| | Nephrologist can help you and your Primary Care Physician to:
 | | Slow the rate of decline of your kidney function
|  | | Decide if a kidney biopsy might be useful
|  | | Diagnose the type of kidney disease and whether it might be reversible with treatment
|  | | Manage complications of kidney disease, such as anemia, high blood pressure, metabolic acidosis, and changes in | | | mineral balance
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When dialysis should start? National Kidney Foundation guidelines recommend that you start dialysis when your kidney function drops to 15% or less-or if you have severe symptoms caused by your kidney disease, like shortness of breath, fatigue, muscle cramps, or nausea and vomiting. Your doctor will help you decide, based on lab tests that measure how much kidney function you have left and on your symptoms. Private insurance generally covers treatment for kidney failure whenever your doctor says it is needed. If you don't have private insurance, you may be able to get coverage through federal or state funded healthcare programs, such as Medicare or Medicaid. Most people (about 93% of those who apply) qualify for Medicare when they need dialysis or a transplant, even if they are under age 65. Medicare pays for 80% of treatment for kidney disease when kidney function has dropped to 10-15%, or when your doctor justifies it. If you are not having symptoms, you may be able to wait a bit longer. However, some doctors believe that starting dialysis as soon as Medicare or insurance covers it is wise, since it can take a long time to recover if you let yourself get very ill. Since chronic kidney disease often happens slowly, sometimes people do not even know how bad they feel-until they start dialysis and begin to feel much better. It is important to start getting ready for dialysis or a transplant well in advance-when your kidney disease reaches Stage 4 (severe, with glomerular filtration rate, or GFR, less than 30 mL/min). Learning about the types of dialysis and transplant options will help you make a choice that is best for you.
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Nephrology Associates lexington Nephrology Associates of Lexington central kentucky nephrology UK nephrology
Phone: 859-263-1717 Phone: 502-867-0411 Fax: 859-263-0177
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