Kidney failure

[Erin]

Is it possible to measure protein in urine at home? And what is the range for stages of kidney failure?

 

[pleinster]

The most reliable marker of kidney function is the creatinine level; everything else is far too vague on its own. This is best done by blood test. Ask your GP if concerned.

 

[Erin]

I will try and find it for you in a second. As far as the testing at home, I found that to be expensive when it comes to blood tests. You can partially monitor by stuff like tissue swelling, ankles, legs, other but if there is a home kit or a cheap way to use a lab, I haven't found it.

https://www.kidney.org/

You can get test strips. It helps if you can pee into something before you dip the test strip in your urine and be careful to shake off excess. A 24 hour urine collection seat you put on a toilet is ideal. You have to discern various color differences just like testing ketones in your urine with those specific strips

https://completenaturalproducts.com/rapid-test-complete/

Some of these kinds of strips cannot be sold in America that can be gotten easily and cheaply in Europe

Thank you. I do have the Ketone kit, and I may check the Pharmacy. Next month I will be going to my doctors for meds and lab tests, so it's pretty close. I am curioius because I have progressive fatigue over the years.

 

[pleinster]

I've had four widely different creatinine levels in the past month

What are the levels? Creatinine varies depending on what you are eating and how much/little fluid you take in. My own level at the moment is up and down due to a virus in my transplanted kidney...it fluctuates between 155mmols (c.44% function) to 200mmols/l (c.34% function). I am tested every two to three weeks. It was just over 101 at best (immediately after the transplant) and was fairly stable between 120 and 135 for a long time. To give you a better idea in terms of the range for renal failure, my creatinine level around the time of my transplant was 67ommols/l (c.8% function)..I was about to start dialysis. Good, healthy kidneys should have a level under 120mmols/l. All sorts of test (including urine tests) can indicate difficulty with kidney function...but creatinine is the real marker and all other tests, while relevant, are far less reliable as clear indicators of renal function. Can I ask how it is you are aware of your levels? Most people don't even know what it is. I have had checks since I was 17 (I am now almost 55).

 

[BaliRob]

I am told that, in addition to CHF and Type 2, I have kidney disease. Can anyone tell me, who suffers similarly, whether they experience aching across the lower back especially at night when turning over in bed? ALSO, I have noticed Lasix seems to have lost its potency (amount of urine produced) even though I am on 40mg every six hours = 4 x daily

 

[pleinster]

I am told that, in addition to CHF and Type 2, I have kidney disease. Can anyone tell me, who suffers similarly, whether they experience aching across the lower back especially at night when turning over in bed? ALSO, I have noticed Lasix seems to have lost its potency (amount of urine produced) even though I am on 40mg every six hours = 4 x daily

Hi. There are a number of health issues which can cause kidney disease...so it's difficult to be accurate in comments without a great deal of information. Any details on your kidney disease? Any indication of level of function? Clearly diabetes can cause kidney issues as a complication...and I am assuming that yours is associated to your diabetes. Mine was not...in fact I got diabetes as a consequence of treatment following a transplant (the disease/condition was inherited). I would think you have been on Lasix (which I am pretty sure is furosemide) due to the heart condition..or for blood pressure? I refer to this as, while some pain in the back could be associated to some kidney conditions..it is less likely at an early stage. Your furosemide dosage is quite high and I have heard of back pain as a less than common side effect of that drug. Do you also have stomach pain which precedes the back pain?would suggest discussing the lack of potency and the pain with you doctor..perhaps an alternative is available? My kidneys deteriorated slowly from birth until they hit end stage failure about 50 years later...no back pain. Good luck.

 

[BaliRob]

Hi. There are a number of health issues which can cause kidney disease...so it's difficult to be accurate in comments without a great deal of information. Any details on your kidney disease? Any indication of level of function? Clearly diabetes can cause kidney issues as a complication...and I am assuming that yours is associated to your diabetes. Mine was not...in fact I got diabetes as a consequence of treatment following a transplant (the disease/condition was inherited). I would think you have been on Lasix (which I am pretty sure is furosemide) due to the heart condition..or for blood pressure? I refer to this as, while some pain in the back could be associated to some kidney conditions..it is less likely at an early stage. Your furosemide dosage is quite high and I have heard of back pain as a less than common side effect of that drug. Do you also have stomach pain which precedes the back pain?would suggest discussing the lack of potency and the pain with you doctor..perhaps an alternative is available? My kidneys deteriorated slowly from birth until they hit end stage failure about 50 years later...no back pain. Good luck.

Thank you so much for trying to help me - to help you understand my predicament - I fell out with my specialist here in Bali - quite angry in fact with him because I liked him he being Malaysian Indonesian with excellent English. Both my original doctor back in the UK (and yes, UK doctors are not the best in the world and never have been) thought she had found the 'Holy Grail' when, after a blood test, I came back as a Diabetic - a panacea for all ills (?) not likely. I had gone to her for extreme shortness of breath after exertion. I even had difficulty trying to get anywhere with her and the blood test was to 'get rid of me'. On being domiciled here in Bali I went to an International hospital asking to see a heart specialist saying that I had a heart problem. My blood pressure has always been normal and the ECG also was normal so they sent me on my way.

As time progressed I started getting severe oedema in legs, feet and ankles but the specialst was unable to say why except that this was because of poor venous return. To end a long story short - he decided to give me an electrocardiogram. Hooray - the only doctor both in the UK and here for the most part using their heads. All this time I was suffering from congestive heart failure LV only 63%. Now I know why I have this energy problem - such a surprise of a lifetime of being quite famous as a long-distance sea swimmer with world records. BUT THEN, in front of my housekeeper, in his surgery he said I do not have Kidney Disease and that I must find a heart specialist. Being unhappy I stayed away from him until I had to give in with uncontrollable blood sugars some 3 years later. During this interview he categorically denied saying that
I did not have Kidney Disease or that I had to find my own heart specialist. Now you may see why I lack the information you require because I do not trust my doctor and, now cannot afford the very high charges here not having insurance of course and being on a frozen UK pension. I use D.c.uk to glean what information I can.

I do not get stomach pain with Furosemide but had not thought about possible side effects - because I realised not enough urine was being produced I increased 40mg from 3 to 4 x daily on 21st March - it seems to co-incide with the back ache experienced when turning or trying to get out of bed. But am still worried because I do not pee like when I started a few years ago and worry that the Lasix may have damaged my kidneys. No, I do not know my present Creatinine level. and would not know how to react to one if I did.

I always try to include info for others who have a similar history - the main items this time are for sufferers to NOT just accept ECG and Bp readings but to ask for an Electrocardiogram - secondly do not live in a country without a reciprocal health agreement hahaha.