I have had multiple blood, urine, and imaging tests on my kidneys. I have had serum creatinine levels of 1.4, 1.54, 1.7, and then 1.4, and 1.4.
Creatinine clearance was 136.6ml/min
No protein in urine and clear ct and ultra sound
My doctor says this is normal.
Does this seem normal?
Hidden ?
I going out on a limb and guessing you are asking me this question. So let me ask you this. Normal compared to what or normal for someone with___________?
If you mean that the tests results fall in the normal range then that would depend on where you live and what values the labs assign. For the USA, I use labtestsonline.org
You can use that to track your labs and see how you are doing. Understand this, each lab does things differently and each tech within the lab does things differently. However, there is a normal range and if you fall within that you would be considered "normal." The site I provided will give you the range and the specifics.
To take the step a bit further, I'd suggest you set up a spreadsheet. Use the horizontal space across the top to list the date and the doctor who ordered the labs. Use the vertical spaces on the left side to list the specific tests done. As you get the values, enter them in the corresponding block. When I have a value that is high, I highlight it in red. If it's too low I select another color and highlight the value with that. This way you can see at a glance where you are trending either high or low.
My big question for you is this, Why do you not trust your physician when s/he tells you that it is normal? If you have doubts about their telling you what you need to know then look for someone else you can trust. This will, of course, depend on what type of insurance you have and where you live (how far from other medical services). Sometimes it's just telling all of your physicians that you came to them for medical advice and all decisions will be yours to make and you depend on their timely and factual assistance.
Best of luck with the labs. There are many knowledgeable folks here who can help. I've been on an extensive road trip for the last three months and will be on another one at the end of next month, but only for 6-7 weeks.
I constantly see you commenting so i was just curious to you thoughts as you seem to have some experience with this. I have done extensive research and have seen my pcp and my nephrologist. I have also talked to an ER doctor. It started with a 1.4 creatinine level which concerned my primary but I am a 22 year old bodybuilder with high muscle mass and was taking heavy supplements. So i have had some staggering serum creatinine levels. But all normal ct scan, ultrasound, and no protein in 3 urinalysis tests.
I trust my doctors but I have been suffering from terrible health anxiety and also don't trust anyone 100%. I look out to other outlets and areas of people with similar experience as everyone is human and make mistakes or misdiagnose.
My gfr for a 22 year old with a 1.4 or 1.7 creatinine is 71 and 51 which is kidney disease. But my 24 hour clearance test was 136.6 ml/min. Which seems like the muscle mass shows high creatinine but my kidneys seem to be clearing at a very high rate. I wasn't sure if this is 100% the case or if anyone has experience different. Because creatinine clearance can overestimate and gfr can underestimate above a gfr of 60
Not normal, I suppose..as per the creatinine levels
Not normal as serum creatinine shows but that can be elevated due to a high protein diet and muscle mass. So my question is has anyone had kidney disease and had a high creatinine but also a high creatinine clearance. Because the clearance shows my kidneys are clearing the high amount of creatinine out of my blood. I am a bodybuilder and i am 5'8 174 pounds at 22 so that is why i am asking others experience. Because serum creatinine/gfr cannot be the only test as it can falsey show. Hence why i am worried and reaching out but i am looking for some logical/educated/experienced feedback. But you are right the levels are not normal hence why am looking out and unsure about my doctors opinion.
It seems that you've asked several versions of this same question over the last month and you don't seem to be happy with any of the answers because you keep asking it. I can understand your concern re your creatinine levels and wanting to catch CKD early, but I don't think you're going to find what you're looking for here. There are no medical doctors who answer questions on this forum; just regular people who have CKD and have had to become more educated about this disease. BTW, Chronic Kidney Disease is defined as having a GFR below 60 for 3 consecutive months, and based on your information, it doesn't look like CKD to me. You also don't have elevated blood pressure or protein in the urine, and that's re-assuring. You also stated you have a normal ultrasound of your kidneys. So, if you don't trust what you're doctors are telling you, perhaps you should get a second opinion and/or even a third opinion from different nephrologists? My earlier advice was to eat a low-protein, mostly vegetarian diet and stay off the bodybuilding supplements, and see if your creatinine continues to come down. You can ask your doctor to order a Basic Metabolic Panel lab test that is done once every four weeks so you can monitor your creatinine. If you see the other nephrologists and they all agree that you don't have CKD, yet you're still feeling anxious about your health, perhaps it would help to talk to a therapist.
