PKD as we call it, is a disease that fills up one or both kidneys with cysts. Most strains of PKD are genetic, there is one that is not. Mine is genetic. My father and a few of his siblings had it and their father had PKD. From there I do not know which ancestor had PKD. It is passes from parent to child; it does not miss generations. In my case it is in both of mine. The cysts can spread to other organs as well. I also have them in my liver. Fortunately cysts in the liver don't interfere with function as it does with the kidneys. The kidneys can grow to be as much as the size of a football and have been known to weigh as much as 30 pounds.
About 13 years ago I had cyst reduction surgery on both kidneys in which they removed over 2000 cysts from EACH kidney. Let me tell you...they can cause excruciating pain! I have been fortunate to have been relatively pain free most of the time since. Now they are just so big that all of my abdominal organs are so crowded it feels like being pregnant all the time. I will attach a photo of a PKD kidney.
There is lots of research to find a cure or a way to suppress the disease which will be great for my posterity but to late for me. Learn more at PKDCURE.ORG.
Until next time...
Deb
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