Almost 4 months post-op radical nephrectomy

pinkstar
pinkstar Member Posts: 53
in Kidney Cancer #1

Hello all.....so I am now almost 4 months following a hand assisted laparoscopic radical nephrectomy. I experienced hardly any pain from the surgery, except for some twisting cramp feeling in my belly (like a leg cramp except in my belly). Other than that I rest when I need too and I am resuming college this fall along with my full time job and a part time job. I know, I know....Yes, I will rest when my body alarm goes off. After resting this summer, I know I will be ok. What other choice is there? Anyhow, I have seen my Urologist for my 3 month check up and he has referred me to a Nephrologist. I saw my new Dr last week and I now told that I will need to start taking blood pressure medications (my bp isn't too bad, 127/84 at my last visit) but the medication will help save my mighty kidney (that's what I call her). Its called Cozaar to be exact and this medication is known to help protect against kidney damage (spilling out protein). Yes, I am spilling little protein and I am a type 2 diabetic. I'm only 41 and generally very healthy. I keep my blood sugars down and do a pretty good job at it (taking metformin). Things have been overwhelming for me and I have been feeling pretty down. This is expected after my surgery and I am attempting to exercise again (keeping it light for now). I still get tired but I have been able to manage this far and I know I can keep up, if I just keep moving forward with a positive outlook. Things are definitely NOT perfect but I will continue to fight every day. 

 

Donna

 

Lab Results from 8/16/13

 

GLUCOSE, UA

Negative mg/dL

<30 (Neg)

KETONES, UA

Negative mg/dL

<10 (Neg)

SPECIFIC GRAVITY, UA

1.005 - 1.030

1.016

UA HGB

Negative mg/dL

<0.03 (Neg)

PH, UA

5.0 - 8.0

5.5

PROTEIN, UA

<30 (1+) mg/dL

70 (1+)

NITRITE, UA

Negative

Negative

LEUKOCYTE ESTERASE, UA

Negative

Negative

UROBILINOGEN, UA, QL

Negative mg/dL

<2.0 (Neg)

BILIRUBIN, UA

Negative mg/dL

<0.5 (Neg)

WBC'S, UA/HPF

0 - 5 /HPF

0-2

RBC, URINE HPF

0 - 3 /HPF

0-3

BACTERIA, URINE HPF

None /HPF

Trace

SQUAMOUS EPITHELIAL CELLS, URINE SED, AUTOMATED COUNT, QUAL

None /HPF

Few

MUCOUS, UR SED, QL, AUTOMATED COUNT                                           

None/HPF

Present

MICROALBUMIN, UR, QN, DETECTION LIMIT <= 20 MG/L

<=120.0 mg/L

587.9

CREATININE, URINE

 

148.6

MICROALBUMIN/CREATININE

<=29.9 mcg/mg Creat

39.6

PROTEIN, URINE, QN

<=11 mg/dL

92

CREATININE, URINE

 

148.6

PROTEIN/CREATININE, URINE

 

0.6

BUN

<=18 mg/dL

21

CREATININE

<=1.10 mg/dL

1.10

GLOMERULAR FILTRATION RATE

 

55

PHOSPHORUS

2.7 - 4.5 mg/dL

3.9

ALBUMIN

3.3 - 4.8 g/dL

4.3

Comments

  • alice124
    alice124 Member Posts: 896 Member
    #2
    Keep on  going Donna.  It

    Keep on  going Donna.  It sounds like you're on top of your health and your doctors are proactive, addressing potential concerns before they become major.

     

    Good luck this fall with work and school. Yea, you guessed what I'd say; don't overdo it!

     

     

     

     

  • pinkstar
    pinkstar Member Posts: 53
    #3
    alice124 said:

    Keep on  going Donna.  It

    Keep on  going Donna.  It sounds like you're on top of your health and your doctors are proactive, addressing potential concerns before they become major.

     

    Good luck this fall with work and school. Yea, you guessed what I'd say; don't overdo it!

     

     

     

     

    Thank you Alice

    I appreciate your words Alice. Thank you kindly! I am trying so hard to fight my tears and deal with it all. This definitely isn't easy but if I need to take another medication then so be it. I have to do what I need to be healthy as much as possible. I am not too happy about my results but from what I know about others in my same predicament, this is some what expected. No matter what I will continue to push forward and try my best to over come all of this, just as I wish for all of us. 

     

    Donna

  • Texas_wedge
    Texas_wedge Member Posts: 2,798
    #4
    Labs

    Donna, most of the items on your list, and the units, are unfamiliar to me.  Are these tailored specially to your condition as a diabetic or for some other specific purposes that don't apply to most of us?   

    The bits I recognise look good and I'm perplexed at your being put on BP meds at 127/84 which, here in Scotland, wouldn't be considered necessary at this stage, although I guess you're still young and the diabetes perhaps changes treatment a lot? I appreciate that losartan (Cozaar) is a good BP med particularly geared to type 2 diabetes, so I guess that's reason enough.

    eGFR of 55 suggests that your remaining kidney is doing a very good job. 

    Along with your constructive attitude, it all looks promising to me.

  • icemantoo
    icemantoo Member Posts: 3,361 Member
    #5
    pinkstar said:

    Thank you Alice

    I appreciate your words Alice. Thank you kindly! I am trying so hard to fight my tears and deal with it all. This definitely isn't easy but if I need to take another medication then so be it. I have to do what I need to be healthy as much as possible. I am not too happy about my results but from what I know about others in my same predicament, this is some what expected. No matter what I will continue to push forward and try my best to over come all of this, just as I wish for all of us. 