I definitely need to go to talk with a therapist about anxiety. But I just want an explanation to why my levels are truly elevated. Which obviously comes from my doctor. But I just want to find out if I am in the clear and have normal function or not and if anyone had a similar situation. My main question was about creatinine clearance.
I think everyone has been giving you their opinions as to the possible reason for your creatinine to be a little high. Body builders and people that work out a lot have a larger muscle mass & it produces more creatinine.
I would advise you to see a therapist. You should be happy that your doctor did other tests and could find nothing else wrong except with your creatinine little elevated.
Overall and with you as a body builder taking supplements a higher creatinine clearance would be expected as muscle mass produces more creatinine. That being said labs do produce varying results. Most results up to and around 1.5 are generally considered within normal limits. Since you've had other tests and studies that show normal results I would feel confident all is okay especially with no protein in urine. But that is an opinion only. Why were you referred to or seeing a nephrologist? I was referred at age 19 due to family history, high bp and protein in urine. Didn't start having serious issues until my mid 30s and no dialysis until 44. Take a deep breath. Have a lengthy discussion with your PCP and nephrologist. They have your health history and all test results plus all the credentials to make an educated assessment of what if anything is going on. Blessings
Thank you for your response. I was referred to a nephrologist because my pcp was concerned about my creatinine levels. I have no family history of kidney disease. All tests were normal except the serum creatinine which is a good sign. But I am still worried about it because i'm confused to why it would be elevated even after I stopped supplements and cut back on protein. My BUN went down significantly but the creatinine was in the same range. The clearance was high which makes it feel like I am fine but I just am looking for opinions to help make myself feel confident.
Your PCP may have been trying to be thorough. Even without supplements body builders generally have higher creatinine. Creatinine is a by product of muscle. Hence the more muscles generally the higher creatinine levels. As long as your doctor's are okay and you see them regularly they appear to be managing well. With your willingness to be involved and advocate for yourself and health your well armed at self managing your healthcare which is a big plus for you. Wishing you continued good health. Blessings
I appreciate everything. My last question would be what was you creatinine clearance once your kidneys started failing. What was it before and after/ what was your serum creatinine?
My situation is much different than yours so my results couldn't compare. Being female with a familial hereditary kidney disease, high blood pressure, protein in urine and confirmed kidney diseased via radiological studies by age 21, my urine and bloodwork at that age was essentially normal except for protein in urine. Abnormal lab work for blood and urine Didn't pop up until my late 30s. But as stated I had many factors contributing against me. I suffered from many kidney infections, cyst infections, kidney stones (50+) requiring intervention, hospitalizations and IV antibiotics, continued high blood pressure and several pregnancies in between age 21 and age 44. So normal or abnormal for me is really incomparable to your situation. I will say by the time I hit my late 30s my eGFR was around 40% with a serum creatinine around 2.4. Take a deep breath. Wishing you well. Blessings
Hi Healthyliving,
I am going to also encourage you to see a therapist. Anxiety and stress are very harmful for the body and mind. You know that body building can influence lab results. Your doctor says your fine.
Here is a forum for body building where you might find some folks who can better answer your questions
Thank you. I have read this forum before. I feel a lot better than before but am still anxious. I am just trying to rule out everything even though it seems things are all normal. The only thing was the serum creatinine. But the high clearance makes me feel good as I have high creatinine but it seems my kidneys are clearing it.
i just recently joined a facebook group...natural kidney journey...everyone who has ckd needs to join this group...i have been eating the way that is outlined in this group since the beginning of march...i have lost a considerable amount of weight...i have gotten off my blood pressure meds...losartain and hydradraline...and a diueritic lasix...i have been working on getting rid of my diabetic med from 2 times aday to 1/2 a day and sometimes not even that...i was a stage 4 ckd at 26 now i am stage ckd 3b at 41...i have gained 15 points...it is similiar to vegan but you cut out sugar...oil...salt...potatoes...tomatoes...no processed food at all...mainly a plant based diet... water and herbal teas are fine...low potassium...low phoshorus...i feel really good...the people who started this group were able to get her husband off of dialysis...and he has been off of dialysis for 14 months...there are a couple of people onsite who have accomplished that...others are raising their gfr's dramatically...all with diet...it is a great group and i am so thankful that i found them...i mean 15 points is terrific for just a month of dedication...i am working to get to stage 2 or better...now this is my experience with this way of eating...everyone is different but i found out i ckd not because my doctor told me but that i looked at my labs...if you are really serious in having better kidney function at least check out this group...
