Change in GFR

[sonomawoody]

Had bloodwork in December which showed GFR and Creatine at 62 and 1.2 respectively. Recently had a test done at a different lab one month later and GFR is 42 and creative has jumped to 1.7. I have been working out daily and may have been a bit dehydrated but have read that there can be wide variation in how labs calculate GFR. Has anyone else seen this variation between labs,

[Jayhawker]

My nephrologists nurse practitioner just mentioned this issue of different labs and varying results in my last appointment. She said she’s running her own personal study on this issue as she thinks she’s seen a trend...

Anyway, I know that different labs can have slightly different data ranges, means, and so forth. But I’m not at all sure how much this can vary from one lane to another.

There will be a certain amount of variance across results from one lane...

Anyway, I’d go back and get the labs run again to double-check your most recent results.

Are you seeing a nephrologist at this point? If so, you might call in and ask your nephrologist if he or she wants another lab run...

Jayhawker

[sonomawoody in reply to Jayhawker]

Yes seeing nephrologist . Had left kidney removed a year ago due to RCC. Caught very early while getting MRI for sciatica! I’m going to ask to have labs repeated at same lab I have been going to over the last year. That should at least eliminate that variable. Thx for your response

[HealthBuddyMelissa]

Labs can definitely fluctuate especially if they are having you do them monthly. I go to the same lab every time. I could not think of anything more frustrating than getting results that may not be effective due to different calculating methods. That is so dumb by the way. There should be a flat standard of how everyone does it. I would be so frustrated. I feel your pain.

[DadviceTV]

I recently published a video on YouTube about understanding your GFR, which involved a lot of research. Your labs can and WILL vary from lab to lab. There are a number of reasons - first is that your GFR is an estimation based on one of several mthodologies. Second this estimation is from a moment in time - based on a sample of your blood. The most common way to calculate your GFR is using the amount of creatinine found in your blood. This can increase from stenuous exercise in the last 3 days, the foods you ate, supplements you are taking, your level of hydration, and more. As a matter of fact, being dehydrated can cause up to a 20% swing in your estimated GFR results.

Stick to your diet and always take time to adjust your diet based on your labs with a renal dietitian. I have found this to be the single greatest thing you can do to slow down, stop, or reverse lost kidney function. It is so powerful I wish the Kidney websites (like this one) focused more on it instead of trying to send everyone to dialysis.

Good luck!

James @ Dadvice TV