18/02/2026
A few days ago, a patient told me very casually,
“Doctor, I just take one painkiller and one acidity tablet every day. That’s normal, right?”
He had been doing this for almost a year.
His creatinine was already rising.
His kidneys were slowly failing — and he had no symptoms.
This is how kidney damage usually happens.
Silently. Slowly. Without warning.
That “small” painkiller for back pain.
That “simple” pantoprazole for acidity.
That antibiotic taken without prescription.
Taken once in a while may be fine.
Taken regularly without supervision can push your kidneys toward permanent damage.
And the scary part?
By the time swelling or reduced urine appears, significant damage may already be done.
Dialysis doesn’t start in one day.
It often starts with small daily habits we ignore.
If you have diabetes, high BP, or are above 50 — please do not make self-medication a routine.
Before turning any tablet into a daily habit, just ask a doctor.
Kidneys don’t shout.
They fail quietly.
— Dr. Judhajit Maiti
DM Nephrology
