Blood results... Any ideas?

[BookishVibes]

Hi everyone 😊

I had some blood tests done recently but don't have an appointment with the rheumatology team until September, and I can't decipher what they mean on my own. I know no one here is a medic so I'm not looking for a diagnosis of anything, but just some input from people who can hopefully share what similar results meant for them please. The abnormal results were a low immunoglobulin M and a high creatinine. My estimated GFR is 67. I know the latter two can be kidney related but not much else (Googling is just making me feel very confused!).

Thanks!! 😊

[Spanielmadlady]

Hi I have class v lupus nephritis.gfr is gromular filtration rate and indicates how well your kidneys are working .normal is 90 -120 .mine is stable at 60.creatinine is a waste product in the blood filtered out by the kidneys and again shows how well your kidneys are working.immunoglobulin m is an antibody.rheumatology dont look after my kidneys.. I see a kidney specialist and my lupus nephritis was diagnosed by a biopsy in 2018. Hope that helps xx

[BookishVibes in reply to Spanielmadlady]

Thanks so much Spanielmadlady for replying. Can I ask what your symptoms for your kidney disease were? I've likely had sle since my teens, although I wasn't diagnosed until my early 20s (now in my 30s). From what I've read online kidney disease normally presents early on in lupus. Was that your experience? Thanks again xx

[Spanielmadlady in reply to BookishVibes]

I think I've had lupus alot longer too.as a teen I was always very fatigued by sport but of course you are labelled lazy.in adulthood and I'm now 50 I've not had much but what I have had has taken a long time to get over.a about of poly arthritis in 1996 put me in hospital and that was when they found my right kidney was duplex.no treatment end of story.kidney disease causes very few issues so goes undetected hence the damage is already done by time its discovered.in lupus the kidneys try to rid the body of the excess antibodies in the blood and what they cant get rid of gets deposited in the kidneys causing the damage.odema can be one symptom as can foamy urine the later is the only one I can say I had with hindsight.ive never really suffered from water infections or kidney stones.my kidney disease was picked up by route labstick which show blood (you can't see,) was off the scale.that led to an emergency appointment at the renal dialysis unit at royal preston which lead to a biopsy (all in 7 wks) and diagnosis of the class v lupus nephritis.a biopsy is the only way to get a definitive diagnosis and now a nephrologist looks after my kidneys instead of rheumatology.my consultant didnt agree with the duplex kidney diagnosis so maybe that was lupus then we will never know.keep smiling xx

[BookishVibes in reply to Spanielmadlady]

That's really helpful info, thanks so much! Xx

[Spanielmadlady in reply to BookishVibes]

Bit extra info....there are 6 classes of lupus nephritis.each class denotes which part of the kidneys are damaged.i have class 5 which is the membranes of the kidneys that are damage.the biopsy also showed some of the gromelui are scholiosed. I dont drink and I keep my salt intake as low as possible paying particular attention to salt content of processed foods.good night sleep tight x

[BookishVibes in reply to Spanielmadlady]

Thank you so much again. Take care! Xx

[SurferGuy in reply to Spanielmadlady]

Regarding the creatine and kidney function, I was told the PCR value was used to indicate how well the kidney's are working. Or is this used in conjunction with the creatine value?

[Spanielmadlady in reply to SurferGuy]

Pcr is protein creatine ratio and is also used

[Singing_fairy]

Although you may have worries about your blood tests, please remember that your Gp and rheumatologist (if they were ordered by your consultant) will be checking them. If they have any concerns they will contact you.

Alternatively you can contact your consultants secretary and see if they can shed any light on whether the results require an earlier appointment.

Hope that helps

X

[BookishVibes in reply to Singing_fairy]

Thanks for your reply and advice, Singing_fairy. To be honest I don't totally trust the rheumatology team I'm under based on past experiences, which is why I feel safer getting some knowledge of my own before contacting them or leaving them to contact me, and also so I can ask appropriate questions X