Hello healthylivin69
I have gone through your questions and I know what your worries is all about I'm not a doctor but from my experience I will say you are ok there's nothing wrong with your kidney but where the problem is in your head, at 22 you are supposed to be having creatinine around 0.7 which should be above 120* GFR although labs results come with different range, there are factors that affect serum creatinine one of the factor is having mas body muscle 💪 and the kind of supplement you are taking and others, your creatinine clearance is high because of your lager muscles and supplement you are taking your kidneys are doing well to remove the excess creatinine from your body because your body is producing it in excess that is why you are having excess clearance, I will advice you to take a break maybe one or two months of your body exercise with enough water intake and see what your serum creatinine will look like as your CT and ultra scan came out normal there be will improvement as for your anxiety is because you have started seeing your self as a CKD patient and your doctor is not telling you your stage of the disease and it has gotten into your head, let me tell you a little story of mine last two years I was once a body builder @ 28 now 30 I always take casilan 90 supplement and complan milk last two years my serum creatinine was 1.13 and 1.24 my bun was 57 my doctor told me my kidney are doing perfect I left his office and continue with normal body building exercise until one day I lifted what my body couldn't take I had a pain in back where my kidneys are located and I said I have injured my kidney a week later I went for urinalysis and there was protein 1+ in my urine I repeated it a month later still protein with elevated BP I needed no body to tell me stop for a while last year my serum creatinine was 0.7 GFR above 120+ no protein and this year I had complicated kidney infection couple with small stone and my lab work will come out at month end I hope my GFR remain the same as my urine is foaming too much.
Best wishes.
Thank you so much for your reply. I really appreciate it. I think my biggest concern is my serum creatinine because I have seen pro bodybuilders with normal serum creatinine at 1.3 and I’m higher than that and he was 6’2” 300 pound steroid using bodybuilder.
Try give your self a break take enough water and see how it will look like, cos one thing I know is that body building exercise always increase the cardiac work rate you may not be hypertensive but it can have negative effect on the kidney as well, last 4 years I develop left ventricle hypertrophy as a result of that I stopped and months later everything normalize.
Have you done a 24 hour creatinine clearance test?
No I have not done it.
How is everything with you brother?
I been having the same problem and I'm a bodybuilding also, I use whey proteins as well.
please update me with anything happens
Hey Man,
Hope this helped a bit. I was so scared and nobody had any information. Im 22 and I am completely fine..for now at least. My nephrologist looked me in the face and was like YOU DO NOT HAVE KIDNEY DISEASE. But im still not sure and i am still very concerned. I eat vegan as often as i can and cut out meat as much as possible. I drink a gallon of water minimum a day. I am still extremely concerned but not like i was before. My doctor told me 1.4-1.7 creatinine was just my normal. Which is good but also worries me. Like why am i elevated? I feel like they overlook it cuz i have seen bodybuilders 250lbs on steroids with a 1.3 creatinine so it worries me that i am elevated higher. But also everyone is different and EGFR is an estimate.
My situation- high muscle mass and lean body weight. but i am not that big 174 lbs at 5'8" and probably 10% body fat.
No protein or blood in urine
No high blood pressure 110/64 115/65 112/70
Normal CT Scan and Ultrasound
Creatinine Clearance: 136.6ml/min
Bun was 24 then 21 then 27 then 14 then 12
Creatinine 1.4 then 1.54 then 1.7 then 1.4 then 1.4
Potassium, Calcium, Albumin, Chloride, Sodium all normal ranges.
