Professional athlete with kidney problem

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Rjf5840
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Sep 02, 2016 2:24 am

Professional athlete with kidney problem

Post by Rjf5840 »

Hi there, I am a 28 year old professional athlete and I have recently been suffering with kidney problems.

Dehydration and illness caused my gfr to reduce to 46 and this effected my physical performance and causing fatigue much quicker than usual.

The doctors have told me not to train for a month while my kidney function increases.

Has anyone had problems while exercising?
Thumps
Posts: 1302
Joined: Thu Sep 14, 2006 3:50 pm
Location: London, England

Re: Professional athlete with kidney problem

Post by Thumps »

Hi there

Certainly I found that when I had severe kidney failure I tired much more easily, had a longer recovery time and had to do less/shorter sessions when I was able to exercise. I also lost muscle mass and stamina. You need time to have your body recover before you push it too hard. Sounds like your doctor is giving you reasonable advice. It may not be that you need to stop working out entirely, but dropping the number and intensity of sessions would seem sensible, while still doing enough to avoid losing too much fitness. If you're a professional presumably you have a coach? Do they agree with your doctor's assessment?
PKD/PLD diagnosed 1994, CKD stage 5 Oct 2007, Living Donor Kidney Transplant Dec 2008, still going strong!
rheaybou
Posts: 1381
Joined: Mon Nov 14, 2011 11:04 am
Location: Doncaster

Re: Professional athlete with kidney problem

Post by rheaybou »

It's a strange situation with kidney failure.

Before knowing I had any problems I was in my early 30's and noticing that my ability to recover after two games of amateur football on a Saturday and Sunday was reducing and my times for 10k and half marathons were slowly increasing, this I put down to aging. Even on the day of my diagnosis I was playing in a competitive five a side game, without ever knowing I had just 8% function.

However my ability to function better in life and to recover from surgery was helped by my fitness, this was evident as I left hospital less in just under 96 hours after my living donor transplant just 18 months after initial diagnosis.

It sounds like your Dr is doing the right thing, give your body time to recover and see if the issue was caused with dehydration. As a professional athlete you should know the benefit of feeding your body correctly so I hope that all goes well for you.


Unlike john, I know that once the kidney is damaged there is no way that it will repair itself IF you are diagnosed correctly with CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE/FAILURE. Now with ACUTE KIDNEY FAILURE/INJURY it is possible to regain function, this is what it seems your Dr is pushing towards.
Now 35 with Alports and I had my first kidney-versary 18th feb 2013....I hope to have many more.

My living donor and his family are doing all well.

==
Alports.
Rjf5840
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Sep 02, 2016 2:24 am

Re: Professional athlete with kidney problem

Post by Rjf5840 »

Thanks very much for your replays.

I am taking the doctors advice, I am a combats sport athlete and a big part is making weight for a fight where you dehydrate yourself for 24 hours before the weigh in which has contributed to my low kidney function. Plus 10 years of my weight fluctuating up and down due to competitions hasn't helped at all.

I have had previous kidney infections last year which I don't know contributed towards my low function.

I haven't been diagnosed with CKD, how is it diagnosed?

Also if I do have it will my fighting days be over?

Thanks for the information.
wagolynn
Posts: 1362
Joined: Thu May 23, 2013 2:49 pm

Re: Professional athlete with kidney problem

Post by wagolynn »

Hi Rjf5840,

This website will help you sort a few things out. http://www.kidneypatientguide.org.uk/contents.php

This one is more technical. http://www.edren.org/ click on the Hand Book.
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