Inside Singapore’s Fight Against Kidney Failure: A Looming Dialysis Crisis?

I had kidney failure , please I beg all of you to eat as little sodium and sugar as possible , walk at least 5000 steps a day and work hard . When yo iWork hard, you sleep at least 8 hours with a clean conscience….I did not take good care my body, grew overweight and could never control my BP with even drugs …I also took milk whey protein supplements to build muscle ….the disease is silent and does not show symptoms till very advanced . I let down my family and my mother who gave me a healthy pair of kidneys that should have lasted a lifetime. Please do no repeat my mistakes 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾

I love Singapore, I went there twice when I was working in Indonesia. In both of those countries, I noticed that the street food culture was quite strong with a lot of carbohydrates and fried food. People also consummed a lot of soft drinks, or added sugar in their tea, coffee, hot chocolate etc. Added sugar and heated seed oils everywhere. Although those were delicious to eat, I could notice their effects on my physical and mental well-being. I'm French, so we do have our fair share of sweet pastries in my country, but the frequency of eating them was so much higher in Singapore and Indonesia. I didn't meet a single person who liked to drink coffee or tea without sugar. They looked at me like an alien when I told them I enjoyed black coffee and unsweetened tea. And so many people didn't like to walk in Indonesia. They take a motorcycle even if they need to go somewhere 200 meters away.

Well, if the government allows Medisave to be used for preventive measures such as a full body medical check-up incl kidney, the numbers could be arrested. Using the medisave to pay is easier for people than out-of-pocket cash.

For those who are diagnosed from CKD stage 1 to stage 3, let me share with you my experience with CKD. Currently, I have end stage renal failure and I’m on dialysis at the moment. When I was told about my ailing kidneys some years ago, I was already in Stage 3a, a point of no return. I was told to limit my salt, protein and potassium intake to reduce work for my kidneys and prolong their life. Speak to your doctor because each individual case is different. Fortunately, in my case I didn’t have diabetes, so my dietitian told me to increase my carbohydrate intake to make up for the loss of protein, and thus energy. Be careful of hidden salt and protein in food like bone broth, bubble tea (milk) and processed food (e.g. instant noodles). The protein aspect of a CKD diet usually focuses on quality protein like meat and omits beans and milk. But please speak to your doctor. Potassium is a bad thing too. Some fruits and vegetables contain high amount of potassium. Examples include seasonal fruits (durian, rambutan, jackfruit), kale, spinach and beetroot. Processed food such as chocolate and instant noodles is also high in potassium. Some people may be tempted to pursue an alternative way of healing such as using Chinese herbs. However, I would not agree with this. Chinese herbs are a big no no for CKD because they are very high in potassium. I hovered at Stage 3 for about 4 years. Sadly, my kidneys deteriorated to the point of no return. In hindsight, I wished I had paid more attention to my diet during stage 3, so I could have a better chance of prolonging the life of my kidneys. Stage 4 was the shortest, lasting only 5 months. As time went on, I grew sicker and became more exhausted. During this time, I became depressed as I felt like I was stuck in limbo. A healthier version of myself was some distant time ago and I was still not on dialysis yet. The unknown part of my future life on dialysis scared me, and I didn’t know if I was fully ready to accept everything that comes with it. I made plans to arrange my future dialysis with my hospital (I should say I live in Malaysia btw). I also travelled to Thailand in what would be my last overseas trip. Now I’ve been on dialysis (peritoneal) for almost four years and I’m 34 years this year. So exhausted all the time. Need to take many types of medicine. A weekly injection to boost my blood production. When kidneys fail, our body can no longer produce adequate blood. My heart muscles have thickened because it has to work super hard to do simple things like cooking and climbing up the stairs. Have to avoid crowded areas because any mishap I may fall on the ground and break my brittle bones. I still can go jogging (though it’s not very encouraged) but there are many things I can’t do now. Travelling is one of them. I’m essentially homebound because I need to my dialysis every 5-6 hours. I can no longer eat all my favourite food such as beef noodles, instant noodles, ice cream, chocolates, bak kut teh and so on. No more contact sports or lifting moderate to heavy objects. No more swimming or soaking in bathtub. No more body massage because I can’t sleep on my stomach. I can still get body massage if I lie on my side but it’s not very comfortable. It’s all the little I used to take more granted in life sad face So people, please take care of your kidneys. They are silent organs which means they won’t tell you if they are hurt. If you have not reached stage 4 yet, there is still time to change things. Speak to a nephrologist and make necessary changes to your diet and lifestyle. If you’re Chinese like me, please limit your soy sauce intake and try to avoid food like salted egg, fermented bean curd and kon lou mee. Noodle soup is ok as long as you are very strict with not drinking the broth. Stage 1, 2 and 3 may not progress any further and you can avoid a future like mine. Wishing everyone the best of health.