So the only things that were off and not in good standing was serum creatinine(blood) and EGFR/GFR. So its great to see everything is normal other than these two. This is why my doctor says I am normal because creatinine isn't the best or most accurate measure of kidney function. My creatinine clearance is perfect which shows my kidneys are working and i have no other signs or symptoms which shows i am normal to the doctor. But personally I am still very concerned because I am like why? Why am i elevated it doesn't make much sense.
I cut out meat, supplements, and cut down lifting. I would love to retest soon but I am also very very worried. Also to mention I did eat right before my two most elevated tests.
How are you doing? Have you done any of these tests what are you levels? Give me some background
Hi. I hv similar result with you. High creatinine and very high creatinine clearance. Over the past 3 years seems my creatinine go a bit higher each year and now it is close the the high normal. My egfr is now about 75. Ayear ago it was 79. I am also worried my my dr said it is ok. 🙄
Hi brother, you will be fine hopefully,
I'm now 158 lbs 5'7, befor 10 months I was 170 lbs,
my creatinine last August was 1.37 eGFR 71 and I didn't know about the creatinine stuff and these things because it was in the normal range and the doctor didn't mention it (0.6-1.5) it was only regular test. this June I did the test again and it was elevated 1.53 eGFR 62 (fasting) and I did and much more activity than before since August 2018 CrossFit and bodybuilding besides taking protein powder. I ate a lot of food contain protein. then the doctor said do another test in two weeks, I did and it was 1.56 eGFR 61 (no fasting).
I left the bodybuilding since then and only walking and running.
I did other test which in different countries because the scales are different also, I tried to convert them to the scales that used in the US
I did two in 7/8/2019 (two different labs) - one of them was 1.49 (with elevated urea) I don't know why, and the other was 1.34 which doesn't make sense.
I did another one after two weeks and it was 1.31 eGFR 76
ultrasound was normal
no blood or protein in urine
I will do one in about month or so to see any improvement
All the doctor said I don't have CKD.
the latest doctor said it was because of the protein powder. the Kidneys couldn't work because too much proteins go to waste and the Kidneys try to catch up with everything, you should give it a time.
I asked another doctor via Twitter he said do a biopsy because it's the only way to know if the Kidneys are ok or not.
I don't know what to do tbh. I will wait a little hopefully everything will be fine.
I will update you with everything and you can update me also 
I hope we didn't destroyed our Kidneys
my eGFR suppose to be 116 I think.
I have a lot of anxiety thoughts during these two months 
If I were you, I'd insist on getting my cystatin-C tested and use it combined with the creatinine formula in order to put your mind at rest.
Well, that used to be me. I ran marathons, lifted...benched, squatted blah blah...I never took supplements. Anyway. Your body is your temple. Go easy on it.
Are you saying you did all those things and never took supplements and still have kidney disease?
yep. I did. I always wrote off the fact that I had a little protein in my urine and a little high on creatinine to the fact that I was so so active. My bp was alway really low too. Then in my 50s my bp started creeping up. But not to anything alarming, just high for me. No one ever throught to check proteins again, and I attributed all to stress, my mom was dying etc. etc. Then I tanked and got a horrible pain in my stomach, a CT scan showed nothing, but the dye used I'm sure didn't help ...anyway, a few months later I got into Mayo and the protein was checked and it was HIGH, so that convinced me to take the bp meds even though my bp was still under the 130/80 range...now with 2.5 mg of Lisinopril my bp is rock bottom low, but my protein in my 24 hr urine sample was 0.9 WAY DOWN. I'm sure all the working out help preserve my kidneys, but the point is, had I would have taken the whole protein in the urine seriously, I would have cut back on salt, ended the red meat consumption, and stopped drinking etc. etc. I still workout, but not to an extreme where I could get dyhydrated etc. It's been a slow decline until the mid 50s. Thankfully, I am still in 3a range, but I wish that I would have taken this much more seriously when I was your age.
Thank you very much for your response, when did you notice protein in your urine?I haven’t 0, a good clearance, and a 1.2-1.4 average serum creatinine for 2 years. 2 years ago I had a 1.5 and 1.7 but nothing close since and no protien in my urine so my doctors cleared me as no kidney disease.
I am 25. When did you discover the protein in your urine?
I was in my late 20s...28-29.
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Diagnosed with Stage 2 Chronic Kidney Disease!
