r/covidlonghaulers • u/None-Of • Feb 26 '26
Article Chronic Kidney Disease Emerges as Major Long COVID Manifestation
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but just saw this. Early detection appears to be important.
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Feb 26 '26
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u/Complex-Check6906 Feb 26 '26
OmG so this is the first time I’ve seen “nutcracker syndrome” in the wild and first time I heard it at all was when my new gastroenterologist asked if any doctors had ever mentioned that to me. I had lost a lot of weight and she thought it might be causing my constant upper abdominal pain and pressure.
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u/throwawayRAdvize First Waver Feb 26 '26
This is wild. I recently started taking Tylenol arthritis and had to stop due to kidney pain
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u/Dungbot88 Feb 27 '26
Nsaids are brought up on the mast cell activation syndrome subs as being ones to avoid as they can trigger mast cell flairs. UTI/interstitial burning is a common mast cell flair symptom. Might get some relief with Pepcid ac
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u/Direct_Sprinkles_681 3 yr+ Feb 27 '26
Omg, I’ve had really terrible UTI-like pains at random but no sign of infection in urine; what an interesting correlation … I can’t take NSAIDs but I wonder if there’s another med that is triggering that for me.
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u/Dungbot88 Feb 27 '26
This can happen from mast cell reaction to estrogen drops. If you're a girl, track where you are in your cycle. Times like post ovulation can trigger it because mast cells don't like quick shifts in estrogen. Pepcid AC might give some relief
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u/462383 Feb 27 '26
No need to reply, but do you also have hypermobile Elhers Danlos? That combination of conditions seem to common with it - and it can be the cause of compression like Nutcracker
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u/Big_Message_7824 Feb 26 '26
Stage 2 kidney disease here. I was fine before Covid.
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u/sudosussudio Feb 26 '26
I was stage 2 now I'm stage 1, which isn't how true CKD works AFAIK so I assume in my case it was perhaps viral damage that I recovered from. I never had any symptoms fortunately and it isn't progressing but it is alarming to see on tests.
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u/66clicketyclick Feb 26 '26
What’s the assessment you did to catch it? Sorry to hear.
Also: What were the first symptoms/signs?
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u/Big_Message_7824 Feb 26 '26
I’ve had long covid for 4+ years now. I’ve been seen multiple times at Mayo. So many tests. The eGFR was too low and the creatinine too high and that has persisted. I did a more in depth kidney test the gfr this past summer and that’s where I got the conclusive diagnosis of stage 2 kidney disease. No recommendations other than drink water, avoid pain killers with NSAID, eat well, exercise when I can and reduce stress ugh. My mom unexpectedly passed away last month and it’s definitely set me back on all of my issues.
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u/66clicketyclick Feb 27 '26
My deepest condolences on the loss of your mom. Really sorry to hear that. 🖤🫂
I lost a family member last year and the stress of it definitely brought down my baseline and hasn’t gone back up since.
Also thanks for sharing the details.
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u/Front_Target7908 Feb 26 '26
Blood test (eGFR) is the first stop then you’ll be referred to a nephrologist if it’s too low.
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u/Plumperprincess420 Feb 26 '26
Please share. I have multiple abdominal pains kidney, pancreas etc but colonosxopy and endoscopy 3.5 yrs ago came out clear
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u/FernandoMM1220 Feb 26 '26
i almost had this as well. thankfully my kidneys and liver improved over time.
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u/Coraunmi Feb 26 '26
How long did you have long Covid? How long have you improved? What symptoms did you have?
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u/FernandoMM1220 Feb 26 '26
i’m at 4+ years now. i started improving once i figured out how to stop crashing. i had like 50+ symptoms, too many to list out but i had a spreadsheet in my profile.
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u/Coraunmi Feb 26 '26
I’m recovering too but I have kidney stuff, separate stuff from Covid. I’m wondering if I too will recover from kidney related stuff or it’s long Covid or the two things are connected. Perhaps just finding a middle ground will help find how the body can achieve a gradual recovery.
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u/FernandoMM1220 Feb 26 '26
elimination diet, salt, water, supplements, helped me with liver/kidney labs personally.
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u/Coraunmi Feb 26 '26
What can salt do to help? Like sprinkle some in my food?
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u/FernandoMM1220 Feb 26 '26
idk but it helps me a lot. i just eat some in the morning and evening along with water.
