Source : Perth Now news
Two people living in Australia with severe kidney diseases have admitted they had “no idea” about what else their conditions could lead to.
Adam Brayshaw and Lesley Tozer both live with debilitating kidney conditions requiring them to receive dialysis treatments.
However, they have each suffered something just as sinister that neither fully realised was connected.
Not only have Mr Brayshaw and Ms Tozer experienced issues with their kidneys, they have also both fallen victim to heart attacks.
Now, they have bravely chosen to speak of their experiences to help raise awareness of the hidden link between kidney disease and heart failure so others can make small changes that may help avoid suffering the same fate.
ADAM’S STORY
Mr Brayshaw, 53, is a former warehouse manager from Bendigo in Victoria.
Unbeknown to him until he reached the age of 23, he was born with just one kidney.
For 30 years he has lived with chronic kidney disease but until recently was not aware of how this could also impact his heart.
“I had no idea, I only found out when I started to show high blood pressure and that was the start of it,” he said.
Before his first heart attack he began to experience early signs of heart failure – chest pain, angina and breathlessness.
This would not be the first time he would suffer a heart attack and has since undergone stent procedures and eventually bypass surgery.
“My first heart attack was around 10 years ago and I had stents put in. The second was about four years ago and I had bypass surgery,” he said.
“In hindsight, I should have raised the symptoms with my doctor, but they were easy to brush off as they felt similar to what I was already dealing with because of my kidneys.”
Mr Brayshaw has gone on to become a leading advocate for Kidney Health Australia and is urging people not to dismiss symptoms or medical advice.
“I don’t know how well some people listen to their GPs or their kidney doctors, but you really do have to listen,” he said.
“I want to be the person that has suffered an experienced the different stages of a disease so is able to help others look out for them sooner so they don’t have to go through later stages.
“It is only really the last eight years or so that I started to take my conditions more seriously and listening to advice, so I’d urge others to do the same.
“If you’re living with kidney issues and feel unusual in any way, including feeling breathless or experiencing chest pain, don’t brush it off. Get it checked, it could save your life.”
LESLEY’S STORY
Lesley Tozer was diagnosed with advanced kidney disease in her late 20s, having moved to Victoria from her native Scotland at the age of 21.
She had previously visited doctors after suffering with severe fatigue and swollen ankles, but her symptoms were repeatedly dismissed.
At just 29, she learnt her kidneys had failed and she had Goodpasture’s syndrome, a rare auto-immune disease that attacks the kidney.
After months of treatment, her disease was brought into remission, but the damage to her kidneys was already done.
Her kidney function then declined further following the birth of her son Maxwell, now 15, and in 2016, she suffered a heart attack brought on by inadequate dialysis treatment and dangerously high potassium levels.
“I woke up one morning and felt numb all over and struggled to grip things properly, then went back to bed and my neck started feeling numb too,” she recalled.
“When I was rushed to hospital, my husband was told to say his goodbyes, it was terrifying.”
Now 44, she continues to receive dialysis three times a week and is awaiting a kidney transplant.
Like Mr Brayshaw, she is urging people to better understand the links between the kidneys and the heart.
“When I was first diagnosed, I didn’t have a clue at all about the connection. I think there perhaps isn’t enough education about it,” she said.
“People living with kidney disease need to understand that it is not just about your kidneys.
“If something doesn’t feel right, speak up and get it checked.”
EXPLORING THE LINK
Research shared by the charity Hearts4Heart has revealed that about half a million Australians are affected by heart failure, about 67,000 new diagnoses each year.
And experts say heart failure is very rarely suffered in isolation, with kidney failure one of the most common comorbidities.
It is estimated that about half of the people who suffer with heart failure are also dealing with a form of kidney disease.
Kidney Health Australia chief executive Chris Forbes said awareness of the link was essential.
“Kidney disease can be silent for a long time, and many people may not know they are living with it until it has progressed,” he said.
“For people with heart failure, or those at risk of heart failure, understanding kidney health is an important part of the overall picture.
“Simple checks can help identify kidney disease earlier, and earlier detection gives people a better chance to take action.”
Hearts4Hearts chief executive Tanya Hall also emphasised this importance.
“This year, we want Australians to understand that heart failure rarely exists on its own,” Ms Hall said.
“Conditions like kidney disease, diabetes and high blood pressure can be closely connected, and when one condition worsens, others can follow,
“That is why early conversations with a GP or healthcare professional are so important.
“If you are living with kidney disease, diabetes or high blood pressure, now is the time to ask what that could mean for your heart health.”
