Hi, I suspect I have early Proteinuria because my urine is constantly yellowish and my uACR test results is slightly out of range. I have some symptoms of extreme fatigue and sometimes my legs skin is dry and itchy.
My doctor asked me to increase on my hypertension medication and monitor.
Proteinuria is an indicator that the kidneys are not working efficiently because of some damage. The main signs of proteinuria are:
Foamy urine: Urine that looks frothy or bubbly (tiny bubbles on the surface of the water)
Swelling: Swelling in the hands, feet, ankles, belly, or face, puffy eyes
Frequent urination: Urinating more often than usual
Muscle cramps: Muscle cramps, especially at night
Nausea and vomiting: Feeling sick to your stomach or throwing up
Shortness of breath: Difficulty breathing
Tiredness: Feeling fatigued
Loss of appetite: Loss of appetite or weight loss
In the early stages you may have only a couple of these signs, and may notice changes, e.g a reduction in your usual healthy appetite, swelling and cramps in your lower legs, and bubbles in your urine. If you do, keep a record of these changes by date and volume, along with your AM and PM blood pressure readings to show your doctor as it will help them to understand what's going on.
Urine colour, as I understand it, can be less important as it usually reflects liquid intake - bright yellow can indicate dehydration and is a signal to drink more water. (Brown urine can be a sign of something that needs attention - tell your doctor about this as soon as possible.)
It's also a good idea to keep a daily record of your blood pressure at the same time, as there is a close relationship between BP and proteinuria. If you don't have a home BP monitor, they're easily obtainable online or through a chemist; an all-in-one upper arm cuff is more reliable than a wrist cuff, and a good one can last many years. Before these came on the market you could only get the type doctors use - the 2-part machine with a long hose - which are bulkier and more fiddly.
Much of this information is available on the Internet, so be creative with your questions and ask them in different ways. But always look for high quality sites, preferably ones belonging to UK and US hospitals or respected research facilities. There's a load of good research out there, if you've time to wade through them; but there's also a few cranks peddling quick fixes.
I have had foamy/bubbly urine for awhile now, yet ever urine test for protein is negative. Neither my GP or nephrologist have any answers as to what is causing it. It isn’t any of the usual suspects (detergents in the toilet, strength or stream, etc.), as I can literally pee while I’m out hiking and peeing on the ground, and still have foam/bubbles form on the ground. They just shrug their shoulders and tell me that if there’s no protein in my urine tests, that I shouldn’t be concerned. I tell them that is they had foamy urine, wouldn’t they want to find out why? …crickets. I seem to be a medical mystery, and the first person to ever present this condition.🤔😄 Not having an answer is frustrating, but I guess it’s better than testing positive for protein. Have you ever heard of another explanation for foamy urine besides protein in the urine or the usual causes for foamy urine (that have been ruled out)?
Hi Whitetail66, I've just found a link: nm.org/healthbeat/healthy-t...
It suggests one type of foam in urine isn't related to protein loss; this has a different appearance from the protein-loss type. According to the link, large clear bubbles may be normal, whereas many small, whitish ones are more likely to indicate proteinuria. (I presume you've had blood tests alongside the urine tests to eliminate related factors such as low blood sodium and high potassium.)
One way of getting more information about whether there is a kidney problem is an ultrasound scan, which could indirectly identify some forms of kidney damage, as well as any cysts or kidney shrinkage: google.com/search?client=fi...
Obviously, you'd like to know whether there's a problem. But unless there is one that's left undiagnosed and neglected for a long time, we can get by without too much damage and live to a ripe old age - I was diagnosed with PKD over 40 years ago, and thought the end of the world had come! (I'd swear my renal guy doesn't believe I really have the syndrome, as he wasn't around when it was diagnosed, and isn't aware that it's rife in my family. He's naturally more preoccupied with his patients in kidney failure.)
Until you get some answers, check out diet - low salt, low potassium, low sugar, lowish protein, no red meat, lots of healthy veg and fruit, though some may contain high amounts of potassium - and regular exercise appropriate to your age and health, etc. (Bear in mind, too, that most of the meat/poultry we buy is injected with salt to retain juiciness and bulk up profits; it can be soaked in water to leach out the excess salt.) No smoking and very little alcohol; keep an eye on your blood pressure, which can be the first indicator of kidney and other problems. Even if you're clear of kidney damage, you'll live a healthy life for much longer!
Tell us whether you get any more information that helps you work out what's going on.
Thank you for the reply. I have had numerous urine tests for protein, all of which have come back negative. Blood work looks good as far as protein goes. I’ve had an ultra sounds which is normal. No injury , cysts, or anything abnormal. All of my tests are within the normal ranges, except for my creatinine, BUN, and the usual tests that indicate kidney disease. My nephrologist is stumped. My diet is nothing but Whole Foods- nothing processed. I make everything I eat at home, and don’t use any table salt. I use Himalayan pink sea salt or Celtic salt. I track everything on Cronometer to see my nutritional intake daily. Processed foods are a thing of the past for me, which is not easy, but necessary. I buy ‘Just Bare’ brand chicken which is anti biotic and hormone free. Not sure about added salt, but thanks for the tip. I’ll look into it. I quit smoking 15 years ago, and try to limit my alcohol to one beer, which my nephrologist said is fine. I will be cutting that out soon too. If I find an answer, I will let you know.
Sounds as though you're doing everything possible at the moment. In your position I'd just keep getting urine and blood tests and watching the protein levels to see if they rise further. Ultimately I would ask for a second opinion if there's no improvement.
Thanks. Will do. I scheduled an appointment for a second opinion, but I apparently have irritated my current nephrologist by setting up the appointment. It never occurred to me to let her know I was doing that, and her last message answering a question about magnesium glycinate as a sleep aid, she was short with her answer. It was followed by the comment of her seeing that I had an appointment in the future with another nephrologist, and to direct any further questions to him for ‘continuity of care’. Sounds like she’s firing me as a patient. I’ll send her a message letting her know that it was never my intent to upset her, and apologize if I did be getting a second set of eyes on things, since she doesn’t have any answers. Lesson learned, I guess. I just got some PH test strips which test for other markers like keytones and protein. I used one today, and protein was normal, so that’s a good sign. Thanks for your help. Much appreciated.
Good luck!
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