Living with PKD
If you or someone you care about live with PKD, some of your top priorities are to maintain a high quality of life and manage the disease. This means having a well-balanced diet, staying physically active, learning how to manage pain and finding effective ways to communicate with your health care team. It is also important to learn as much as possible about PKD. The more you know, the better you can take care of yourself or your loved one with PKD.
Here you can learn from the world’s leading medical experts about PKD and how to live a better life with it. Not sure where to begin? Here are some topics to get you started:
The basics
Just Diagnosed
Learn more about PKD, explore our resources and education, and connect with the PKD community.
Nutrition
While a specific diet won’t make polycystic kidneys better, it is ideal to eat a balanced and healthy diet.
Exercise
Regular exercise can decrease blood pressure, improve stamina, and enhance your sense of well-being.
Complications
Chronic Pain Management
Pain frequency and tolerance vary greatly among individuals. It is important to understand your treatment options.
Pregnancy & PKD
Early diagnosis of PKD has become increasingly more common and has important implications for family planning.
Treatment
Dialysis
If your kidneys fail or can no longer take care of your body’s needs, dialysis is a kidney replacement option that does some of the things healthy kidneys do.
Transplant
Considering and preparing for transplantation can be overwhelming. We have resources to help you navigate the process.
Finding a clinic
Search our database for a clinic near you.
Page last reviewed November 2022
