Justin Pham was 30 years old when he was told his kidney function had declined to the point that the organs could no longer function on their own.
This diagnosis came as a huge shock to Pham, from Los Angeles, California, who had dismissed his symptoms for most of his 20s. In an exclusive interview with Newsweek, Pham, who has both kidney and heart failure, discussed the symptoms he ignored, which also went viral on TikTok (@platinumkidney), racking up 4.7 million views.
Now aged 32, the entrepreneur is sharing his story to raise awareness of kidney disease, which affects 35.5 million Americans, according to the American Kidney Fund.
TikTok/@platinumkidney
Warning Signs of Kidney Disease
Blake Shusterman, a nephrologist, told Newsweek that the symptoms of kidney disease are often ignored because they are non-specific—meaning that they are often like the symptoms of many other conditions. Shusterman, based in Greenville, South Carolina, explained that medics miss the window to provide effective treatment when symptoms are ignored.
Pham, who has no family history of the disease, first suffered from kidney issues at the age of nine. This resulted in surgery to remove half of each kidney.
In his 20s, he began to experience the following symptoms:
- Itchy skin or rashes
- Leg cramps in the morning
- Stomach ache and vomiting
- Frequent urination at night
- Foamy urine
- Trouble breathing
He told Newsweek: “I always thought the symptoms were something minor, such as dry skin making me itch. Or I’d blame stomach issues on something I had eaten.”
Shusterman said: “The exact cause of this symptom is a mystery, though we have some proposed mechanisms or possible explanations for the itching, which can be really bothersome.
“The itching may be due to waste products that build up in the body when the kidneys aren’t filtering correctly. These waste products then lead to physiologic changes in the skin that trigger the itching. The itching may also be related to a systemic (or whole body) inflammatory state which can happen in some people who develop kidney disease. Other abnormal body responses may be at play as well, but they are still being studied.”
Pham continued: “Youth was on my side; I didn’t think it would be anything serious, and as time went on, I thought the way I felt was just my normal.
“Eventually, I just got used to seeing the bubbles in my urine and didn’t think much of it.”
Healthy kidneys filter waste while keeping essential substances like protein in the bloodstream. When damaged, they may leak excess protein into urine, a condition called proteinuria, which can cause foamy urine. While not a disease itself, proteinuria can signal kidney issues, according to medical service Fresenius Kidney Care.
Diagnosis
Justin Pham
After getting on with his daily life, Pham became concerned when he started running out of breath quickly.
“I was struggling to breathe when crossing the road from my car to the grocery store,” he told Newsweek. “This made me realize something was wrong.”
However, he didn’t think it was related to his kidneys. Instead, he suspected COVID-19, as this was during 2022.
Following blood work and tests, he was diagnosed with Stage 5 chronic kidney disease (CKD), also known as end-stage kidney disease (ESKD)—meaning his kidneys had failed and could no longer function properly.
Pham was unaware that high blood pressure, which runs in his family, is the second leading cause of kidney failure, after diabetes.
The National Kidney Foundation explains that this occurs when the kidneys operate at less than 15 percent of their normal function compared to two healthy kidneys in a young person. Because of this severe decline, dialysis or a kidney transplant is necessary for survival. ESKD also increases the risk of heart disease.
Heart Failure Symptoms
Two years later, Pham started experiencing symptoms of cardiovascular disease, including:
- Swollen hands and feet
- Chest pain
- Fatigue
- Low appetite
“Initially, I thought everything was kidney-related stuff—not heart—as it’s not like my heart hurt with every pump, it just happens.
“As I started going into transplant centers for further testing, the doctors discovered heart failure; when one organ starts failing, another one does.”
Shusterman, who has over 15 years of experience, explained why this “domino effect” happens frequently in people with CKD.
“Heart failure and kidney failure often go hand in hand,” he told Newsweek, adding that the kidneys control the way the body handles salt and water. If they are not getting rid of these substances effectively, they can build up inside the body and place extra pressure on the heart.
This combined with a stretching of the heart muscle that often happens when someone with kidney disease retains too much water, can lead to heart failure.
He added: “Abnormal electrolyte levels, such as high potassium levels, can lead to heart problems in people with kidney disease as well. Potassium can build up in the blood when the kidneys are not filtering properly.”
Ongoing Treatment and Outlook
Pham is currently undergoing 10 hours of peritoneal dialysis (PD) daily—a treatment for kidney failure that uses the lining of the abdomen to filter the blood.
He is on a kidney transplant waiting list and is scheduled for a heart procedure next month. Despite these challenges, he remains positive and continues to raise awareness on TikTok.
“When you are young, you think you’re invincible, especially guys—we don’t do manual check-ups like women do,” he told Newsweek.
“My advice for young people is to always see a doctor and think about your health.
“Don’t take it for granted—just because you are young doesn’t mean it can’t happen to you.”
For those facing kidney failure, he urges them not to give up, emphasizing that the body can handle more than they may think.
“It isn’t a death sentence,” he said.
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