A VISIT to the nail salon is usually a pleasure that leaves you refreshed and pampered.
But for 34-year-old Louise Whymark, a visit to her nail technician meant the shocking discovery that she had been unknowingly living with a silent killer disease that had brought her “to the brink of a stroke.”
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Louise, from Manningtree in Essex, said: “I normally get my nails done once a month and I told my nail technician Kim that I had a problem with one of my toenails. I wasn’t too worried about it.”
But her nail designer quickly noticed that something was wrong.
“She looked at it and told me I needed to go to the doctor to rule out infection.
“If she hadn’t said that, I definitely would have left it alone.”
Read more about health warning signs
Louise immediately went to her GP, who ran a series of tests before giving her medication to treat her toe.
To her shock, the 34-year-old was eventually diagnosed with kidney disease.
Louise recalls: “I had unusually high blood pressure and a rapid pulse and the blood test showed that my kidney function was at 22 percent.
“(The GP) booked me in for an urgent ultrasound at Colchester General. next Day – and I haven’t been away for a week.
“My blood pressure was in the stroke range and my heart rate was in the cardiac arrest range.
“They did a kidney biopsy and I was diagnosed with kidney disease and put on medication to lower my blood pressure and heart rate.
“It all happened so quickly and was a real shock to me and my family because I was fine. It was hard to cope with.”
Fingernails and toenails may show signs of kidney damage by changing color or showing changes in texture or shape.
The cause of this can be kidney disease, which impairs kidney function and blood circulation.
Because the body has difficulty eliminating waste products such as urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine, these substances can build up in the bloodstream and cause physical changes, such as those seen in the nails.
My immune system has practically destroyed both kidneys
Louise Whymark
Louise, who had to take time off work at Manningtree East of England Co-op, was diagnosed with a rare form of kidney disease called IgA nephropathy. It is caused by the body’s immune system attacking bacteria in Louise’s kidneys.
She began visiting a nephrologist regularly to have her kidney function monitored.
She says: “My immune system has practically destroyed both of my kidneys.
“I had no symptoms and if I hadn’t gone to the doctor when my nail technician advised me to, I probably wouldn’t have known about it until I got even worse.”
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Louise was told that she would eventually need dialysis or a transplant to survive.
There is no cure for kidney disease and treatment can be a heavy burden for patients.
Typically, a transplant from a living or deceased donor is preferred, but the average waiting time is two and a half years, and even a successful transplant lasts an average of only 20 years before failure.
Most kidney patients must expect to require multiple transplants over the course of their lives.
A series of hurdles
Louise was keen to be put on the NHS transplant waiting list.
However, she was told that she would have to lose weight first before this would be possible.
Instead of following a calorie-controlled diet, Louise focused on completely limiting snacks.
She says: “You think you’ll never lose weight, but I stayed pretty positive throughout the whole situation and just overcame all the hurdles I encountered.
“I was put on a strict low-salt diet and had to avoid snacks and certain foods like chips instead of doing a lot of exercise. I’m not really the gym type!”
Her determination has seen Louise lose nearly 35kg in less than two years, going from nearly 125kg to 85kg, and she was finally placed on the waiting list for a transplant in October 2023.
Signs of kidney disease
Alison Railton, head of policy and external relations at KRUK, says: “Poor kidney function can cause symptoms that affect parts of the body we wouldn’t expect, similar to Louise’s case, so it’s important to be aware of this.
“Kidney disease can be difficult to detect because symptoms are often hidden and some people with pre-existing conditions are at higher risk than others.”
“To find out if you are at risk of kidney disease, use the Kidney Health Check on the Kidney Research UK website.”
Signs that may indicate kidney disease include:
- You are more tired, have less energy or have difficulty concentrating
- You have trouble sleeping
- You have dry and itchy skin
- You feel the urge to urinate more often
- You see blood in your urine
- Your urine is foamy
- You have persistent swelling around the eyes
- Your ankles and feet are swollen
- You have no appetite
- Your muscles cramp
Sources: Kidney Research UK, National Kidney Foundation
Louise says: “The call was very touching. I remember hanging up crying and telling my mum and sister, ‘I’m active!’ and then I thought, ‘Oh God, I have to pack a hospital bag.’
But a new challenge awaited me shortly afterwards. “I was lethargic, couldn’t eat anything, felt sick in the mornings and I knew that I would soon need dialysis.
“In November 2023, my kidney function dropped to just 6 percent. I now have to go to a dialysis unit three times a week for about four hours each time to receive hemodialysis treatment.”
Hemodialysis can replace some of the functions of your kidneys when they have failed. It does this by using a machine to filter and clean the blood.
When I’ve told other people I have kidney disease, some have looked at me and said, ‘It doesn’t look like there’s anything wrong with you.’ I may look perfectly healthy, but inside my body is saying something different.”
Louise Whymark
The blood is diverted to an external machine where it is filtered before being returned to the body.
Louise says: “I have had to get used to a new way of life because dialysis is part of my daily life until I can have a transplant.
“I leave the house at 3 p.m. and if I’m lucky, I’m home at 11 p.m.
“I am lucky that I have a very good support network in my family and some close friends.
“My sister accompanies me to dialysis at least once a week to keep me company.
“The staff at Colchester Dialysis Unit were amazing and made the transition less overwhelming.”
A positive outlook
Louise also had to deal with people’s reactions to her condition.
“When I told other people that I had kidney disease, some would look at me and say, ‘It looks like there’s nothing wrong with you.’
“I may look perfectly fine, but inside my body says something different.”
The 34-year-old tries to maintain a certain daily routine that helps her cope with the diagnosis.
“I try to maintain as much normality as possible in my life and my escape is watching Ipswich Town games. football Association.
“I am a season ticket holder and I love football.”
She is also making plans for the time after the operation.
“I have decided that after the transplant I will do the ‘Dare Skywalk’ over Tottenham Hotspur stadium with some friends to raise money for Kidney Research UK.”
Now Louise is looking forward to the call telling her that a transplant is available.
“It’s been tough mentally and physically, but staying positive has helped me get through everything so far.
“I just have to wait for the call for a transplant and when I get it, I’ll be ready.
“If my body accepts it, I can hopefully look forward to living a somewhat normal, healthy life again.”
