Please share an interesting fact about living with polycystic kidney disease.

If: If you have a parent with pkd, there's a 50/50 chance that you and your siblings do, too. Learn now.

Ignore: There are three types of polycystic kidney disease: 1. Dominant, 2. Recessive, 3. Acquired.

Ignore: Chronic pain is due to stretching of the capsule. Acute pain is due to cyst rupture or hemorrhage.

Ignore: Drinking lots of fluid per day can mute cyst growth. Aim for 4 liters per day, but avoid caffeine.

Ignore: Consider joining a local PCKD support group and make sure to keep your blood pressure down.

Ignore: Blood in the urine can be a sign of polycystic kidneys.

Ignore: Polycystic kidney disease leads toward renal failure and need for transplant. Work with a kidney doc.

Ignore: Lead a normal life as long as you keep track of your health,nutrition,exercise and see your doctor.

Have: Have frequent checkups with your doctor looking for high blood pressure. Hypertension occurs in as many as 50 to 70% of patients before the onset of kidney failure.

Polycystic: Polycystic kidney disease involves the growth of many fluid-filled cysts in the kidneys.

Polycystic: Polycystic kidney disease is the 4th leading cause of kidney failure.

Polycystic: Polycystic kidney disease inherited forms can be autosomal dominant or autosomal recessive.

Symptoms: Symptoms of autosomal dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease begin often in ages 30s to 40s.

Autosomal: Autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease diagnosed by ultrasound in fetus or newborn.

Ignore: Headaches can be serious....see your doctor if you are having unexplained or unusual ones.

Ignore: Many can live a full life without requiring dialysis.

Ignore: Get evaluated for a possible genetic predisposition to PKD especially if positive family history.

Ignore: Overall, fertility rates inADPKD men and women are similar to those in the general population.

Ignore: It can be associated with cysts in the liver and aneurysm of blood vessel in the brain.

Ignore: Be sure you have polycystic kidneys (genetic), and not multicystic kidneys (non-genetic).