just got back my blood work and im slightly high on two things that point to kidney disfunction.
BUN/Creatinine Ratio 22 high 8-19 normal potassium, serum 5.4 high 3.5-5.2 normal
i did some research and high levels of both point to kidney dysfunction. there arnet terribly high but still to have two like this is kind of concerning. other things can cause high levels of one of the other but to have them both seems bad to me. my dr is aware of the results obviously and hasnt contacted me.
i also tested slightly high for glucose,serum
any thoughts? am i just worrying for nothing?
Posted by unsure445 (Member # 15962) on :
Begin by drinking more water. Any chance you aren't consuming that much?
Your doctor might eliminate some medications if you are on any.
That is all i know but maybe some others will have some thoughts.
Go get some water!!!
Posted by JunkYardWily (Member # 24271) on :
dehydration is a possibility listed for those problems but i thought i drink enough water. maybe not. ill drink more.
Posted by TF (Member # 14183) on :
Are you muscular? Do you lift weights? If so, that will make your creatinine higher than the average and your BUN/creatinine ratio higher also.
Posted by JunkYardWily (Member # 24271) on :
im mostly muscle but thats because i have 0 fat on me. i do not have big mussels. i have a somewhat physical job but dont lift weights.
Posted by JunkYardWily (Member # 24271) on :
TF just had a thought;
im taking medication for testosterone deficiency since i tested at 1/3 to 1/10 the normal levels. do you think this could be what is causing higher creatine levels?
Posted by TF (Member # 14183) on :
Yes, that could be it based on the following website:
Notice "retention of ... potassium."
Posted by JunkYardWily (Member # 24271) on :
thanks TF!
so it doenst necessarily mean its causing kidney problems, is it bad to have potassium retention? is this just a side effect that i should tolerate of is it causing me more problems i should be concerned about?
Posted by TF (Member # 14183) on :
For creatinine, they take your sex, age and weight and refer to a chart that tells them the average amount of muscle mass a man your age and weight generally has. Based on that amount of muscle mass, they determine (from a chart) a creatinine normal range for you.
If you have more muscle mass than the chart expects, then your creatinine will be higher than their normal range.
That is the case with my husband. They don't expect a man of his age to have much muscle mass. That is really a shame because it just tells us how out of shape the average man is.
Since you have muscle and no fat, your creatinine could be above the normal range just for that reason. Then, you start taking testosterone and that raises your creatinine a few more points.
Since my husband takes a medication that can cause kidney damage, the doctor who prescribes that med wanted his kidneys checked. (His internist didn't think it was necessary. But, you know how doctors don't want to be sued, so they order more tests.)
So, he had to see a kidney doctor and do a 24 hour urine collection test that measures ACTUAL creatinine levels rather than doing the chart thing I mentioned above. As soon as the kidney doc walked into the room, he said to my husband, "I see you are a muscular guy." (Neither of us would have thought so.) Then, he told us that his kidneys were perfectly fine and that the 24 hour urine collection test was the proof. My husband just has more muscle mass than they expect for a man his age.
So, in your case, if you are worried, you can ask for the 24 hour urine collection creatinine test. That is the only way to get accurate readings on creatinine.
Since you haven't heard from your doc, I guess he isn't worried about it.
You can call the office and ask if he has seen the blood test results. If he has, then that should put your mind at ease.
Perhaps the doc who is prescribing the testosterone can tell you the point at which he will become unhappy with the levels. Then, if you ever reach that point, he may want to lower the testosterone dose a little to make your levels go down a bit.
If your kidneys were fine before testosterone, it stands to reason that the testosterone has raised these blood levels, just as the website says it will, rather than to conclude that now, coincidentally, your kidneys are not fine. The only question is how often should you retest and at what point will the doctor want to adjust the testosterone if the levels continue to increase.
That's how I see it anyway. But, I am not a doctor.
Regarding potassium, the only concern I have ever heard of is low potassium. You are in big trouble if it goes low. So, I doubt a potassium reading slightly above average will bother any doctor.
Regarding glucose (blood sugar), you didn't tell your reading for that. I imagine your doctor will monitor this because if you get too high of a blood sugar reading, that indicates diabetes. Then, he will likely lower the testosterone and see if the sugar level goes down.
My husband recently started using the testosterone gel, so I am interested in seeing what it does to his blood level readings. We will get his results on March 16.
Just so everyone knows, my husband never had lyme disease.
Posted by JunkYardWily (Member # 24271) on :
thanks for all the good input TF.
didnt that website say that it raises glucose levels as well? my glucose was 100 with 99 being the top end of normal so im not too concerned.
yeah finding out what is an unacceptable range and then waiting till i get there to get concerned is appropriate i feel.
my LLMD is the one who tested and prescribed my the cortisol (something like that) and testosterone cream. he says that those who fix hormonal problems tend to get better faster as it helps your whole body including the immune system.
please keep me up to date on your husbands progress.
Posted by Wolfed Out (Member # 23727) on :
Sorry Wily, I don't want to side track your thread, but with all that info TF provided, I gotta ask a question:
What does that say about a 27 year old with a BUN of 8 and creatinine of .95? That seems awful low, and I'm 170lb, can bench close to 200lbs.
Posted by chiquita incognita (Member # 30381) on :
Nettle leaf for kidney support, may help to excrete uric acid and other wastes, read here:
Dandelion leaf (not the root, that's different and works more on the liver) is a diuretic which replaces potassium that is excreted in the urine, so it can help to balance the mineral, according to David HOffmann in his book Medical Herbalism.
Vitex or Chaste Berry: It's not wise to mix this with hormone drugs, but you could ask your doctor if s/he thinks under his/her supervision if you could use this. It not only balances female hormones, but male ones too because it works on the adrenal-pituitary axis, according to David Hoffmann in his book Medical Herbalism. Again don't try this on your own if you are already doing a hormone drug:
I think to detox and strengthen the liver is always wise in any hormone or blood chemistry balancing program. The liver breaks down many substances in the blood, including blood sugar, hormones as well as metals, chemicals et al: http://www.healthy.net/Materia_Medica/Milk_Thistle_Herbal_Materia_Medica/247
About excess potassium: Causes fluid imbalance and therefore changes in blood pressure, affecting the heart. Is it something to just live with in excess? I would say no.
You can read more about potassium here www.healthy.net or look at Earl Mindell's The Vitamin Bible of the 21st Century, a handy home reference in an alphabetized quick-read format.
The above statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and do not diagnose, cure or prevent any disease. Drugs and herbs may interact, talk with your doctor.
Posted by JunkYardWily (Member # 24271) on :
thanks for the info ci
Posted by TF (Member # 14183) on :
Wolfed Out,
I never looked into low creatinine. But, I did a quick web search and found this:
"Low blood levels of creatinine are not common, but they are also not usually a cause for concern. They can be seen with conditions that result in decreased muscle mass."