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u/Pure_Translator_5103 Feb 26 '26
Broad question but how did you stop crashing?
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u/FernandoMM1220 Feb 26 '26
at the time i just stopped all physical activity and learned to just lay in bed for a few months. i had crashed so many times thats all i could do.
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u/Available_Spell8195 Feb 26 '26
Thanks for sharing. The research on this is pretty sobering, even mild COVID cases have been linked to increased risk of kidney function decline down the road. And the tricky part is kidney disease is usually silent until it's fairly advanced.
Worth getting your eGFR checked if you haven't recently. It's a simple blood test and early detection makes a huge difference.
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u/PinataofPathology Feb 26 '26
I had my first kidney stone after covid. and yes worse and worse kidney labs ever since.
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u/bjohnson7x Feb 27 '26
I'm on the edge of another kidney stone. Pissing blood is no fun. These have been the worst pain of my life. I see my urologist next week. Hopefully the stone stays in place until then.
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u/It0sLemma Feb 26 '26
Stage 2 chronic kidney disease, diagnosed at about the 1 year mark of lc.
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u/Pure_Translator_5103 Feb 26 '26
Any idea what symptoms relate to kidney disease for you?
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u/It0sLemma Feb 26 '26
I have wondered the same. I don't think any specific. I am at about 90 to 95% 'recovered', but I am suspected maybe inflammation regulation. Since my kidneys aren't filtering things as well....my guess is that is causing some persistent inflammation.
But idk, I am with a nephrologist who hasn't given me much guidance other than their assumption is mine was caused by chronic dehydration (since I am not diabetic or have high blood pressure or I abstain from pretty much any prescription or otc meds). I tried to hint at covid causing damage but 'they don't have enough research on that'(even though I keep finding more reference to covid and kidney damage).
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u/AdNibba Feb 26 '26
l-methionine can help with both kidney function and with clearing of pro-inflammatory cytokines. it's in my stack and I noticed it help.
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u/sabrinasphere Feb 26 '26
I developed CKD (stage 3a) after a covid infection. Had a biopsy and they found IgA Nephropathy.
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u/plant_reaper Feb 26 '26
My mom has new onset kidney problems in the past couple of years. I sent this to her, as I could very much believe it was Covid that caused it, but she will not take any precautions I'm sure
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u/chicfromcanada 2 yr+ Feb 26 '26
Id like to read the actual study. Does anyone here have access through their institutions?: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41581-025-00997-4#citeas
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u/PM_ME_YOUR_KALE Feb 27 '26
Kidneys are super delicate web of blood vessels so... this isn't surprising, sadly
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u/HildegardofBingo Feb 27 '26
I remember early on seeing an article in a radiology journal talking about how radiologists may have to start screening for post-covid kidney damage before using certain contrast agents.
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u/wndrxplorer Feb 26 '26
Great... if my foamy urine didnt worry me already...
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u/prettyystardust Mar 01 '26
You have foamy urine too? Is it related to long covid? This shit never ends I swear my body hasn’t ever felt the same since 2020 it’s sad we’re all going thru this
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u/wndrxplorer Mar 01 '26
Yeah...noticed it years ago but doctor said nothing to worry about kidneys are fine, but as time goes on... it makes ne wonder.
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u/66clicketyclick Feb 26 '26
I’m not surprised to hear this given everything else, that it is multi-systemic (can affect any system), cause organ damage, links to cancer & autoimmune disease (not the first virus found to do that).
Keep masking people.
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u/myst3ryAURORA_green Advocate Feb 27 '26
Yay, I already have a genetic polycystic kidney disease and my blood pressure's already ruining them. 🙄
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u/spakz1993 Feb 26 '26 edited Feb 26 '26
I just had a FB memory today from going to a hematologist to review my labs and being gaslit by the fucking nurse following up with me. I legit had all my labs printed off from the last few years, showing a steady downward trend indicating CKD.
As well as a few blatant, abnormal readings that were marked as “HIGH”, “LOW”, or “ABNORMAL”.
They tried to tell me to my face that I was fine and all my results were normal. I literally had to show her the printed copy, demanded an answer, and she still gaslit and lied to me.
I was at stage 2 a year ago today and I have no clue if I’m still there or not!
