1. < Kidney & Bladder

Renal atrophy? (And What do ultrasounds really show?)

Posted by stephaniet @stephaniet, Nov 19, 2018

My primary doc ordered a metabolic panel, repeated it to verify bad #s on GFR and Creatinine. Nephrologist ordered ultrasound, showed severe renal atrophy on right side,basically half the size of the left. I had a two normal kidneys in 2010. Referred to urologist who has ordered CT scan. Thanks to Thanksgiving, I won’t hear results for a WEEK (eeek!) and am freaking out. No symptoms of anything, other than my BP went up, now taking meds, it’s fine. The ultrasound said no mass, but I think that’s just kidneys and not all the other “stuff” in that area. Is the CT scan likely to give definitive info? And how do you stay calm while WAITING? Any advice welcome.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Kidney & Bladder Support Group.

kamama94 | @kamama94 | Nov 19, 2018

@stephaniet You sound like me except it's my left kidney that's atrophied and my right one trying to take up the slack. I was in early stage CKD last winter when I got the flu despite having had a flu shot and my GFR "tanked." (Primary checks metabolic panel every 3 months because I'm also diabetic.) He referred me to a nephrologist who ordered a CT scan and to everyone's surprise I had a totally blocked left kidney which had atrophied. I say surprised because until I got the flu, my labs were fairly good and I had no symptoms for years. I had been diagnosed with kidney stones several years prior but we thought I had passed them and I wasn't having any problems until the flu hit.
So I totally understand why anyone in our positions might be on pins and needles. I'm a retired nurse so knew to go on a renal diet and a couple of months later a vegetarian renal diet and my labs have improved. I was in stage 4 and now am in stage 3. I'm telling you this because there may be reasons to hope.
Without getting too personal, I've been participating in a 12-step recovery program for 25 years and thank heavens my friends in recovery insisted I just take things one day at a time. Easy to say, hard to do. But it worked for me.
I don't know what the future holds for us but I know I'm here now and reasonably comfortable and still can participate in life so I'm hoping the same for you..
I'm so glad you reached out. You'll be in my thoughts. I hope your care team can reassure you that it's not too late to take care of your kidneys and I know you'll be able to handle whatever the next step might be for you.
Please let me know what you find out.

REPLY
1 reply
tracilynn0418 | @tracilynn0418 | Jun 19, 2020
In reply to @kamama94 "@stephaniet You sound like me except it's my left kidney that's atrophied and my right one..." + (show)
@kamama94

@stephaniet You sound like me except it's my left kidney that's atrophied and my right one trying to take up the slack. I was in early stage CKD last winter when I got the flu despite having had a flu shot and my GFR "tanked." (Primary checks metabolic panel every 3 months because I'm also diabetic.) He referred me to a nephrologist who ordered a CT scan and to everyone's surprise I had a totally blocked left kidney which had atrophied. I say surprised because until I got the flu, my labs were fairly good and I had no symptoms for years. I had been diagnosed with kidney stones several years prior but we thought I had passed them and I wasn't having any problems until the flu hit.
So I totally understand why anyone in our positions might be on pins and needles. I'm a retired nurse so knew to go on a renal diet and a couple of months later a vegetarian renal diet and my labs have improved. I was in stage 4 and now am in stage 3. I'm telling you this because there may be reasons to hope.
Without getting too personal, I've been participating in a 12-step recovery program for 25 years and thank heavens my friends in recovery insisted I just take things one day at a time. Easy to say, hard to do. But it worked for me.
I don't know what the future holds for us but I know I'm here now and reasonably comfortable and still can participate in life so I'm hoping the same for you..
I'm so glad you reached out. You'll be in my thoughts. I hope your care team can reassure you that it's not too late to take care of your kidneys and I know you'll be able to handle whatever the next step might be for you.
Please let me know what you find out.

Jump to this post

Hi, I'm so happy that I have found another person that has a kidney that has done this due to stones and didn't know and happened fast they can't really explain all of it but it is my left kidney also. Can I ask you what all you take oh my gosh I wish I could pick your brain. They found this I was 32 at beginning of last year I am 34 now so haven't been dealing with all the ckd til recent but kidney stones since 15.

REPLY
Please sign in or register to post a reply.