Low GFR

[mombcp]

My GFR went from 54 in 2014, to 41 last month. My cholesterol is 254. I have to go redo my blood tests in 2 month. My GP told me that he is baffled at why my GFR keeps dropping. My blood pressure is good, I am not a diabetic. After reading all of your posts, I think I know why GFR is decreasing. I have had back problems for years and I have taken so much ibuprofen. My GP prescribed Percocet, but it does not last long, so I still take ibuprofen. I do not drink water, but a lot of ice tea. I am going to stop taking ibuprofen and start drinking water instead of ice tea and see if it makes a difference in my GFR. I am a nurses aide and my job is really hard on my back, I just hope I can stay away from NSAID's. Has anyone else's B12 level been low. My homocysteine level was 12, so he now gives me B12 shots.

[Jjlinden]

Hi mombcp, mine is a similar story. No diabetes, high blood pressure, or heart disease but a history of taking NSAIDs for back pain, frozen shoulders, surgery and injuries after accidents. I don't know if everybody would be affected by taking them or if I am just unlucky but it has come to my attention that a low birth weight can make you predisposed to it, I was 4lb and anything up to 5.5lb is considered low. I also have been B12 deficient, I'm also wondering if there's a connection. I get gout and restless legs and get very tired periodically. I take iron and B12 and the levels have now returned to normal but one wonders what damage was done. I now take paracetamol or codeine instead of NSAIDs and try to remember to drink more water. My GP said I don't need to stay off nsaids(!) but I can't think that it's a good thing to do I'm these circumstances. He also said I don't need to watch my diet, he didn't say why but from info from many others on this site, I have deduced that this is because my potassium is ok. My GFR has wavered between 47 and 54 since 2009, going up and down, I wish I knew why! I'm seeing my GP on Thursday to find out the latest. All the best, x

[stargazey in reply to Jjlinden]

Let us know how you get on. X

[Jjlinden in reply to stargazey]

Hi stargazer. Back from seeing the doc this morning. Blood test results were 54 which is up from last years 50. He is still very blasé about the whole business. He said ' you have very mild 'disease', indeed a few years ago you wouldn't be considered to have a disease at all but a few years ago they changed the way it's is recorded and now because of this you are below the number they say is normal. I don't think it will get very much worse if at all'! Ok. Even my 'gout' he said wasn't necessarily symptomatic ( bloods were negative but it's not conclusive) and the restless legs also not necessarily from CKD. So I'm to just forget about it and carry on as normal. So that's all right then. I'd better stop looking at the Internet.....!

[mombcp in reply to Jjlinden]

I am so glad for you. I hope mine goes up. I was taking vitamin B12 vitamins that I bought from drug store and thought it was basically the same as the shot (the sublingual) anyway. I was looking into vitamins and saw that some companies sell vitamin B12 as cyanocobalamin, which is actually a cheap synthetic form and has cyanide in it. I always thought that the sublingual was just a pill version of what was in the shot that the doctors gave. Boy was I wrong. Although after my doctor gave me the shot. I did start feeling better. Only very minor swelling in my legs. I go see the kidney doctor on Tuesday. Don't know what to expect, but will keep you informed.

[stargazey]

Hi JJ I am pleased that your GFR is up from last time, at least it's stable at the moment. Maybe we should stop looking at the internet, although I enjoy talking to people on sites. I really think your situation mirrors mine. I phoned the UK kidney disease organisation a while back and even they told me not to worry or change anything because most people don't go on to develop serious kidney failure.

When he said that a few years ago you would not have been considered to have a problem maybe he's right. Ideal cholesterol measurement has gone from 6 to under 5 and blood pressure should be 120/80 whereas it used to be 140/90. But we are all different - if you have different blood group, different colour hair, eyes, taller, fatter, thinner, who is to say we should all have same Egfr. Tell you what, I'll stop worrying too much if you will. I'll have to have a test in a couple of months.

Take care and stay in touch.