Lupus and kidney involvement

[Anne_john]

My husband has considerable pain in the area of his kidneys and in one testicle. His urine sample is now clear of infection after antibiotics, does the fact that this is clear mean that there is no Lupus related kidney damage?

[Hidden]

Lupus nephritis can be painless - and conversely, the fact that your husband has pain, does not necessarily indicate kidney damage.

But you don't really give enough information to answer your question. It sounds as though he had a UTI or a kidney infection? Both of these can be sign of lupus nephritis - but equally you can have both sorts of infection without having lupus nephritis.

Blood and protein in the urine can be a sign of an infection and/or they can be a sign of nephritis. If there is still blood and protein in the urine even after anti-biotics this can either mean the infection has not cleared or it may be a sign of nephritis. Repeated UTIs should be a warning sign that further investigation is needed. Other more specific tests include a blood test for GFR (glomerular filtration rate); and urine tests for creatinine clearance.

If your husband has lupus, repeated UTIs, and repeated urine tests showing protein and blood in the urine, this should alert your GP that further investigation is needed. Frothy urine, and swelling of ankles, legs, face are things that your husband needs to pay attention to as these can indicate a build up of fluid which in turn can indicate that there is something seriously wrong with the kidney. Persistently high blood pressure also needs attending to.

Importantly though: don't panic. IF it turns out he DOES have kidney involvement with his lupus there are very effective (if unpleasant) treatments that can regain a lot of kidney function and get him back on his feet.

I should add here that I am not a medical doctor - I can only speak from my own experience of having kidney failure as a result of lupus nephritis (stage IV) - or diffuse proliferative glomerular nephritis. This is apparently pretty serious but also the most treatable sort ( the 'stages' don't indicate degrees of seriousness, I have read). Other types of nephritis might have some different symptoms and some might be painful (mine wasn't - which is how it got so bad before I went to the GP). I think you sometimes have to have a biopsy to determine exactly how bad things are/and what type it is, if you have lupus nephritis.

kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudise...

lupus.org/webmodules/webart...

Please don't worry, but do be informed. I hope all this helps.

Take care of yourselves

[Anne_john in reply to Hidden]

Thank you - this is very helpful indeed.

[roobarb]

Really helpful info maggie, thanks. I am going through tests for suspected lupus nephritis at present. As you say, this tends not to present any symptoms to the patient.

I hope your husband is OK Anne-john. In my experience the doctors are very quick off the mark if there is any possible sign of lupus kidney damage. All the very best to you both. X