PKD Symptoms

A urinary tract infection might be the first symptom that brings us to the doctor. Pain, flank pain or abdominal pain is another common symptom that brings out the diagnosis of polycystic kidney disease. Blood, protein, and uric acid is often present in the urine. Elevated blood pressure is an early symptom that PKD is present. PKD'rs have a 30% higher incidence of kidney stones.. Brain aneurysms run in families, especially those with PKD. Diverticuli, outpouchings of the intestines is often seen in PKD'rs. Itching can be a later manifestation oftentimes occurring with a lessening of kidney functioning, Itching is also seen in the presence of severe PLD, polycystic liver disease. Heart valve screening is usually done prior to any upcoming surgery. The liver, pancreas, epididymis and other organs can develop cysts. According to the CRISP study, liver cyst presence approaches 96% when one has PKD. However only 8% go on to develop the severe manifestation of polycystic liver disease. For the other 92%, liver cysts are an incidental finding. Pericardial effusion is present in greater than 45% of PKD'rs and is also inconsequential.

Symptoms of anemia, proteinuria, acidosis, elevated blood pressure, pain, blood in the urine, all need correcting. With suitable treatment we can live longer lives and coexist with our Polycystic Kidneys living as long as the average person.

A healthy lifestyle is what many aim for. With PKD our kidneys sometimes fail, but it is our hearts, or heart disease which can lead to our demise. 40% of us with PKD never ever need a transplant or dialysis.

For Your Reference

PKD Symptoms [195 KB PDF]

Dermatology Symptoms

Sometimes we may get itchy skin, thinning hair, darkened teeth, cramping legs. Many personal care products aggravate cystic symptoms or increase cyst growth. Here are a few things we have tried to help with these symptoms.

Hair-Masque

Cabbage juice with almonds is great for hair health. It turns any gray hairs toward their natural color.

Ghassoul red rhassoul clay (clay from Morocco) mixed with Klettenwurzel Haar-Oil or Burdock root oil or Gobi oil. A friend experienced a darken of the hair shaft and an absence of flakes. Mix with water; add a few drops of Burdock oil. Try this over the sink, making a paste of the burdock root oil, the rhassoul red clay and water; apply as a hair masque by dampening the hair. then apply the paste. Wrap the head with a towel turban style or a shower cap. Leave 15 minutes; wash out. Apply once week. Ghassoul or rhassoul clay is an ancient clay that helps the horny layers of the body : the skin, hair and nails.

Moroccan Red Clay
Black rubber bowl used to mix plaster - about a 3 cup size
Wire whisk
2 Tablespoons of clay
Warm water
1-2 drops of burdock oil

There was a time when my own hair fell out in clumps. I was under a great deal of emotional and physical stress. When I experienced the natural warmth from the afternoon outdoors with the dappled rays of the sun bouncing on top of my head, my entire body just breathed, "Ahhh". I experienced a deep relaxation from within and I improved.

Hair-Shampoo

EWG has a cosmetic database that ranks products 0 to 10. Zero is free of harmful things. The tabs are sorted by makeup, hair, eye, skin products. Panthenol is a good product when present in shampoos and conditioners. Under health/toxic are several sub-topics including water, food and more. Listed are some 500 shampoos that are low in chemicals. Hair loss is sometimes related to magnesium deficiency. A few have found improvement by eating potato skins, careful and avoid any green potato skins. Others have tried a scalp massage using castor oil and a vibrating brush to restore thinning hair.

Hair Loss

Hair loss can be slowed down by additional magnesium from potato skins or in the evening 425 mg of magnesium (check with your doctor) with one ounce of grape juice diluted in an ounce of water. This also helps one to sleep through the night by releasing the body's own natural tryptophan. Caution with magnesium. As the kidneys decline it is one of the minerals that cannot be eliminated.

An exercise at the gym—while holding onto some padded bars made for this purpose (the device may be called a Roman chair), flip downward so ones head is hanging below the body. This strengthens the back support muscles and additionally forces blood flow to the scalp region. Increasing blood flow to the scalp can also be accomplished through some gentle yoga exercises. It is thought that the increase in blood supply to the scalp may decrease hair loss. Maybe a scalp massage might be useful?

