Symptoms of Stage 3 Chronic Kidney Failure

A person with Stage 3 CKD has kidney damage with a moderate decrease in the GFR of 30-59 ml/min. As kidney function declines waste products can build up in the blood causing a condition known as “uremia.” In Stage 3 Chronic Kidney Failure a person is more likely to develop complications of kidney disease such as high blood pressure, anemia (a shortage of red blood cells) and/or early bone disease.

Symptoms of Stage 3 Chronic Kidney Failure, such as:

Fatigue and Anemia: Feeling tired is common for people with CKD and is often caused by anemia. anemia often develops during stage 3 kidney disease. Because the red blood cells carry oxygen throughout the body, a decrease in red blood cells reduces the amount of oxygen. With less circulating oxygen, the cells in the body must work harder, which causes fatigue.

Too much fluid: The kidneys may lose their ability to control how much fluid stays in the body. A person may notice swelling (edema) in their lower legs, hands or face around the eyes. With too much fluid someone could even feel short of breath.

Urination changes: Urine may be foamy if there is protein in it, or dark orange, brown, tea colored or red if it contains blood. A person may urinate more or less, or get up at night to go to the bathroom.
Kidney pain: Most people with CKD do not have kidney pain, but with some kinds of kidney problems, such as polycystic kidney disease or infections, they may have pain in their back where the kidneys are.

Sleep problems: Some people have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep. Itching, muscle cramps or restless legs can keep them awake.

High Blood Pressure: Blood pressure is the force of the blood against the blood vessel walls, as described by the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse. There are many factors that can affect blood pressure, and the kidneys play a key role in maintaining a healthy blood pressure. As the kidneys begin to fail, fluids build up in the body, which increases the volume of blood. An increase in blood volume within the blood vessels creates more pressure on the vessel walls, translating to an increase in blood pressure. This is part of a dangerous cycle, as high blood pressure damages the blood vessel walls. When the blood vessels in the kidney are damaged, it contributes to the kidney damage, causing further loss of function.