Same here in the Philippines, my mom started dialysis treatment last year and while accompanying her to the hospital, I see people my age and even younger being treated for terminal CKD. To see them frustrated, in denial and showing aggression during the first sessions is hard. Removing their financial worries in their thoughts helps a lot. I cried hard when my mom said she was ready to go without going through dialysis so convincing her took all my strength, patience and love for her. So glad she is feeling better now.

The real annoying part here is nowhere did it say how to prevent this disease, but rather how to manage an already pathetic situation.

Thank you CNA for spreading the awareness. My late grandfather and father-in-law died during dialysis process. Both are caused by genetic factors and soft drink consumptions. Also, I saw many horrible moments inside the dialysis room with the most notable is child patients. They were doing the dialysis treatment using their school uniform and the image is still stuck in my head for more than a decade. The main cause of the dialysis in my hometown is primarily because of diabetes, and also excessive consumption of energy drinks, which combines awful level of both sugar and caffeine. And guess what? They drink it for fun because they felt that water is not tasty and "boring". Please drink more water and take care of your kidney health more seriously, because your world will never be the same once your kidney refuse to work.

Soft drink consumption is very high in Singapore. And also beer and alcohol. I was shocked to see everyone having a soft drink almost with every other meal in my recent trip.

Thank you for this video!!! As a kidney patient myself diagnosed at 2 years old, this makes me really emotional. Take care of yourselves!

The big question would be "How to prevent Kidney Failure", yes?

Almost 10 years ago, I was diagnosed with stage 3B CKD due to an autoimmune condition. I consider myself fortunate to have known about the condition early on because I had a routine blood test at the local clinic. Upon receiving the test results, I was referred to a doctor who informed me that my kidney functions were not good and required further examination at the hospital. Initially, I believed the condition could be cured with medications. However, upon consulting a nephrologist, I learned that autoimmune conditions have no cure. As a result, I was prescribed numerous medications, which I had to take daily (approximately 30 pills per day). During the first three months following the diagnosis, I had to undergo weekly blood tests. Despite taking many medications, my kidney functions did not improve significantly, with my eGFR remaining at around 35-45% in stages 3B and 3A. However, in 2019, my eGFR declined to almost stage 4, which greatly concerned my nephrologist and caused me to panic. Determined to find a solution, I conducted research online and came across the Modified Whole Food Plant-Based Diet, specifically designed to address kidney problems. I decided to adopt this diet, eliminating animal protein, processed food in any form, oil, sugar, and salt entirely. Instead, my diet primarily consists of vegetables, fruits, grains, and legumes, and I make sure to stay well-hydrated with plenty of water. Due to my autoimmune condition, I also avoid certain foods such as gluten and nightshade vegetables. Remarkably, within six months of following this protocol, my eGFR improved from almost stage 4 (eGFR 32) to stage 2 (eGFR nearly 70), and it has remained stable ever since. Adhering to the diet requires effort as I cannot eat outside and must prepare my meals daily. Nevertheless, it's undoubtedly worth it, as it has helped me avoid dialysis and save a significant amount of money. Since my kidneys reversed to stage 2, I now only need to see the doctor once a year, and all medications have been discontinued. This goes to show that there is hope for those with CKD.

The looming dialysis crisis presents a significant challenge for Singapore and other countries facing similar situations. The demand for dialysis treatment is increasing, and it's essential to address the underlying factors contributing to the rise in kidney failure cases.

Kidney failure is already an advanced state. That’s why yearly exam with blood test is key in early detection.When I was in HS , my father diabetes killed him with kidney failure. I took nursing and learned pathophysiology . It could have been prevented in his case. I understand it could be genetic, anatomical and even caused by an infection but education and regular physical exam and diet plays a huge role in prevention .

this is scary. Looks like i need to book an appointment for diabetes and kidney disease blood tests ASAP.

Forever grateful that once I was a part of NKF Singapore’s nursing workforce. ❤

Thank you very much for raising the awareness, CNA 🙏🏽🙇🏻‍♀️❤❤❤

My dad died from this. Keep safe people. Drink a lot of water and do some sport even just little bit. Don't let obesity control us. 😥😥

People, note that dialysis will leach minerals from the bones. After a long period of time such as a decade the bones will become very brittle. Dialysis may no longer be an option if the bones are too brittle. NKF has the option to withhold dialysis from such patients. A family friend's mother experienced this and the family fought hard to resume her sessions. They lost and she died shortly thereafter.

Well done CNA Insider this is an insightful and excellent documentary so hopefully next please do a documentary on Heart and Lungs disease even on Parkinson and Autoimunne disease

thank you CNA for addressing CKD.. Very insightful.