I've now got Acute Kidney Failure!

And there was me thinking it was my diet! The symptoms started a few weeks after I started lchf in January, and I've tried eating more fat, less fat, more carbs, fewer carbs, more protein less protein, more salt, more water, nothing made a difference, still feeling weak, dizzy, light-headed, lethargic, no appetite etc.
I've been losing weight slowly for the last year or so without trying, and a lot more since lchf. I thought it was because of my high BG, but apparently not.

I went for my regular 3 month check up at the hospital today and they said my kidney function had reduced markedly in the last couple of months, and they said I was showing all the signs of renal failure. My sister has been on dialysis for 4 years and I'd been thinking about checking her symptoms with her, but I wasn't overly overworried because I knew she'd had bad headaches for months before being diagnosed end stage renal failure (when she didn't even know she had a problem with her kidneys!) but I've had very few headaches.

So, they don't know what's causing it yet, I've got to go back on Monday for a scan and biopsy, and they took another arnful of blood from me today. The hope is it's something that can be sorted, but they didn't sound too hopeful. They said I'm not bad enough to need dialysis yet, my kidneys are working at about 30%, but apart from that they can't say any more at preent until they've done more tests.

Good news was my A1C has gone down again, to 60, so that was some comfort. i don't know if it's affected by the kidneys though. So much I don't know at the moment!

Patricia21 said:

So sorry Rowan.
My kidneys failed three years ago,and I had lots of fluid in my body.I had dialysis for four weeks.fortunatly my kidneys got better.
It was due to having legionella.
All the best.

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Thank you. They did say that an infection or virus could cause it, but there's been nothing new for a while. But it's good to know that it really can go away again, fingers crossed!

DeejayR said:

Bummer. I have to say your unfailing cheerfulness (apparently)
though all this is an inspiration. Wishing you WELL.

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Apparent, yes, but I'm very good at putting on a smile
But nothing surprises me any more, it's been one thing after another for the last 12 years and I think I've just become used to it. In the beginning I did get very depressed after having to leave the job I loved, and for a while I had so much pain I was suicidal for quite a long time, but having got through that I discovered a strength I never knew I had and know that I have to keep smiling otherwise I'll sink very low again.
I have discovered that it was the severe pain of one illness in particular (generalised pustular psoriasis, felt like severe burns that never improved) that was the hardest thing to bear. And luckily, although a lot of what I have going wrong now is serious and makes me feel ill, they're not unbearably painful.
And although most are incurable, and can be fatal, they're not exactly terminal and can be controlled. And it could be worse - a couple of months ago I thought I was losing my sight (high BG) but that's fine now. See, there usually a bright side to look at

I have discovered that kidney failure can be caused by crohns disease, or severe psoriasis, or auto immune disorder, or diabetes, all of which I have.
The diagnosis also explains why I've feeling the cold so much recenlty, I thought it was because of low blood pressure!
The new type of soreness nd numbness I've had in my feet for the last month or two (very different from the pustular psoriasis) I'd put down to diabetes, but apparently that's another sign of kidney failure.
The gradual weight loss I had for the whole of last year was, I thought, down to high BG, but again it's normal for kidney failure.
And the 2 stone I've lost so far this year was because of strict lchf, or so I thought, but again that was 'helped' by kidney failure.
The dizziness and lethargy I thought might have been becasue I wasn't eating enough, so I starting eating more, even though I've completley lost my appetite recently - another sign of kidney failure.
And the extreme fatigue I've had for years I just put down to the fibromyalgia and other illnesses (and their medications) mentioned above, all of which cause fatigue.
But thinking about that, my new lower weight and blood glucose levels should have helped that, not made it worse. Again, the increase in fatigue is because of the kidney failure.
Looking back all the signs have been there, but they're all side effects of things I already had, so I was never unduly worried, until the last month or two when I knew there was something 'different' going on although I couldn't really explain what the difference was!
It was only the last lot of blood tests that showed a drastic drop in kidney function that alerted the doctors I have to see for various illnesses, and I've just found out there have been 3 seperate referrals from them to the kidney specialists, which is probably why there was a kidney specialist on hand to see me in my dermatology appointment yesterday!
So, for anyone else who has multiple illnesses, don't just assume like I did that any new symptom is for something you've already got, it can still be for something new!

Brunneria said:

rowan, I'm so sorry to hear this.

Have they told you what they can do to help?

I know virtually nothing about kidney failure diets, except to avoid high protein.
Hope they manage to stabilise or (fingers crossed) reverse the kidney failure.

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They told me they need to try and find out what caused it before they know if it can get better, and there are a lot of possibilities to look at, hence more tests.
But my sister didn't even know she had kidney problems when she was diagnosed end stage kidney failure 4 years ago and she's been on dialysis ever since, and is on the list for a transplant. They still don't know what caused it, so I realise there's not always an answer.
I asked the doc if there was anything I could be doing in the meantime to help, and there's nothing except to make sure I drink 3 litres of water a day.

Kidney diets are apparently a bit like diabetes diets, what hurts/helps one person won't necessarily be the same for another. One thing worries me slightly, although I'm trying not to jump the gun here, but on dialysis you do have to restrict liquid intake, my sister must have no more than 1 to 1.5 litres liquid a day, whereas me, with diabetes, a stoma and psoriasis causing very dry skin, I should be drinking at the very least 3 litres a day. What I'd have to do if I did go on dialysis I've no idea!
And my diet has various restrictions, which doesn't match the general instructions for dialysis patients, and my sister and I have very different foods that we're allowed or not, so that would be another puzzle.
I don't know enough yet to know if there are restrictions if you're not on dialysis but no doubt I'll find out soon.

This is getting to be a pattern now. As soon as I get to grips with one illness, in this case my diabetes and getting to near normal BG, something else crops up that I need to get to grips with, and they always have conflicting needs!
And I've still got major surgery for the crohns to look forwrd to later this year, I've no idea if this will affect that!

CollieBoy said:

Whilst my kidneys are not as bad as yours, I find that a UTI or other illness can drop my eGFR fom its usual 32-34 to a low of 24. luckily I seem to claw myself back up to the 30's reasonably quickly!
Hope you start to claw yourself back up

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Thank you! Although I'm not sure what those numbers mean? I'm told my kidneys are working at 30% of normal function, and I read that dialysis isn't usually needed till it goes down to 20% or less. Is that the eGFR?
I got an awful lot to learn!

Thank you everyone! I know there's not much anyone can say but it's lovely to have your support