Thursday, August 2, 2018

Bed Wetting , an indication ?

"No man really knows about other human beings. The best he can do is to suppose that they are like himself " - John Steinbeck 

As I journey forward , with a look at the past , I realise , that to suppose there are a few or many , who might have gone through the same symptoms that I have experienced , is probable. and it's time for me , to mention , my relation with Bed wetting ! When a disease pays you a visit , to become a permanent part of your life , the warnings are there. However, with dime a dozen ailments , one is not aware on the indications of every disease nor is one aware of the disease itself. It's only with our own battle & knowledge over the years , do we comprehend the various tell tale signs. One of the signs that the kidney is failing  , which came to our attention very recently , is Bed Wetting , not being able to control the bladder when asleep ! 

Till around  the age of 5 -6 years , Bed wetting , was considered as normal development. However , as I grew older, this became embarrassing. Also , I had this terrible habit , since I was a little girl , to control my bladder for many hours & only use the washroom , if absolutely clean.This also meant , loosing bladder control when pressure very high. were both individual issues or co -related ? Was this a cause of bed wetting, till I was in my teens & what followed . Was bed wetting related to my kidney's failing , or was it an entirely different reason , can only be a guess , since no diagnosis on the reason was ever established !

Although the frequency of bed wetting reduced as I grew older , it continued & stopped, once I had my transplant. 
No matter , I would be woken up in the night to use the washroom , or was conscious enough not to drink too much water in the evening to overload my bladder, accidents happened. It was quite a situation when we were travelling. However, it was well hidden , no one ever knew & we never realized , the bed wetting was a trigger for something bigger!  Bed wetting was blamed to my deep sleep, drinking too much liquids before bed time & well , was definitely a cause for my parents ire ! 

Today we know better. We know that it wasn't normal & we shouldn't have hidden it , but consulted a doctor. And then again , would a doctor, 30 years ago , done a complete blood test ? Would they have suspected that maybe it was kidney related ? Do we , even today , hide the fact that a teenager or an adult is wetting the bed? Will the doctor ( GP , considering he is the first person to go to ) , recognize it as a symptom for kidney that has flawed  functioning ? Questions, which we need to find answers for ourselves !

"Things are not always what they seem, the first appearance deceive many, the intelligence ( in my case, Time , which is also a great teacher )  of a few perceive what has been carefully hidden"  - Phaedrus 

**** So, please,  do not hide the fact , that your child beyond 6 years or an adult is bed wetting. Consult a doctor. Do a kidney profile. Do not make the mistake , that we made! 

**** Time to share your knowledge on symptoms which are kidney related. Awareness is the call of today , through your own experience , that of another & information gathered !

**** Be Aware : We have kept many private issues hidden , we need to talk about them.

**** According to Dr Sankaran Sundar, Reflux Nephropathy is one cause of kidney damage in childhood, which might be associated to Bed wetting. Some tests done, if Bed wetting, urinary infection, bowel difficulties & problem urinating is an issue, include , ultra sound examination of the Kidneys and Bladder , X-Ray or other tests.
**** The signs and symptoms of urinary tract or kidney problems vary and include:
·        swelling around the eyes, face, feet, and ankles (called edema)
·        burning or pain during peeing
·        significant increase in the frequency of urination
·        difficulty in controlling urination in kids who are mature enough to use the toilet
·        recurrence of night time Bed Wetting (https://www.healthline.com/symptom/bedwetting )
·        blood in the urine
·        High Blood Pressure
·        Diabetes

The Links :
- Dr Sankaran Sundar : https://www.manipalhospitals.com/doctor/nephrologist/dr-sankaran-sundar
- Reflux Nephropathy : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reflux_nephropathy
- Hereditary: http://www.thesouthasiantimes.info/index.php?param=news%2F133507%2FHealth%2F23#.XS_raZJVcHA.facebook:





3 comments:

  1. Hi!! Just your write up now..I never knew that bed wetting could also be one of the kidney disease symptoms because two of my cousins used to have this habit of bed wetting till the age of 21..but they donot have any kidney problem.
    To be honest one cant concretely pinpoint what went wrong..It's just about being vigilant and trying to determine the nature of disease as early as possible...so that the treatment or the cure can be found.
    As usual the way you have written it ...conveys a stern message that one shouldn't take any symptoms lightly and a tests must be done even if they are just for precaution sake.
    As Prevention is always better than the Cure.

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  2. Swelling of the feet was my first symptom. I thought it was due to excessive walking as I used to do during my college days. Running from college to library and then to German class and reaching home late at night. It settled with rest. So I ignored it for a long time.

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  3. Face swelling mainly around the eyes, tired with small walk, appetite was there but small amounts made me full...
    I thought all this is due to work pressure, anxiety, lack of sleep and let it pass. I went to Dr when severe headache started and diagnosed ESRD.

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