WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF GLOMERULAR DISEASE?
Some people with FSGS develop swelling (edema) of the eyelids in the morning and edema of the legs and body late in the day due to retention of fluid and this is what leads them to seek medical attention. Some notice foamy or bubbly urine when they urinate (due to the protein in the urine). Because symptoms may develop gradually, the disorder may first be discovered when there is an abnormal urine test (with protein and blood) or blood test (abnormal kidney function) done for a routine physical exam or on exam for an unrelated disorder. Many patients will have high blood pressure at the time of diagnosis.

The signs and symptoms of glomerular disease include:
proteinuria: large amounts of protein in the urine
hematuria: blood in the urine
reduced glomerular filtration rate: inefficient filtering of wastes from the blood
hypoproteinemia: low blood protein
edema: swelling in parts of the body

One or more of these symptoms can be the first sign of kidney disease. But how would you know, for example, whether you have proteinuria? Before seeing a doctor, you may not. But some of these symptoms have signs, or visible manifestations:
Proteinuria may cause foamy urine.
Blood may cause the urine to be pink or cola-colored.
Edema may be obvious in hands and ankles, especially at the end of the day, or around the eyes when awakening in the morning, for example.

Source: National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse
3 Information Way
Bethesda, MD 20892-3580
Email: nkudic@info.niddk.nih.gov
The National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NKUDIC) is a service of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). The NIDDK is part of the National Institutes of Health under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Established in 1987, the clearinghouse provides information about diseases of the kidneys and urologic system to people with kidney and urologic disorders and to their families, health care professionals, and the public. NKUDIC answers inquiries, develops and distributes publications, and works closely with professional and patient organizations and Government agencies to coordinate resources about kidney and urologic diseases. Publications produced by the clearinghouse are carefully reviewed by both NIDDK scientists and outside experts.
NIH Publication No. 03-4358
March 2003