When nephropathy develops, the kidneys lose their ability to remove these waste products from the body. There are no symptoms at this stage. When the kidneys lose too much function, the condition is called end-stage renal disease. At this point, the person does not feel well, and treatment is required to replace kidney function. One option for the person with end-stage renal disease is a new kidney.
Transplants are most successful when the kidney comes from a living relative.
One year after getting a kidney from a living relative, about 9 in 10 people with diabetes are still alive. After 5 years, the number is 8 in 10. For people who get cadaver kidneys, about 8 in 10 are still alive after 1 year and 6 in 10 after 5 years. These numbers may sound scary, but people who have kidney failure are certain to die without treatment. For those who choose dialysis, only about one-third are still alive 5 years later.