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A few simple tests can alert you and your doctor to early kidney disease for additional testing or diagnose you with the disease. Even if you only have one of the risk factors, it is a good idea to get a screening at one of the free testing sites or at your doctor’s office. There will be minor differences from place to place, but the basic tests used are blood, urine, imaging or biopsy. At a screening your healthcare provider will use a quick assessment to determine what tests make the most sense. Blood Tests These will range from [...]

In addition to its Board of Directors, the DPC Education Center has an Advisory Council made up of renal health professionals representing virtually every scope of practice including transplantation, nephrology, social work and pediatric nephrology. Our board, staff and volunteers are truly dedicated to empowering kidney disease patients through education and bring a diverse set of skills and backgrounds that help sustain our mission. Kathy Aebel-Groesch, MSW, LCSW is a Manager of Social Work Services at DaVita Kidney Care, where she develops education and training for staff and patients. A nephrology social worker since 1995, Kathy’s areas of interest and publication include depression [...]

If you had a sore throat, swollen glands, and a fever you would tell the doctor your symptoms so they could treat you properly, allowing you to get better. It is easy to tell the doctor symptoms of strep throat, a stomach bug, or any common condition because most of us are familiar with the symptoms. However, not everyone knows the symptoms of mental conditions. It is important for you to become aware of signs and symptoms of mental conditions so you know when it is appropriate to seek additional help. Early treatment of mental disorders is important, especially [...]

CKD and ESRD will  often affect your physical quality of life. You may experience such conditions as fatigue or being more tired than usual, toxin build up in your body, sleep difficulties, anemia, bone loss, and additional chronic conditions. You may find that once the diagnosis of CKD or ESRD is made, you will be able to work with your physician or nephrologist to improve some of the physical conditions that you are experiencing. Although people may fear going on dialysis, it also can bring relief and they start to feel better. It will be necessary to look at [...]

Most people with kidney failure take a variety of medication as part of their treatment. Some medications will help to replace what the kidneys would do if working well. Your monthly labs will help your health care team know what medications you need. It is important to have your blood work done on a regular basis and to discuss your lab results with your dialysis team. Your lab values often determine the amount of medication you need as part of your treatment so it is important that you understand what the medications do. Your medications and dosage will vary [...]