Polycystic Kidney Disease
(PKD) is an inherited disorder in which clusters of cysts develop primarily within your kidneys, causing your kidneys to enlarge and lose function over time. Cysts are noncancerous round sacs containing fluid. The cysts vary in size, and they can grow very large.What are cysts?
Cysts (pronounced sists) are sacs of fluid. In people with PKD, many cysts grow inside of their kidneys, making the kidneys much larger than they should be. The cysts caused by PKD grow from the tiny filters in the kidneys, called nephrons. People with PKD can have thousands of cysts in their kidneys at once. A kidney that is filled with cysts can weigh up to 30 pounds.
What causes polycystic kidney disease (PKD)?
People who have PKD were born with it. PKD is almost always inherited from a parent or from both parents. People of all genders, ages, races, ethnicities and nationalities can have PKD. Men and women get PKD equally as often. If you have a blood relative with PKD, you are more likely to have PKD or carry the gene that causes it. If you carry the gene that causes PKD but you do not have the disease, you are called a carrier. This is possible with autosomal recessive PKD.
What is the treatment for ADPKD?
There is no cure for ADPKD, but a new treatment is available that has been show to slow the progression of ADPKD to kidney failure. Learn more about PDK.
There may be other ways to treat the symptoms of ADPKD and to make you feel better. Talk to your doctor about the best ways to manage your condition.
Polycystic Kidney Disease
Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is an inherited disorder in which clusters of cysts develop primarily within your kidneys. Learn more about PDK.
Froedert Kidney Program
It only takes a few simple steps to learn more about becoming a live kidney transplant donor.
UW Health Kidney Donation
Introduction to Living Kidney Donation, read more here.
GoFundMe
My aunt Jacquelin has started a GoFundMe so we can raise funds to rent a billboard in hopes to find a live kidney donor and cover any medical expenses for the potential kidney donor.