoy. Doing activities like walking, biking, or swimming are good suggestions. And remember to try to maintain it on a regular basis and don't forget to hydrate the body.
Some sports like football, rugby, basketball, hockey, boxing and kickboxing may be more risky. Repetitive sports like horseback riding and cross-country cycling can also damage your kidneys. Before you start any exercise program, talk to your doctor and tell him or her right away if you notice blood in your urine or stomach pain.

3. Don't smoke when you have polycystic kidney disease

Smoking is one of the major causes of cardiovascular disease and can lead to complications with idiopathic polycystic kidney disease. It can speed the progression of ADPKD and lead to kidney damage.

4. Pain Control

Pain is very normal with polycystic kidney disease. You may feel pain in your back, side, or stomach. Everyone has a different level of tolerance for this pain. Doctors often take a step-ladder approach to pain management. This approach begins with giving the patient acetaminophen or another medication for mild or moderate pain.
If it doesn't work, your doctor may refer or refer you to a clinic that specializes in pain management. These clinics have a variety of tools for pain management, such as medical, psychological, and interventional therapies. They may suggest a combination of methods, like biofeedback and joining a support group. Try different approaches to find out what works best for you. Many hospitals have pain clinics that are part of the anesthesiology department.

5. Enhance your connection

Getting out and doing activities with others can help you feel better. Join a support group if you can so you can talk about your feelings, share stories, and get advice from others living with ADPKD. If possible, participate in activities such as an annual PKD walk to raise awareness about the disease at the local or national level, join a PKD organization and participate in activities chapter or fundraiser, participating can also help you learn about new advancements and connect with others.

6. You need a break

Relaxation can be a challenge to manage idiopathic polycystic kidney symptoms amid the hustle and bustle of work, family, relationships and other responsibilities. Pay attention to balance when you realize you're feeling stressed, anxious, or overwhelmed, and do something that helps you relax or feel better. Take a break and try a new hobby or take a weekend getaway and maybe talk to someone to make you feel more comfortable.

7. Nurture your emotions

It is normal to worry about the health and future of the person with polycystic kidney disease and the impact on your family. You may feel grief or a sense of regret for the life you had before ADPKD. Give yourself time to process the pain. Taking the time to deal with it will help you get ready to move forward. Talking to friends, family, or other people living with ADPKD about your feelings can help.

8. Seeking help

When you have a chronic illness like ADPKD, it's normal to feel depressed or anxious. Talk to your doctor if you feel irritable, have trouble sleeping, have trouble eating, have trouble concentrating, don't feel interested in anything, or if these worries interfere with your daily life. A professional therapist or counselor can give you tools to manage anxiety and depression, help you work through your emotions, and teach you skills to live better with ADPKD.
Vinmec International General Hospital with a system of modern facilities, medical equipment and a team of experts and doctors with many years of experience in medical examination and treatment, patients can rest assured to visit examination and treatment of idiopathic polycystic kidney disease at the hospital.

Please dial HOTLINE for more information or register for an appointment HERE. Download MyVinmec app to make appointments faster and to manage your bookings easily.

Reference source: webmd.com
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