Just curious.....it's good to be informed - read your labs and all, but when is too much information too much????
My case -
While giving all my reports to new doc a week ago, I noticed the eGFR (or eFGR, don't remember) was in the 40's. I looked it up and it has to do with kidneys filtering and all the symptoms for kidney disease have cropped up in the past month, since everything has turned worse. It's supposed to be higher (some site lists than 30-40 deals with Stage 3 kidney disease - but surely they must have lots of different criteria for this.
Could something new be going on? Or am I just reading too much into it? I also had blood in urine, and several other things out of whack. I see my new rheumy next month. He did all new blood work - is this a normal test that they will check out?
I'm choosing not to worry about it - I figure if something is far out of whack, it'll show up. HOWEVER, I certainly wouldn't want something going on than can get worse if not addressed.
Wish I knew more about kidney disease but anything I find on web doesn't answer my questions! And I don't want to self-diagnose when maybe the symptoms I have are the result of a new med or something....
I am going to assume that if the rhrumy did the blood work he would call you if it couldn’t wait until your appointment. I to have blood in my urine and I have had it since I was 17 years old. Sometimes I have protein too. My kidneys swell and are painful during my flares. I see a Nepherologist every three months just to keep an eye on my kidney function. This is all I know about kidney involvement with lupus.
I do go over all my labs myself and with the doctor. I like to educate myself so i know what it going on. However, if by educating yourself puts undue stress on you then i would suggest just waiting for the doctors appointment to go over the labs.
I am sure others Memebers will weigh in on this issue for you. Sorry I can’t help.
SLE as alot to do with the kidneys besides them swelling as i get it bad and years back i lost alot of blood while urinating but my mom soon cured the problem with an old remedy of pure barly water as it flushes the kidneys out and as soon as i drank it, the blood stopped.
I'd definitely wait for your next lot of results to come back and like Dennie mentioned if anything important showed they'd have been intouch.
They offered me prednisone in the day unit to take the swelling down but i refused and i live with it daily but my left does cause some pain like stabbing and when your looking up results off your bloods...you also need to be looking a proper sites also.
This is what SLE causes with the kidneys and i'm also attaching a link refering problems to SLE.
Kidneys
Around 1 in 3 people with SLE may develop inflammation of the kidneys, which can lead to the kidneys leaking protein and blood into the urine. This does not usually cause problems unless the disease is very severe. Kidney failure is an uncommon complication.
Thanks! I'm not one to worry - I like to give everything to God. There just seems to be so many different things happening to me so I thought I'd just lay it all out there! I trust the doc to call if something were serious.
I thought I knew what I was dealing with - basically the same for 1 1/2 years with a few oddities - then lately so many NEW symptoms!
I'll try the pure barley!
Traci
PS - sometimes the best "help" is just listening - so y'all helped plenty!
You pour your heart out mate over issues as we're all here to help one another.
To a certain degree you get your head around dealing with certain issues then the next thing mores waiting for you around the corner and concerning Lupus...symptoms can extend and it's according to how strong it's working in your system.
Regarding the barley...buy a couple of boxes of pure pearl barley used for in stew...boil it in water and when the barley is cooked drain the juice into bottles when it's gone cold standing put them in the fridge and then start drinking what you've bottled up and if you don't like the taste you can add abit of sugar...my mom did 5 large bottles i did the bottles in 2 days and then the blood stopped....i really hope it works for you also.
Yes, you are correct, I am resisting any self-diagnosing here. Thanks for explaining how it works. I reckon many types of results will go up and down as a natural occurrence. I feel better about it all. When I first saw it, I admit I jumped the gun a tad - I was desperate to find an answer as to why my body seemed to be going downhill quickly. Grasping at every proverbial straw.
But I stepped back, took a breath and will wait till I see new doc again in a few weeks.
Ann A. said:
Hey Traci,
This test is very routine. It is considered to be part of a Basic Metabolic Panel (BMP). You can expect that a new physician who orders blood work will repeat the entire BMP. The eGFR is one of those test results that must be interpreted in conjunction with the results of other tests and other factors such as health history, current symptoms, gender, age. Before anyone can be diagnosed with chronic kidney disease, the reduction in eGFR must be PERSISTENT. Physicians will recheck your results over time. So, it is a good thing that you are resisting self diagnosis on the basis of one result.
This is a decent Kidney Disease Education site. It may require that you start at the beginning and work your way through. I hope that you will discover that your kidneys are working actually working just fine and that this report of a "moderate reduction in kidney function" was just a temporary blip.
I'd try the barley and also do as you've suggested wait to see a new doctor in a few weeks and hopefully you'll finder furthur inforamtion from the new specialist.
My BP used to be 90/60 - all adult life. Now it's 130/70 which is normal...probably age.... the other day it was high but I think it was from new med (like 140/90). And I think new med is making my heart race - won't go under 100. The only reason I know is that I pulled out a bp machine, was fixin to sale it and decided to try it out. Glucose just a tad over normal, nothing alarming. My dad is diabetic - adult onset. I've thought in order for it to be a problem, then it's got to be way up there!
