ultrasound for kidneys

[stef007]

hi

i am going to have a ultrasound because my kidney function has dropped to 29%

and was wondering if anyone could tell me what is involved in the ultrasound and what will they be looking for

[madonbrew]

Hi stef007,

An ultrasound scan in itself isn’t anything to worry about....it’s the jelly stuff on your tummy...same as looking at babies in pregnant women. You can often see the screen (if you want to) . I always ask a billion questions but often you have to wait for official reports before they tell you anything.

I’m guessing they’ll be looking for any signs of why your kidney function has dropped, any thing that they can see that might be causing it....for example...I have infarcts on my kidneys, which the dr described to me as like ‘having a heart attack in your kidneys’.

Others on here I’m sure will have some useful thoughts and insights.

HaS that been a quick drop to 29? If you don’t mind me asking, what is your age?

Hopefully it won’t be long before your scan& appointment with hospital team. It’s the waiting I find most difficult!

Best wishes, madonbrew

[Gorsemoor in reply to madonbrew]

It’s just jell placed on your tummy and a pad is passed across it several times.

Perfectly painless.You may be able to see the screen it depends also the person may make some comments afterwards or just tell you that the results will be with your doctors a few days I’ve experienced both.What you may find is that one kidney could be smaller than the other that’s what happened to me the doctor told me that was probably caused by an infection I’d had in the past and no cause for concern .You will probably get a report on your liver and other innards in the same area.From my experience absolutely nothing to be concerned about.i don’t know your history I can only tell you that my function dropped from 31 to 26 in six months and one kidney was half the size of the other.This was four years ago and by making simple changes to my diet my kidney function this summer four years on is back to 31.

I know you may be concerned I was but with good guidance you should be able to turn this around.

[stef007 in reply to madonbrew]

hi there, firstly let me thank you for replying to my question, my kidney function has been dropping quickly over the past 6 months, i am only 48 and my doctor has told me that this should not be happening to someone my age, so i guess i will wait to see what the specialist says when i see him or her. many thanks for your time.

[Sammi_n_Munk in reply to stef007]

Hello stef007. I’m sorry to hear about all that you’ve been suffering through. Has your doctor mentioned your possible use of any over-the-counter anti-inflammatory pain medications, such as Advil, Motrin, Aleve or Aspirin? These types of meds are famous for causing kidneys to weaken, even in those who have healthy kidneys.

Also, for some people, too much overly strenuous exertion (such as heavy weight-lifting, as well as too much protein in the diet), can also contribute somewhat, to hurting our kidney function (in that it can raise creatinine levels).

You may also want to speak to your doctor about any dietary changes she / he might think will be helpful to you. But, I just want to emphasize again, if you are taking any anti-inflammatory meds, try to do your best to lean back on those. For pain relief, try Tylenol instead (providing you have no allergies to acetaminophen or any liver issues), as acetaminophen is processed by the liver and not the kidneys.

I hope your test results will come out well, and that your medical team will find the answer to your kidney issues. Please know that I hold you in my thoughts and prayers dear. Please keep us posted as to how things come along. I wish you all my best! God bless. 🙏😊👍✌️

[Sammi_n_Munk in reply to stef007]

Hello again. Forgot to mention that dehydration is also very bad for the kidneys. You should speak to your doctor about how much water you should be consuming daily. Our GFR readings do tend to fluctuate, but sometimes, drinking more water and flushing our kidneys and system, can help to raise our GFR levels also. Keeping ourselves well-hydrated is a step in the right direction (this is true for everyone, really). Once again, many blessings. 🙏😊👍

[Sally777 in reply to madonbrew]

Sometimes acute kidney disease is caused by medications doctors give. I was given high blood pressure medication with a water pill and my gfr went from 65 to 44. I am 70 years old. My doctor told me my kidneys I had Ckd due to high blood pressure and taking too many naisads. I went to a kidney doctor and he was suspicious of the medication when I told him what i was given. He said to wait it out. I did and my gfr returned to 59. I don’t think I will ever see 65 again. BTW it took a full year.

[Sally777 in reply to Sally777]

Don’t be surprised if the ultrasound shows nothing too.

[arch_angel]

Like the others have stated the ultrasound is no big deal. Some gooey jelly and a machine that makes strange noises. But if it is inconclusive they may want to run an MRI, possible with contrast. The MRI itself is no big deal ether, but if they want to run it with contrast the solution they use is iodine based. I am allergic to seafood and the solution has a rick of creating an allergic reaction. That turns the process into an all day affair. Bottom line, if you're allergic to shellfish and they talk about contrast talk to your doctor just to be safe. good luck!

[Minne]

Hi I had to have a ultrasound because off my kidney function but also other problems and they found a tumor on my adrenal gland which they have removed and I have got a lot better. Blood pressure back to normal. I was on 3 tablets a day I don’t have to take any now. So that’s better for my kidneys.

[stef007 in reply to Minne]

hi minne

many thanks for your reply and i am so glad that you are feeling much better

i hope that you have and live a great life and with this covid 19 around please stay safe

[NickG1]

HiI had an ultra sound

They looked for kidney stones and measured size of kidneys and any other abnormalities

I was 50 kidney count which is 3a but when he checked he said i was stage 2 so it is a good thing to have the ultra sound

Nick