Dumb question: If my cancerous (presumably diseased) kidney is gone, do I have kidney disease?

anmazon said:

you're too kind, Michael

red or green?

Verde, seguro! Pero rojo también es buena!

anmazon said:

chile with an e

Hey, Michael,

I've had to give up my dear friend table salt, but my chile is what is keeping me going (once a week, my brother and I go to Sadie's for a bean burrito--I get my chile fix without too much "bad" protein).  Thankfully my cast iron stomach is still intact and I can eat lots of their delicious salsa.

I'm watching the protein (urologist says 100-120 grams per day should be fine), struggling to stay below 2,000 mg of sodium per day, and keep lots of fresh fruit and veggies on hand (frozen green grapes are my favorite).

I'm watching the sugar and the carbs and drinking 4 to 5 liters of water a day.

Per the chile dog incident, I do slip up (or deliberately deviate, if we're going to be perfectly honest) from time to time, but these incidents are few and far between. 

It is a struggle, but it gets easier every day.

The thunderstorms have been spectacular, and the rain has been lovely.  Apparently a bridge washed out right after we crossed it on the train last night--NOT lovely, but pretty exciting.

Let me know if you need me to FedEx you some chile, Michael.  It's almost roasting time!

Warm regards.

Anne

I am learning so much in just 36 hours of being here.  My doctor told me to load up on fresh vegetables and fruits, eat more fish, but didn't say a single thing about avoiding red meat  or limiting my protein intake!  Or my salt usage! They did say to limit organ meat (liver, etc) to once a week.  I've cut out caffeine, artificial sweeteners, and lowered my salt I take voluntarily because it felt healthier.  I've been drinking 8-10 8oz waters a day, minimum.  I don't smoke, don't drink....I have no vices at all anymore and I'm probably very boring now....

the last labs I had run, they said my kidney functions were high, which apparently is not good.  When I asked, all the doc would say was that the tests indicated that my kidney was not functioning at optimum capacity yet.  I think they used the phrase "hasn't gone hyper-dynamic yet" which I assume means it hasn't picked up the slack of the missing one. How can I take care of the anemia that I'm going through if I can't have red meat protein or liver?  I'm so confused right now that I'm not sure what I should be eating or not eating.  Does anyone have a link to a good RCC diet?  My doctor is not very forthcoming on information, but I think it's simply because he just doesn't know that much about kidneys...

so any help regarding diet or anything else will be greatly appreciated.

Not a dumb question at all!

When filling out medical forms after my nephrectomy I always wondered whether I should check the box for 'kidney disease' or not.  According to my nephrologist the kidney he removed from me was pefectly healthy and functioning... it just happened to have a big old tumor attached to it.  In my mind there are distinct differences between the two...  kidney disease vs. kidney cancer.  Since the GFR in my remaining kidney is fine... when I fill out forms now I answer 'no' to kidney disease and 'yes' to cancer.  I believe that they are two separate entities.

Dig

Digger95 said:

Kidney Disease vs. Kidney Cancer

Not a dumb question at all!

When filling out medical forms after my nephrectomy I always wondered whether I should check the box for 'kidney disease' or not.  According to my nephrologist the kidney he removed from me was pefectly healthy and functioning... it just happened to have a big old tumor attached to it.  In my mind there are distinct differences between the two...  kidney disease vs. kidney cancer.  Since the GFR in my remaining kidney is fine... when I fill out forms now I answer 'no' to kidney disease and 'yes' to cancer.  I believe that they are two separate entities.

Dig

They are two separate things. Having or having had one does not mean you will have the other.

It is important to remember though that having one kidney  makes us more susceptable to Kidney Disease especially if we have high blood pressure and as we grow older.

The purpose of my comments was to raise a concern about the possabily of kidney disease for those of us with one kidney not to eqate the two as being one in the same.

anmazon said:

I'm clueless

Hey, Iceman.

I'm still pretty new at this cancer thing, and have learned a LOT in the nine weeks since my diagnosis.

As someone without much of a clue yet, I genuinely appreciate your efforts to clarify issues that, frankly, confuse the living hell out of me.

Thank you for your wisdom and patience.

Anne

Me, too.  I'm just sitting here reading and learning more and more...and definitely more than my doctor has ever told me.  He came in after the surgery and said "well, you know you have cancer, don't you?  It is called renal cell carcinoma."  I said "okay...what KIND of renal cell carcinoma?"  He looked at me like I had suddenly sprouted two extra heads and said "oh...it's, uhh...Chromophobe, which is the best kind to have if you have to have it at all."  No stage, no nothing, just told me that he got clear margins and that the tumor, while totally encapsulated inside the kidney at the midline, had started into the renal vein, But that was of no consequence."  That's ALL he told me.  I'm going to see if I can get a copy of my path report from his office.  Isn't he supposed to supply me with a copy, if I ask?  I may have to smack a doctor if he says I don't need that report. 

I hope one day I can be as informed and knowledgable as you all are on here.

anmazon said:

again, welcome to the club

Tillie, welcome. I'm sorry about what you're going through, but you couldn't have found a better, wiser, more supportive group.  That they're wise guys too helps a lot.

I've got copies of both my path and surgical reports--fascinating reading, though it makes me a kind of sick.  I still freak out when I read that the specimen they sent to the lab weighed 640 grams!  

It's been nine weeks since my diagnosis, seven since my surgery.  I thought the anxiety was going to kill me until I found this group.  I still have moments of abject terror, and most certainly will continue to do so; but the wisdom, compassion and humor in this group gets me through, one day at a time.

The more I learn, the more I understand that I have so much more to learn.

We're here for you.

Anne

Very nice!

I love your engaging, positive attitude! 

MDCinSC said:

Or at least get your records

Or at least get your records and go elsewhere!

Sounds like he is treating you like a mushroom!

How do you treat a mushroom, you ask?

Keep it in the dark and feed it BS!

Time for a heart to heart!

Just a bit of my rambling here.. first, Tillie.. love the new Avatar..   Anne.. may I, Dare I.. suggest you become an Annie..?    As in Annie get your guns.??  I thnk of you gunning down this villian we call Kidney Cancer...!!! 

Me, well I do happen to have Kidney Disease.. my right Kidney has a couple of cysts in it... those have been there a long time and there are no signs of them growing.. whew..!   But my renal function is less than stellar.. so back to that good diet again.  I just remind myself that my food choice is closely related to my time above ground... that reality check does it for me.

Be Well A....!!

Ron - 3 weeks until I head for the Isle of Man..! 

anmazon said:

Annie Oakley

I like it, Ron.

It's funny, we were talking guns on the train the other night, and someone was horrified that, not only do I know about guns, but that I also enjoy shooting.  He suggested that everyone start calling me Dirty Annie, in honor of Dirty Harry Callahan.  Thankfully, I was able to convince him that Annie Oakley might be a better nickname all around.

As we seem to be on the same wavelength, Ron, I now rechristen myself Annie! 

Shooting down the villian we call Kidney Cancer.

I love it, Ron.

Annie

 

Whew..!!  I never know how some things I say will be taken... glad you like it..!!   Now the original Annie was famouse for her shooting.. but she was also known to be a bit... ahem adventurous.. heh... 

Ron