Hi Christy:

I have been told that with PKD you do develop a bit of a PKD tummy.
I have noticed that as well. I think it all just goes hand in hand with having PKD.
Adult symptoms usually begin after age 30 as the cysts gradually enlarge, destroying healthy kidney tissue and increasing kidney size. The pressure from the enlarged kidneys causes back pain and abdominal swelling.

I hope this helps ;)

Hi Christy,
I don't know that much about PKD but I do look pregnant! I found Karen's post interesting and I hope to learn more here.
Hope you have a good day.
Hugs FibroFog

yes it seems it is common to have the swelling ,its the kidneys pushing other things out of there way as they grow ,sorry but even some guys say the y look pregnant.Exercise may not help but it is recomended any way ,the stronger the muscles are the better job they will do of holding it in and some how it seems to ease the pain in some people.Infections are also common and need to be treated as soon as posable but some times they take a lot of treating ,I had one for 6 months .

Yeah, I'm one of the pregnant guys.

If you don't like the look, all you have to do is push back!Even a little exercise does everyone good. You should really ask your doctor if you can, but if you currently have normal kidney function I don't see why not.

The way I'm thinking is that if my kidneys are gonna add about 30 pounds, I'm aiming to lose 40. It doesn't matter if I get there or not, but the attempt is all that matters.

The kicker of the whole thing is, I was exercising and losing weight. Not alot but I could feel/see a difference. Im 34 and have had 2 c-sections. Im not small in my tummy area but I was feeling better about myself. Now Im not sure how I feel. I had a sonogram done but all the doctor could say was "Your kidneys are larger than in 2002. This is to be expected". Like Duh I know that but what does that mean? How much function do I have? I just feel lost. Im glad that I found this board though. You understand my situation and that helps alot. I'm not alone anymore. And I like that feeling.

Hey skylark!
There are about 12 million of us with PKD that's hardly alone!
I say you should kick your doctor in the head and say all of the questions your asking.

You need to know your current size.
You need to know your amount of funcion..
You need to know your diet (if any).
You need to know your pain meds.
You need to know your food restrictions.
You need to know your alternative meds.
You need to know your future plans.
You need to know your all you need to know.
Better yet go to the hospital film records department and ask for a CD with your latest ultrasound.

Sorry if this is a little rough, but it pisses me off when doctors try to keep up the good bedside manner while thinking we're idiots. It's like they keep thinking of that movie line, "You can't handle the truth!".

I know my current size, I know the diet which I am guilty at the pop thing. But we dont eat salt at home but I eat fast food for lunch. So Bad there. I try not to take anything for pain unless I am hurting really bad then its Tylenol or Ibuprofin. My last urine test, he said it was normal. So I dont even know what to look for there. I wish I had a doctor in my family so they could tell me the numbers i need to know. I hate going to doctors....

Ok, I am a rather small person at 120 lbs. I have had (2) children not by C-section though. I do exercise, try my best to eat right and only take pain meds when needed. My nephrologist wants me to take the pain med more than I do, but I try not to unless it is completely necessary. I take 6 a day as it is, and I too hate taking meds. I think it is normal for some of us to "slip" once in a while, we are all human.

The increase in "tummy" size is to be expected with PKD according to my nephrologist and in all other information that I have read. The key is, in my opinion be aware of your body, exercise when you can and for as long as your endurance allows. We are all different. Eat responsibly and try to be as healthy and body conscious as we can be. ;)
Also, I have to agree that you should go to the Dr as often as they recommend, and don't be afraid to ask questions. Get your kidney level readings, and don't be afraid to mention the slightest problems that you are having.

This is just my opinion.

I know coffee makes my kidneys hurt ,there is some evidence that coffee when put on cysts in a test tube makes them grow so thats some thing to avoid ,I drink De- Caf .I have also read that anti-inflamatry drugs like asprin and Ibuprofin are bad for kidneys ,so I would sugest sticking to Tylenol ,I use a small dose of Codine as well ,that can be adictive so I only use it at night when I am worse.Water is my God ,I drink water all day long and a big amount in the morning to flush out that inferction that would not go away.

Hey skylark!

Fast food is bad. I've done it on occassion, even knowing it's bad.

I read that eating less salt is good, but eating no salt is bad.
Option: make your own salt. Mix 60% regular salt, 30% potassium ?something (salt replacement), and 10% epsom salt. Mix it all together and pour into your salt shaker. You won't even realize you're using less.
I haven't tried it myself. All I'm doing is not adding more salt to my fries. Damn! Bad again.

And Karen ease up on the meds! Only you know how much pain you have, but I find that chemical meds have side effects. Maybe you should try an herbal med.
Pro: no side-effects.
Con: time consuming to make.

My nephrologist has told me to only use Tylenol, but they don't have the Extreme Extra Super-Strength version that I need.

I take a diuretic for my high BP, which is great because it takes all the extra fluid that we retain as PKD sufferers.