     

    Donna

    Cloning

    Donna,

    With all of that information  it sounds like you are getting ready to have yourself cloned. All kidding aside you do have several risk factors looking into the future. Your GFR at 55 as a little too low for a 41 year old. These include type 2 diabetes. BP that is not quite perfect and of course  only having 1 kidney. The risk in the future is that a low GFR is as much adverse to your heart as it is to your kidney. Last year my GFR was down to 41 and as a result of ny Nephrologisr bringing my BP down to under 120/80 or below. MyGFR is back up to 47 which is acceptable for a 70 year old, but not for a  41 year olf with 1 kidney.

     

     

    Icemantoo

  • pinkstar
    pinkstar Member Posts: 53
    #6
    Texas_wedge said:

    Labs

    Donna, most of the items on your list, and the units, are unfamiliar to me.  Are these tailored specially to your condition as a diabetic or for some other specific purposes that don't apply to most of us?   

    The bits I recognise look good and I'm perplexed at your being put on BP meds at 127/84 which, here in Scotland, wouldn't be considered necessary at this stage, although I guess you're still young and the diabetes perhaps changes treatment a lot? I appreciate that losartan (Cozaar) is a good BP med particularly geared to type 2 diabetes, so I guess that's reason enough.

    eGFR of 55 suggests that your remaining kidney is doing a very good job. 

    Along with your constructive attitude, it all looks promising to me.

    Texas, the units are what we

    Texas, the units are what we use in the US.....here is a break down

     

    mg = milligram

    mcg = microgram

    dL = decaliter

    g = gram

     

    Hope this helps & I so very much appreciate your feed back. These tests were ordered by my Nephrologist to check my remaining kidney function. Yes, the Cozaar is geared towards both type 2 diabetics & those with high blood pressure. Although, my current blood pressure is normal we are doing this to protect the current kidney function. As Cozaar has been documented to help those with high blood pressure/diabetes type 2 not spill so much protein. I guess you can kind of call this for preventative measures. I've taken Cozaar before when I had high blood pressure (I was heavier then) and it worked good for me. Thank you so much for your support!!

     

    Donna

  • pinkstar
    pinkstar Member Posts: 53
    #7
    icemantoo said:

    Cloning

    Donna,

    With all of that information  it sounds like you are getting ready to have yourself cloned. All kidding aside you do have several risk factors looking into the future. Your GFR at 55 as a little too low for a 41 year old. These include type 2 diabetes. BP that is not quite perfect and of course  only having 1 kidney. The risk in the future is that a low GFR is as much adverse to your heart as it is to your kidney. Last year my GFR was down to 41 and as a result of ny Nephrologisr bringing my BP down to under 120/80 or below. MyGFR is back up to 47 which is acceptable for a 70 year old, but not for a  41 year olf with 1 kidney.

     

     

    Icemantoo

    Yes, Icemantoo I agree with

    Yes, Icemantoo I agree with you. Luckily my type 2 diabetes is under control but it needs to get better. I am hoping with my Nephrologist, we can get my eGFR back up. My labs aren't too far gone and I refuse to give up without a fight. I just want to get to 80 yrs old. I don't want to live to see 100 but wouldn't be surprised if I did. :0)

  • foxhd
    foxhd Member Posts: 3,181 Member
    #8
    pinkstar said:

    Texas, the units are what we

    Texas, the units are what we use in the US.....here is a break down

     

    mg = milligram

    mcg = microgram

    dL = decaliter

    g = gram

     

    Hope this helps & I so very much appreciate your feed back. These tests were ordered by my Nephrologist to check my remaining kidney function. Yes, the Cozaar is geared towards both type 2 diabetics & those with high blood pressure. Although, my current blood pressure is normal we are doing this to protect the current kidney function. As Cozaar has been documented to help those with high blood pressure/diabetes type 2 not spill so much protein. I guess you can kind of call this for preventative measures. I've taken Cozaar before when I had high blood pressure (I was heavier then) and it worked good for me. Thank you so much for your support!!

     

    Donna

    Good to hear from you Donna

    And you are staying on top of everything. Great lesson for others. Too many worry and if they could be as proactive, they would feel in better control.  Nice work.

  • pinkstar
    pinkstar Member Posts: 53
    #9
    foxhd said:

    Good to hear from you Donna

    And you are staying on top of everything. Great lesson for others. Too many worry and if they could be as proactive, they would feel in better control.  Nice work.

    Thank you so much Fox!! I am

    Thank you so much Fox!! I am trying so hard here. My emotions have a mind of their own and every day is a new day. I am so lucky to have great support.

  • GSRon
    GSRon Member Posts: 1,303 Member
    #10
    pinkstar said:

    Thank you so much Fox!! I am

    Thank you so much Fox!! I am trying so hard here. My emotions have a mind of their own and every day is a new day. I am so lucky to have great support.

    Hi Donna..!

    I hope you keep smiling... but I must confess that there are times I shed  a tear or two.. I always feel better letting it out..  You are too young and beautiful to have to worry this much... I will say a prayer for you.. and for all of use here..  I hope to visit the little ones this week...

    Be Well All...

    Ron

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