What are the symptoms of diabetic kidney disease?
You are unlikely to have symptoms with early diabetic kidney disease – for example, if you just have microalbuminuria. Symptoms tend to develop when the kidney disease progresses. The symptoms at first tend to be vague and nonspecific, such as feeling tired, having less energy than usual, and just not feeling well. With more severe kidney disease symptoms that may develop include: • Difficulty thinking clearly • A poor appetite • Weight loss • Dry, itchy skin • Muscle cramps • Fluid retention which causes swollen feet and ankles • Puffiness around the eyes • Needing to pass urine more often than usual • Being pale due to anaemia • Feeling sick As the kidney function declines then various other problems may develop. For example, anaemia and an imbalance of calcium, phosphate and other chemicals in the bloodstream. These can cause various symptoms, such as tiredness due to anaemia, and bone thinning or fractures due to calcium and phosphate imbalance. End-stage renal failure is eventuall
