Hi, I. Looking for advice please.
My blood tests 2 weeks ago showed my kidnwy funtion was 57.my go done my bloods again they had dropped to 47 I then was asked to have them done again yesterday.i called for results today and the receptionist at my doctors said my results were normal.is this possible? I'm confused I've been very tired recently struggling to sleep and focus my sister has had a kidney transplant and I. Worried .
My Gp has not asked yo are me what should I do? Please advise .
It can fluctuate and doctors may consider 60 and above normal though that may still be stage 2. It would be better if you knew what your labs actually showed rather than them just telling you. I would request a visit with your doctor to discuss your labs and what they mean. Then make a treatment plan from there.
Hi,
do you think I should see a kidney specialist ? I'm struggling to take this all in im left feeling a bit in the dark, how can my kidney function dip from 57 to 47 then normal in 2 weeks ? I dont want to ask my sister as she has had a transplant but her kidney is now failing and I don't want to stress her,.
I would see a nephrologist. Track all of your labs on a spreadsheet and with your GFR go with the cumulative average. To learn more about CKD go to kidneyschool.org and view the learning modules. It will help you develop questions to ask the nephrologist.
Best of luck.
Thank you
Absolutely see a Nephrologist. The sooner you can learn ways to prevent further damage the better.
Your kidney function can go from normal to lower than 60 gfr overnight.
I went from a gfr of 88 to 57 literally overnight because of medications I was using. Specifically Bactrim which studies have shown will temporarily lower your gfr by 25%. A month later I was retested and my gfr went back to high 80s. My other tests were all normal for a guy in his 40s with no underlying health conditions or family history of any.
So it is possible and happens a lot.
I would definitely see a nephrologist. See what they say.
Many things can affect the kidney readings. Stress, diet and physical exertion and lack of sleep, when you have the test done, before or after consuming anything, after exercise and so on.
Kidney function decreases with age naturally, so a statement of "normal" is directly related to your age and the average GFR for that age group.
This is why right now older people need to be vigilant against Covid 19. Lower kidney function decreases the output of vitamin D and this weakens the immune system.
What you need is a baseline of your GFR readings. Something that I would have thought more important in view of your sisters situation. Is your Dr aware of your sisters situation?
I keep a 3 monthly check on my kidney function and insist on the results myself. This way I can track the fluctuations and if possible relate them back to what I have been doing or eating or drugs I have been prescribed. I also get the tests done at the same time of day, each test. Currently I'm clinging on to stage 3A just, with the occasional dip into 3B just to keep life interesting for me!
I would be talking to my Dr first to find out what he is using for your baseline. If he has none I would be asking for one to be established with testing. I personally don't worry about a 10 point fluctuation, what I look for is a steady baseline. If it is a steady decline then do something about it, if it is holding try to improve it and if it is improving stick to what you are doing.
Awesome advice Cheyne13! This is what all of us should be doing. 😊👍
Thank you so much for your advise,
I got my blood results today and it is 52 so up slightly, I asked my gop some questions on the phone and my urine sample was normal, I have been lacking in vitamin D last year so we will test for this again and do my bloods weekly shilst I i await a scan at my local hospital which could take forever with the current corona virus affecting our NHS.
I check my labs myself through a portal that my lab maintains. The lab will also send you your results if you request that they go that.
I, too, would definitely suggest you request to be referred to a nephrologist. And, yes, your doctors all need to know about your sister’s kidney transplant; it’s part of your family medical history.
Jayhawker
Thank you everyone I will contact my GP today as recently I've also been lacking in vitamin D.
Your gfr calculated according To your creatinin level so they call it estimated gfr so it can cange
What iş your creatinin level and what iş your urine protein level ?
Anybody reading this please read it in it's entirety, and above all else this is not cause to panic. Just important to know for CKD people particularly.
It is very important to have vitamin D as this controls the immune system and helps the body to function. It is a critical item the body requires when the kidneys are impaired, there are no alternatives. We cannot do without it.
Let me clarify that. We can live without it but thereby compromising the immune system until ultimately causing death, through the inability to fight off disease.
As I understand it, the sun causes/produces a chemical that the kidneys turn into vitamin D.
This builds the immune system and facilitates other bodily functions to happen. There are other ways of getting vitamin D, but you would need it by the truck load (figuratively ) to get the quantities of vitamin D required. There are several ways the body collects the ingredients to make vitamin D. So roasting yourself like a coffee bean is best left to the beans!
Ask your Dr for you to be tested, if required then prescribe vitamin D for you. It may be something you require, if so, it will for the rest of your life.
There is a critical limit so randomly doping vitamin D should not be done without medical consultation.
When I was first diagnosed it was a massive dose to start with then a monthly pill ever since to keep me topped up.
It is the one medication I cannot do without, no matter what or how I try otherwise.
Too little is just as bad as too much vitamin D, same end result, it can kill you.
Please note:
This is when taken to the extremes so don't let me panic anyone.
With Corona virus/ Covid 19 vitamin D or rather the lack of sufficient quantities makes us more vulnerable to the effects, NOT more at risk of contracting the virus.
Please be cautious through these times.
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