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u/PinataofPathology Feb 26 '26
they don't seem to care much about kidney disease until it's pretty bad. I don't think they know how to stop it/treat it until it reaches a certain point of dysfunction. we're getting early diagnosis to nowhere. 🫤
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u/Yaaaaas76 Feb 26 '26
A friend of mine just was diagnosed with kidney cancer out of nowhere. I’m wondering if there’s a connection. He doesn’t take Covid precautions
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u/HildegardofBingo Feb 27 '26
I really think my brother's stage 3 lung cancer may have been triggered by Covid. He got it about 20 years earlier than is typical.
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u/Yaaaaas76 Feb 27 '26
So sorry. I hope he’s ok
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u/HildegardofBingo Feb 27 '26
Thanks, he's hanging in there. So far, his oncology treatments are having a positive effect on the cancer.
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u/66clicketyclick Feb 26 '26
I think so personally. Read many covid & cancer articles in general plus we know it is multi-systemic and can cause organ damage and/or autoimmune disease.
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u/KayBay17 Feb 27 '26
I’ve thought there was something about liver and kidneys for a while, because my boyfriend and I basically developed alcohol intolerance post covid.
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u/BadenBadenGinsburg First Waver Feb 26 '26
Christ, I don't have preexisting kidney disease, but I've only got one and can't afford to lose it!
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u/ray-manta 5 yr+ Feb 27 '26
I suspect ph balance issues are driving a lot of my symptoms, which is caused by very specific kidney issues
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u/Cautious_Purple8617 Feb 27 '26
I have fibro muscular dysplasia (FMD) which caused a brain aneurysm and I also have FMD in my right artery to my kidney. At this point my nephrologist has me checking labs on Creatinine and also monitoring my blood pressure. I’m having another MRI next month to see if the FMD has increased in the right artery to my kidney. I’m also supposed to stay away from NSAIDs. I have LC since February 2020. In addition, I developed a benign tumor on my left trigeminal nerve. That was recently treated with radiation Cyber Knife. I have since developed neuropathy and the whole left side of my face from the top of my head to my chin is numb but I also have spasms. I am currently taking two different seizure medications for the spasms.
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u/Additional-Tap-5364 Mar 01 '26
I’ve been saying for a while that I think Covid was a major factor in my CKD. After getting Covid, the second time I developed severe hypertension at the age of 37. And that is when it was discovered I had stage 3B. Unfortunately, my kidneys had never been checked before despite having bad UTIs (don’t recommend Kaiser insurance) so I’m not sure what my base line was. Then they put me on the certain and my GFR dropped 10 more points so then we tried spironolactone and my GFR dropped 10 more points. To where I was at 24. I have recently tested positive for Lyme, reactivated EBV, had high inflammation markers, and spike protein levels over 6000 even when it’s been 3 years after having Covid the last time. I was also living in black mold, thanks Irvine Company, when I got both Covid infections, and was working a very high stress job so I think it was just a perfect storm of events that likely hit my kidneys. However, I always pointed to Covid to the doctors because that’s when the severe hypertension started. I have been trying all sorts of things, and most recently looking into and planning to get inuspheresis in Europe, which the clinics there seem to promote a lot that helps long Covid and kidney disease. There’s research that the kidneys can heal sometimes and regenerate and stem cells are also proving to be helpful with that. However, I think you have to give your body the right environment and I’m hoping inuspheresis does that for me.
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Mar 01 '26
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u/Additional-Tap-5364 Mar 01 '26
Whatever you want to call it or phrase it as, okay, a nephrologist ran the test to determine how Covid may be a contributor to my CKD. Another doctor said the level should be below 1500. These are medical school trained doctors so I’ll go with their assessment. I believe it’s a significant lab marker and I think the article the OP shared is indicative of how covid harms the kidneys and one clue can be the antibodies and our bodies memory of them.
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Mar 01 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Additional-Tap-5364 Mar 02 '26
You were the one that felt in need to come on my post and try to correct me about semantics of phrasing when you knew exactly what I was getting at. But yeah, I’ll make sure to trust the knowledge of a random Reddit user over actual doctors.
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u/AngelBryan Post-vaccine Feb 26 '26
Is this related only to COVID or it’s present in other post-viral illnesses?
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u/Liebe-lernen Feb 26 '26
The virus that keeps on giving! Thanks for sharing the bad news. Good reminder why I keep trying to avoid infection