And now it's my kidneys

chrystaltree · ‎05-10-2010

Some of you remember my recent Afib post. I appreciate your posts so thought I'd provide more of the story. I saw the Cardiologist and he switched me from Xarelto to Eliquis. I see him again after I get the echocardiogram on 8/17. Even he was surprised that was the earliest appointment available. I'm ok with the Afib stuff but he ran a battery of tests and noticed some kidney strain. No kidney disease but my kidneys are working harder than should. So. Now I need a renal ultrasound. He said it's probably due to all of the prescription meds, otc pain meds and supplements I have been taking for years. It's a lot for my kidneys to clear. After the renal ultrasound, a nephrologist will look at everything and then consult with all the docs who are prescribing for me. Like the Afib this is something else that was asymptomatic and could have had very serious repercussions if it had not been diagnosed early.

KathyM23 · ‎11-20-2010

@chrystaltree For me it was elevaed iver numbers to the high category after being put on cholorestral meds which I know are hard on your liver. First changed the dose to half with no improveent in numbers so now I am off the med. Numbers still high but coming down. If it's not one thing, it's another.

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qualitygal · ‎10-04-2010

I'm glad you're getting things tended to. Sounds like you have a good and thorough doctor. Great. We do have to be careful of too many pills in our systems. They can't talk till they take us down. So, I think you're doing good on that. Good luck.

hopi · ‎03-09-2010

Prayers for you

CalminHeart · ‎03-09-2010

I'm glad your cardiologist caught this so it can be checked out..

I'm a bit of a freak about kidneys. I had 1/2 of a kidney removed in 1973. It was a duplicated system - both halves were trying to do the same thing instead of functioning like normal.

ciao_bella · ‎03-13-2010

@chrystaltree wrote:
Some of you remember my recent Afib post. I appreciate your posts so thought I'd provide more of the story. I saw the Cardiologist and he switched me from Xarelto to Eliquis. I see him again after I get the echocardiogram on 8/17. Even he was surprised that was the earliest appointment available. I'm ok with the Afib stuff but he ran a battery of tests and noticed some kidney strain. No kidney disease but my kidneys are working harder than should. So. Now I need a renal ultrasound. He said it's probably due to all of the prescription meds, otc pain meds and supplements I have been taking for years. It's a lot for my kidneys to clear. After the renal ultrasound, a nephrologist will look at everything and then consult with all the docs who are prescribing for me. Like the Afib this is something else that was asymptomatic and could have had very serious repercussions if it had not been diagnosed early.

@chrystaltree I had a similar situation minus the A-fib part. I have been on a BP pill for the last 7 or 8 years. High BP and heart disease run on my father's side of the family. BP has been in good control with the one BP pill daily and I take a water pill (HCTZ).

Every six months (with the exception of 2020 -Covid big year) I go to my PC doc to get a routine check, bloodwork and urine test. To my surprise, the lastest one showed my kidney count was out of the range of normal and reflected in the high range. Doc sent me to a nephrologist who did a pelvic kidney and bladder ultrasound. It appears, from what he said that the water pill, HCTZ, short for hydroclorthrozide which is known to be a cause of kidney damage and dehydration, had begun to damage my kidneys. He also told me that age, especially over the age of 60, kidneys normally begin to get weaker and decline for everyone, though some more than others, especially if you're on other medications. Did your nephrologist tell you what stage the kidney damage is in?

Luckily, it was picked up by the bloodwork sooner rather than later, so that it can be monitored. The nephrologist did say, unlike other organs, kidney damage can not be reversed but can be controlled.

I would never had known that I had the start of kidney problems had the routine bloodwork not been done. Regretfully, the year of Covid 2020 uprise, when a lot of doctor's offices where not seeing patients, I had opted to wait and not get bloodwork at that time. Had I gone for the bloodwork, it might have shown up then instead of a year later.

Be well and keep us posted on your progress.

Cinderella is proof that a new pair of shoes can change your life!

pupwhipped · ‎03-11-2010

Although these issues are concerning, take heart that you and your doctors are on it and appropriate treatment will come if needed. I think as we get older things can feel like they're really piling on at times. And just speaking for myself, as I'm aging I know I need to see the doctor more to stay on top of things yet I don't even want to go at all! Funny how that works.

@chrystaltree, if you know and don't mind sharing, what particular test made your cardiologist think your kidneys were working too hard? I know about creatinine levels and GFR values for kidney function, but just curious what he saw to say "no kidney disease but kidneys are working harder then they should."

