Queries on kidney health

[Liz061254]

Hi I’m just looking for some advice please I’ve had Pernicious Anaemia for over 12 yrs now but on studying my print out of bloods done in September 2021 I noticed my eGFR was a low 50 which is stage 3 chronic kidney, I’m 67 years old and had problems with kidney stones from my mid 30s.

My question is should I make a point of speaking to my GP about these results as there very scary to me but when I was phoned about my blood results he just said as you know your kidney function isn’t great No I didn’t know and this is what made me google what the eGFR meant I’m relatively new to our practice so feel they just haven’t bothered looking into any of my long term health problems. I would like to get a face to face appointment to discuss all this but that’s easier said than done due to all this Covid 19 restrictions at GP surgeries around the UK.

Any advise would be so appreciated thank you.

Liz

[Marz]

Am afraid my knowledge about kidneys is limited - however I am aware thyroid function can be involved. I notice you have posted on Thyroid UK so I am wondering if you are being well treated. If you have recent test results to share I would be happy to help.

Do you have Hashimotos ? You have had a lot to cope with so ensuring your thyroid treatment is optimal is a must for you.

[Liz061254 in reply to Marz]

Hi Mark thank you for your reply my last bloods I have a print out of was just over 3 years ago and my thyroid results were Free T4 17.7 T.S.H. 4.18

My eGFR 50 stage 3. CKD with a high creatinine 101. But absolutely no follow place from my GP and not sure if I should be digging my heels in and getting some sort of treatment.

[Marz in reply to Liz061254]

Am afraid those results for thyroid tell you very little as you need results for FT3 and the Anti-bodies TPO & Tg. Testing anti-bodies is the only way to rule out Hashimotos or Auto-immune Thyroid. PA is auto-immune and auto-immune conditions do like to hunt in packs !

I would suggest full testing from the private on-line labs detailed on :-

thyroiduk.org

Finger prick tests in the comfort of your home. Results by email. Medichecks very popular and used by 100's on TUK.

Medichecks Tests - TSH - FT4 - FT3 - Anti-bodies TPO & Tg. B12 - Folate - Ferritin - VitD. Special offers on Thursdays.

As for getting treatment I feel your GP will say your results are normal - they may well be in range but NOT normal. TSH in a healthy person is around 2. You also need the FT3 and anti-body results - tests that are VERY rarely done in the NHS. Am afraid we need to be prepared for battle with the right information !

I self medicate my thyroid and inject B12 weekly.

[Gambit62 Administrator]

I think you might find looking at one of the kidney related forums on HU gets you in contact with people who can really support like this onehealthunlocked.com/nkf-ckd/...

Personally I think it is worth trying to speak to the GP and just explaining that they said 'as you know your kidney function isn't great' and say that actually you didn't know and would like to know more, such as when the diagnosis was made and what exactly it means for you. It may have been a reference to your previous kidney stone issues leading to an assumption or a poor choice of words on their part.