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GFR dropped 5 more points and I don't know why.
Kidney & Bladder | Last Active: Aug 31 9:03am | Replies (132)Comment receiving replies
When GFR is falling consistently then goes back to over sixty, and there are two more blood draws in the next 14 months and it drops from 60 to 49, is there a way to find out what's causing this? I read the posts about scans and ultrasounds without dye. Aren't they useful for diagnosis? I wouldn't want to risk one with dye. When I managed an exercise business, a woman told me a scan of her heart with die caused her to lose 40% of her kidney function. If the scans without dye don't work, is there any other way to find out what is causing a significant drop in kidney function? Thanks
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@macbarb0503 First, there are 2 basic lab tests for CKD. They are Creatinine eGFR and Cystatin C eGFR. The latter is the more accurate and most dependable for nephrologists. Cystatin C relates to all your cells while Creatinine involves muscle mass. Unfortunately, many insurance companies do not cover Cystatin C so many PCPs use the Creatinine lab test. Next, lab tests are useful as you want to look at your CKD labs over time, and not just one event. It gives you better consistency. I get my Cystatin C checked every 6 to 8 weeks and keep a spreadsheet for those values. Lastly, you can have a great or average Creatinine eGFR, but a poor Cystatin C score, and it is that Cystatin C that nephrologists care about the most. In a perfect scenario, most nephrologists would like to see both lab tests at the same eGFR level. In addition, heart disease, diabetes, and others are main contributors to CKD. It is chronic for a reason, and can possibly be separated from acute such as an accident. Your nephrologist should be able to pinpoint why you may have fluctuations over a period of time.