The kidneys work hard to remove numerous toxins from the body. When the kidneys fail, the toxins can build up and cause uremia or blood poisoning. Uremia can affect almost every system in the body and usually occurs very late in the disease. By themselves, most of these symptoms of uremia are nonspecific and don’t necessarily mean there is anything wrong with your kidneys.
Fatigue
The fatigue of uremia is usually out of proportion to ones anemia. It can be very debilitating and difficult to treat without dialysis.
Muscle Cramps
Spasms of the calf muscles in the leg is a relatively common complaint in advanced kidney failure. Sometimes they are caused by abnormalities in ones electrolytes, such as with the calcium or potassium, but in most causes it is due to toxin buildup.
Itching
Buildup of toxins, along with kidney-related anemia and bone disease, can lead to skin rashes and maddening itches.
Loss of Appetite
This is a well know symptom of severe kidney failure. It along with a metallic taste in your mouth and aversion to protein can lead to malnutrition and weight lost.
Nausea and Vomiting
Severe levels of toxins in the blood can lead to constant nausea and vomiting. This is a good indication that kidneys have almost totally failed and dialysis may be necessary.
Confusion
Buildup of toxins can seriously affect the brain. It might start out as some difficulty sleeping and forgetfulness, but it can lead to outright confusion and even coma. This is an absolute indication for dialysis.
