Kidney function

My labs from the nephrologist will be this Thursday. I went to my GP last Thursday and asked him to test one week off of Farxega to see if there was improvement. My GFR went from 26 to 44. That is the highest it has been in two years. Different lab but that shouldn't make that big of a difference, should it? I am still doing Forteo for bones. I called the Forteo company and asked if they had any information on reduced kidney function. They said in all their clinical trials there were no problems with creatinine and other numbers that would indicate an effect on kidneys. However, I neglected to ask if all the participants in the trials had normal function to begin with. Prior to the low number, I was drinking 64 ounces of water plus almond milk and a cup of tea every day. When I got the GFR of 26, I upped the water to 74 ounces, lowered my protein intake and stopped the Farxega. With only those changes, the number jumped in one week. I will report again when I hear from the nephrologist the end of this week. Fingers crossed.

@wgj Wow! You're right, I think, different labs shouldn't make that much of a difference, like what you saw! That was a good thought, how many of the patients in clinical trials are screened for normal function, or are they looking only at the diabetes aspect of it all?

I can see you are already looking at how to modify your diet and achieve better outcomes. Good for you!

Fingers remain crossed....
Ginger

Glad to hear there is an improvement!

Just got the lab results from yesterday. This is the same lab where my GFR was 26 two weeks ago. Today it is 36. Still down some from my usual 39, and down from the 44 at a different lab with my GP last week but better than 26. I guess I will not start back up on Farxega until I hear from the nephrologist. I don't know why the fluctuation. I am still drinking 74 ounces of water every day and trying to eat right. I feel fortunate though. You guys got me through the initial gut punch when I was told Stage 4. Thank you for that.

Yes labs do make a difference! Out of the blue on a routine blood work up it showed stage 3a kidney disease. Doctor didn’t believe it since all previous bloodwork never showed it. She reran blood work and 3 days later it was normal!

water, water, water

I decided to quit meat. It made a 200 point change in my GFR

sorry 20

Many of our kidney health posts focus on eGFR. Does anyone have more information about BUN levels? This shows how dehydrated you are. My level is 29-31 over time it fluctuates. The normal level is 20 or below. What level becomes dangerous? My kidney disease is nephrogenic diabetes insipidus, which is rare and causes frequent urination. My urine is always clear, like a light lemonade. That is not necessarily good because my kidneys don't clean as well as they should. I have to drink at least 60 oz of water/day. Can you (posters) share your BUN levels?
Thank you!

@mrainne As I understand it, BUN levels are not solely determined by hydration but also medications being taken, heart condition, protein intake, and other factors such as age or sex. I also believe it is used with creatinine levels and eGFR to determine kidney function as well as hydration. With many CKD patients, many of us have frequent urination especially with certain medications. With all these variables, it may prove difficult to compare BUN values with one another. That may be why eGFR is one of the standards for kidney function.