Kidney function, please help :(

[AirNomad 10]

A year ago, I started having occasional bouts of foul-smelling, cloudy urine. Not a strong ammonia-like smell but more like bottom-of-a-pond. Pretty bad. I have a history of UTIs, and even though at that time the culture was neg for bacteria, I assumed it may a precursor to an infection, so I would start drinking 100% cranbery juice (8 oz in the morning and 4 oz at night) for about a week and taper off. EACH TIME, the bad smell would disappear after about a day of doing that.

Well, the bad-urine-smell episodes disappeared for several months and I all but forgot about them. Fast forward to this past April. I had some blood work done, mostly routine, and everything came back normal except for my kidney function. Creatinine was 1.18 (ref range 0.5-0.97) and GFR was at the very cusp at 60 (ref range > or = 60). I pushed the fluids and we retested a week later, and it came back in the normal range but still far from optimal: Creatinine at 94 and GFR at 79. As a busy mom, I went on my way.

Well a few weeks ago, the bad-smelling urine returned, as well as some sediment in the urine. Once again drank cranberry juice, it went away, and I decided to try a supplement with cranberry in it to see if that would do the same. Five days later, the smell returned, and I started connecting the possible dots with kidney, so last week I went to the doctor. Urine was neg for bacteria again, so they ran some blood work.

Kidney results were worse, Creatinine at 1.32 and GFR at 53. :(((( I am only 39, soon to be 40. I am really worried. Had a follow-up with my doctor today who is a bit concerned about why it's bouncing around and wanted to repeat the blood work again since I've once again been pushing the fluids. But she also ordered a renal ultrasound and wants me to see a nephrologist. I can't get into those appts until Aug 4 and Aug 13, respectively.

I am in knots waiting for the blood results, that they'll be even worse, and about what the u/s will show. I can't stop worrying that this is the beginning of the end, that I'll leave my kids without a mom and not be here to watch them grow up. 💔

 

[Ironman 190]

2 hours ago, AirNomad said:

A year ago, I started having occasional bouts of foul-smelling, cloudy urine. Not a strong ammonia-like smell but more like bottom-of-a-pond. Pretty bad. I have a history of UTIs, and even though at that time the culture was neg for bacteria, I assumed it may a precursor to an infection, so I would start drinking 100% cranbery juice (8 oz in the morning and 4 oz at night) for about a week and taper off. EACH TIME, the bad smell would disappear after about a day of doing that.

Well, the bad-urine-smell episodes disappeared for several months and I all but forgot about them. Fast forward to this past April. I had some blood work done, mostly routine, and everything came back normal except for my kidney function. Creatinine was 1.18 (ref range 0.5-0.97) and GFR was at the very cusp at 60 (ref range > or = 60). I pushed the fluids and we retested a week later, and it came back in the normal range but still far from optimal: Creatinine at 94 and GFR at 79. As a busy mom, I went on my way.

Well a few weeks ago, the bad-smelling urine returned, as well as some sediment in the urine. Once again drank cranberry juice, it went away, and I decided to try a supplement with cranberry in it to see if that would do the same. Five days later, the smell returned, and I started connecting the possible dots with kidney, so last week I went to the doctor. Urine was neg for bacteria again, so they ran some blood work.

Kidney results were worse, Creatinine at 1.32 and GFR at 53. :(((( I am only 39, soon to be 40. I am really worried. Had a follow-up with my doctor today who is a bit concerned about why it's bouncing around and wanted to repeat the blood work again since I've once again been pushing the fluids. But she also ordered a renal ultrasound and wants me to see a nephrologist. I can't get into those appts until Aug 4 and Aug 13, respectively.

I am in knots waiting for the blood results, that they'll be even worse, and about what the u/s will show. I can't stop worrying that this is the beginning of the end, that I'll leave my kids without a mom and not be here to watch them grow up. 💔

 

The doctors are monitoring your kidneys at this point; they will get to an answer.  All you can do is pray and wait.  

Kidney issues don't exactly mean a death sentence.  There are such things as dialysis and transplant, but even that is a huge stretch.    

Let the doctors continue to use what they have.    Death is just not even in the realm of possibility.

[AirNomad 10]

Thanks, Ironman. I know it's an extreme leap but I can't help worrying and fearing the worst. I do have some actual health issues and a health history (not kidney related) pre-kids, and health issues just hit different after becoming a parent. I'm trying to stay positive but I'm really worried.