Ann A. said:
Dear Traci,
You are very welcome. How is your blood pressure and your glucose levels?
traci153 said:
Thanks, Ann!
Yes, you are correct, I am resisting any self-diagnosing here. Thanks for explaining how it works. I reckon many types of results will go up and down as a natural occurrence. I feel better about it all. When I first saw it, I admit I jumped the gun a tad - I was desperate to find an answer as to why my body seemed to be going downhill quickly. Grasping at every proverbial straw.
But I stepped back, took a breath and will wait till I see new doc again in a few weeks.
So your kidney function test is nothing alarming. It is not low enough to ring the alarm bells. The one number reflects a "moderate" decline in kidney function. You have blood sugar that is just a tad over normal. And you have had changes in your blood pressure. So, you and your docs will keep an eye on all of these and you will work on the ones over which you have some control. No alarms. All of this could be as you say "age." But you are very smart to keep an eye on all of these interrelated indicators.
The results of my last blood work showed my blood glucose to be a tad over normal - it was a fasting glucose serum level of 109. The first thing my doc said was, "Are you taking Prednisone?" I had not been taking any steroids, so now we are "watching" my blood sugar.
So many variables to keep up with. But you sound as if you are in good hands and in a good place mentally. Please keep us informed. I pray. I have a new abbreviation. Instead of LOL. I POL.
traci153 said:
My BP used to be 90/60 - all adult life. Now it's 130/70 which is normal...probably age.... the other day it was high but I think it was from new med (like 140/90). And I think new med is making my heart race - won't go under 100. The only reason I know is that I pulled out a bp machine, was fixin to sale it and decided to try it out. Glucose just a tad over normal, nothing alarming. My dad is diabetic - adult onset. I've thought in order for it to be a problem, then it's got to be way up there!
I'm doing great today. Yesterday was the worse day in a very long time - which is tough because the past month has been rough. In fact, I stayed on my bed ALL day and I'm in the beautiful mountains of Red River, NM.
So grateful that today is good. It's GREAT to feel good.
I hope you are well.....and everyone else here too. The support here is fabulous and I hope I will get to know y'all better.
I am pleased your doing better today...well at least if you stop in bed it sounds like you've got great scenery where you are.
Yes tell me about it mate...dropping on a better day does come rare for we all but at least it's pleasure which we hardly get.
Traci i added a thread for all the members who have stood by me and supported me well about what's happening with appointments now...as i need treatment symptoms are getting worse and it does annoy me but getting to know you also will be great.
Hugs & Kisses Terri xxx
traci153 said:
Hi Terri,
I'm doing great today. Yesterday was the worse day in a very long time - which is tough because the past month has been rough. In fact, I stayed on my bed ALL day and I'm in the beautiful mountains of Red River, NM.
So grateful that today is good. It's GREAT to feel good.
I hope you are well.....and everyone else here too. The support here is fabulous and I hope I will get to know y'all better.
I'll see if I can find your thread. I do understand about symptoms getting worse - kind of where I am at as well. But, maybe I'll ease out of this flare.
Prayin' for ya!
traci
Tez_20 said:
Hello Traci,
I am pleased your doing better today...well at least if you stop in bed it sounds like you've got great scenery where you are.
Yes tell me about it mate...dropping on a better day does come rare for we all but at least it's pleasure which we hardly get.
Traci i added a thread for all the members who have stood by me and supported me well about what's happening with appointments now...as i need treatment symptoms are getting worse and it does annoy me but getting to know you also will be great.
Hugs & Kisses Terri xxx
traci153 said:
Hi Terri,
I'm doing great today. Yesterday was the worse day in a very long time - which is tough because the past month has been rough. In fact, I stayed on my bed ALL day and I'm in the beautiful mountains of Red River, NM.
So grateful that today is good. It's GREAT to feel good.
I hope you are well.....and everyone else here too. The support here is fabulous and I hope I will get to know y'all better.
I'll see if I can find your thread. I do understand about symptoms getting worse - kind of where I am at as well. But, maybe I'll ease out of this flare.
Prayin' for ya!
traci
Tez_20 said:
Hello Traci,
I am pleased your doing better today...well at least if you stop in bed it sounds like you've got great scenery where you are.
Yes tell me about it mate...dropping on a better day does come rare for we all but at least it's pleasure which we hardly get.
Traci i added a thread for all the members who have stood by me and supported me well about what's happening with appointments now...as i need treatment symptoms are getting worse and it does annoy me but getting to know you also will be great.
Hugs & Kisses Terri xxx
traci153 said:
Hi Terri,
I'm doing great today. Yesterday was the worse day in a very long time - which is tough because the past month has been rough. In fact, I stayed on my bed ALL day and I'm in the beautiful mountains of Red River, NM.
So grateful that today is good. It's GREAT to feel good.
I hope you are well.....and everyone else here too. The support here is fabulous and I hope I will get to know y'all better.
