Are My Kidneys Healthy? My Journey to Better Kidney Health
Are My Kidneys Healthy? My Journey to Better Kidney Health Are My Kidneys Healthy? My Journey to Better Kidney Health In 2022, at 32, I noticed I was tired all the time, even after sleeping 8 hours. My ankles swelled after long days, and I was urinating only 3 times daily, down from 5–6. A $100 doctor’s visit revealed my kidney function was off—my creatinine level was 1.5 mg/dL, above the normal 0.6–1.2 mg/dL. That scare pushed me to learn about kidney health, overhaul my habits, and drop my creatinine to 1.1 mg/dL in 6 months. Here’s my story, with numbers, tables, and tips to keep your kidneys thriving. Checking Kidney Health: My Wake-Up Call Your kidneys filter 150 liters of blood daily, remove waste, and balance fluids. I didn’t know mine were struggling until symptoms piled up: fatigue (10 days a month), swelling (3 times weekly), and reduced urine output. My doctor ran two key tests—blood creatinine and estimated ...