Keep us posted. Share and/or vent...whatever makes you feel better! 😊

On It · ‎03-15-2021

@chrystaltree It's good your doctor is catching everything early in the preventative stage. I am certain with adjustments the strain on your kidneys can be alleviated. It may be as simple as cutting back on supplements. Good luck to you in getting these issues resolved.

As far as the delay in getting an appointment, we have experienced that as well. I am afraid the shortage of medical professionals is starting to impact us more and more.

software · ‎06-08-2016

I haven't been keeping up with you but this morning I saw this post. I've had the opposite situation. I believe all my health problems started with my high blood pressure meds. A close friend is always telling me about the danger of meds. Yes, there are times you need it but it always comes with consequences.

I'm diagnosed with cardiomyopathy as well as Stage 4 chronic kidney disease on 1 kidney, lost the other one. Was it a coincidence it all happened when I started taking the BP meds or did the meds cause it?

My nephrologist is awesome. My primary is also very protective of my kidney. The 2 of them together have kept me as healthy as possible. I'm 69, I'ved lived like this for several years, I plan on living for a long time.

I hope your experience with your nephrologist is the same. They have great tools to work with. I'm not on any meds for my kidney but I did have kidney stones back in 2020 so I take potassium citrate. A case of undiagnosed kidney stones can kill my kidney, in my case one got lodged & the pain was excrutiating, needed emergency surgery to remove it.

So was your creatinine high? There could be many possible reasons, not specifically related to your kidneys. Once the instigator is eliminated, the creatinine will come down.

I hope it's resolved quickly & safely.

chrystaltree · ‎05-10-2010

@ciao_bella wrote:

@chrystaltree wrote:
Some of you remember my recent Afib post. I appreciate your posts so thought I'd provide more of the story. I saw the Cardiologist and he switched me from Xarelto to Eliquis. I see him again after I get the echocardiogram on 8/17. Even he was surprised that was the earliest appointment available. I'm ok with the Afib stuff but he ran a battery of tests and noticed some kidney strain. No kidney disease but my kidneys are working harder than should. So. Now I need a renal ultrasound. He said it's probably due to all of the prescription meds, otc pain meds and supplements I have been taking for years. It's a lot for my kidneys to clear. After the renal ultrasound, a nephrologist will look at everything and then consult with all the docs who are prescribing for me. Like the Afib this is something else that was asymptomatic and could have had very serious repercussions if it had not been diagnosed early.




@chrystaltree I had a similar situation minus the A-fib part. I have been on a BP pill for the last 7 or 8 years. High BP and heart disease run on my father's side of the family. BP has been in good control with the one BP pill daily and I take a water pill (HCTZ).

Every six months (with the exception of 2020 -Covid big year) I go to my PC doc to get a routine check, bloodwork and urine test. To my surprise, the lastest one showed my kidney count was out of the range of normal and reflected in the high range. Doc sent me to a nephrologist who did a pelvic kidney and bladder ultrasound. It appears, from what he said that the water pill, HCTZ, short for hydroclorthrozide which is known to be a cause of kidney damage and dehydration, had begun to damage my kidneys. He also told me that age, especially over the age of 60, kidneys normally begin to get weaker and decline for everyone, though some more than others, especially if you're on other medications. Did your nephrologist tell you what stage the kidney damage is in?

Luckily, it was picked up by the bloodwork sooner rather than later, so that it can be monitored. The nephrologist did say, unlike other organs, kidney damage can not be reversed but can be controlled.

I would never had known that I had the start of kidney problems had the routine bloodwork not been done. Regretfully, the year of Covid 2020 uprise, when a lot of doctor's offices where not seeing patients, I had opted to wait and not get bloodwork at that time. Had I gone for the bloodwork, it might have shown up then instead of a year later.

Be well and keep us posted on your progress.

Similar situation. I've been on BP medicine for 10 years. I saw Mt doc and got blood work periodically until 2020. My 2021 visit was virtual and she didn't order any blood work. Perhaps they'd have picked the kidney thing and the Afib sooner if if I'd has a real face to face visit during the pandemic. Nonetheless I'm happy that these two conditions which were asymptomatic were discovered and are being addressed. Make me think about those people who don't see there doctors regularly...or who have doctors who don't listen to them and don't go the extra mile in ordering tests.