I’m a 54 year old male who had a radical nephrectomy in June and had my right kidney removed due to cancer. The good news is the cancer was contained to the kidney. I went in with creatinine of 1.47 and after surgery it went as high as 2.4. Nephrologist thought something happened during surgery to cause the AKI. He also said I was dehydrated and had me drinking about 3 liters with 1 sports drink for electrolytes. Blood pressure was lower than normal (90s/60s). Then in late July I fainted several times when getting up to go to the bathroom in the morning. I was hospitalized for 2 days and received an IV for the entire time. Upon leaving creatinine was as low as 1.75, but didn’t stay there. Since leaving hospital, blood pressure has improved (110s/70s), but I have also been urinating a lot more (more than the 3 liters I input). I haven’t had any more fainting. Nephrologist recommended infusion treatments. I’ve been going 3 times a week and receiving 1.5 liters of Lactated Ringer’s Injection solution in 4 hours. The infusion sessions seem to be helping and when I get the infusions I do urinate less (but still about 3 liters) and the body seems to holding the urine. However, on non infusion days I’m still urinating a lot and he has me drinking 2 liters of electrolytes (I switched to Liquid IV). Creatinine now seems to hover around 1.9. My urine is not very yellow as I urinate a lot. Nephrologist now thinks I have ATN, but I thought you retained water with that.
My numbers (beside creatinine) are in the normal range. I do not have protein in my urine. I do watch my diet and stay under 2000 in sodium, 60 in proteins and 2000 in potassium. I was about 188, but now lost over 30 lbs, I believe from not having a lot of calories (less than 2000) and I’m losing a lot of water. Oh yeah, I also have bradycardia and a AV heart block which I feel could be affecting the kidney function and may have led to my fainting spell.
Does anyone have a similar situation? Is it normal to urinate this much, in fact I usually urinate 1.5 liters from the time I go to bed to when I get up (urinating 3 times)? Prior to surgery I did not have to get up at night to urinate. Does anyone else have issues holding urine? Finally, does anyone have any ideas for trying to gain some weight? Thanks in advance.