Some have tried castor oil to delay hair loss by using a vibrating brush, massaging the scalp with castor oil. This has had limited success with a few on chemotherapy.

Skin

Itchy skin. Sometimes with PKD as phosphorus rises, itching develops or this can happen as bilirubin rises with PLD. To help ease itching try using bentonite clay paste in lieu of soap.

Bentonite Clay Paste
One Cup of Bentonite Clay or Aztec Clay or Green clay
One tablespoon of raw honey and
Add enough olive oil to make a paste.

CAUTION olive oil can make shower surfaces very slippery.

While in the shower, apply olive oil on the skin. Then under running water, rub on bentonite clay paste (recipe follows). Wrap a sliced lemon in cheese cloth. Gently rub the cut surface of the wrapped lemon over the skin. Apply additional olive oil; rinse with water. Sprinkle baking soda on wet skin to help remove any residual oil; a final rinse with copious amounts of water; then pat dry.

Dry Skin 2 ounces of cranberry juice with one ounce of mineral water taken daily helps to smooth facial skin and prevents bacteria from clinging to bladder walls.

Sunscreens are great for preventing skin damage. To find the least toxic sunscreens here is an iPhone and iPad app.

Deodorant

Some suggestions for aluminum free deodorant. Antiperspirant generally contains aluminum or alum.
One member has written her Grandma's recipe.
Half-half baking soda and corn starch. Scoop a little on a finger and rub under armpit. It won't stop wetness but there's no allergic reaction. And after about a week, if you skip a day you won't even notice.
Deodorant crystal - contains aluminum.

Teeth

Many search out fluoride free toothpaste and mercury free dental fillings.

Showers

Some use a shower head filter to diminish residual chlorine and chemicals from shower water. Because of the nature of showering, one can become exposed one to many more chemicals.

Puffy Eyes

To reduce puffiness, leave wet chamomile tea bags overnight in the refrigerator. In the morning place two wet chamomile tea bags over the eyes. Let this sit on closed eyes for about ten minutes.

Numbness

Numbness of the hands and feet has long been associated with kidney disease as swelling increases and kidney functioning starts to decline. The nerves lay alongside the tiny vessels of the hands and feet. When these become swollen it presses against the nerves causing numbness. This is common in many small vessel diseases such as diabetes and kidney disease. Eating star fruit (a tropical fruit) has also been known to cause this. AVOID starfruit. Can cause kidney damage. Daily stretching exercises, like yoga, increase the blood supply to the hands and feet. Stretch the hamstring tendons, the biceps tendon and Achilles tendon of the lower legs.

Matted Spider Telangectasias

Purposely diminish exposure to estrogen, endocrine disrupters. Because these spiders are very superficial, exposing the areas to sunlight seems to help. Eventually if these are troublesome, they can be sclerosed with a dilute soap solution by a physician.

Other Helpful Things

Clay baths, saunas.
Foods: radish, artichokes, DIMs (broccoli sprouts), sunchokes, cabbage.
Herbs: saffron, turmeric, milk thistle, veronica.
If the day ever arrives when kidney functioning becomes diminished, taking clay baths is one possibility to take advantage of the entire skin as an organ to help diminish body toxins. Saunas lower body toxins through sweat. Cabbage juice, turmeric, DIMs (broccoli sprouts), milk thistle, artichoke encourage the metabolism of any endocrine disruptors throughout the body by increasing estrogen metabolism through the liver. These also increase the integrity of DNA. Radishes help raise the ecoplast of the red blood cells and help with anemia.

For Your Reference

Phthalates [1.1MB PDF]
Safe Cosmetics [840 KB PDF]
Sunscreen Guide [82 KB PDF]
Xenoestrogens [172 KB PDF]
Skin Deep [website]
Dirty Dozen [373 KB PDF]

We are sharing our experiences with PLD Diet, an adjunct diet to consider trying to complement a physician's prescribed medical therapy. Think about testing this only with your doctor's prior knowledge, who can adjust it, according to your own uniqueness by adding to your current treatment.

Medical Disclaimer