Don’t kid with your kidneys

Originally published in 2013.

Dear Annie: I was just 18 years old when a routine doctor’s visit exposed off-the-chart high blood pressure and landed me in an emergency room. As a teen in my first year of college, I felt healthy and assumed it couldn’t possibly be anything more than a little stress. Even the ER doctor said he was sure there was nothing wrong. Imagine the shock when the blood tests showed I had Stage 4 kidney disease. I was close to needing dialysis or a kidney transplant, but I had no clue that I’d been suffering from a silent killer. Kidney disease often goes undetected because symptoms may not appear until the kidneys are actually failing. One in three American adults is at risk due to high blood pressure or diabetes. The good news is early detection and proper treatment can slow the progress.

My battle with kidney disease turned me into a fitness guru and an advocate for kidney patients. By following a careful diet and working closely with my doctors to manage my high blood pressure, I have been able to prevent further damage.

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle can affect your medical prognosis in the best way. Will you please encourage your readers to get their kidneys checked?

March 8 is World Kidney Day. The National Kidney Foundation is urging people to learn about risk factors and get their kidneys checked. For more information, please suggest your readers visit the National Kidney Foundation at kidney.org. Leslie Field, Bradbury, Calif.

Dear Leslie Field: Thank you for reminding our readers how important it is to get regular checkups to make sure their systems are running smoothly. We hope our readers will check the National Kidney Foundation website for more information.

Annie’s Mailbox is written by Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar, longtime editors of the Ann Landers column.