My eGFR dropped 20 points in 3 days this month

Posted by lightgoddess @lightgoddess, Sep 1 2:02pm

Was checking some test results last week that were taken before my Coronary CTA and my eGFR was 60 (it was 80 all last year and up till the last time checked in May) so I was a bit concerned and figured I would mention it to the Dr since I had tests coming up and would be talking to her then. She is my new Dr. So, Friday late, my Echocardiogram and bubble study results come back showing a large right to left shunting suggesting PFO....basically a hole in the heart (though it could be similar defect) where blood flows into the wrong chamber so doesn't get re-oxygenated. This causes extreme O2 drops and also causes high risk of stroke and other organ damage as clots can easily pass thru and travel to other organs like the brain...which is what started me researching...due to a several week long period of extreme cognitive deficit post-op that lasted a couple months and still hasn't fully resolved. I had suspected stroke but then the Cardiac issues started that was on back burner. I was curious if a clot(s) could have caused a cryptogenic stroke. So that lead me to articles that mention that shunt issues often have clots in the kidneys so went back and looked at my CMP tests for the last year.

On 8/12/25 I had an especially nasty episode of prolonged Tachycardia (several minutes over 140 BPM without any exertion) and went to the ER. They took blood immediately. eGFR was 80. I was hydrated (like they always do) and given some potassium....not much just to bring up my levels some (I checked the bag...lol). Nothing else given. Sent home to talk to my Cardiologist (STILL don't have one....couldn't get in as new patient till November...and THAT is WITH it marked urgent status on the referral) so talked to my new Primary instead...she ordered more tests.

On 8/15/25 Dr ran CMP to check my potassium...a bit under but not significantly so. But eGFR was 60! Again tested 8/27/25 potassium normal, eGFR still 60. WTH?

So, I wonder if that was what it was...a blood clot or such. Cannot think of another reason.

Weird though, huh?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) Support Group.

Ginger, Volunteer Mentor | @gingerw | Sep 1 2:41pm

@lightgoddess That can be scary to see, right!? A couple of things come to mind as I read your post.

If you were not feeling well, and were severely dehydrated, that could cause a difference in eGFR. Also, another factor to consider is what you were going through. I myself would certainly point it out to my medical doctor, and get their take on the situation!
Ginger

lightgoddess | @lightgoddess | Sep 1 6:41pm

I was only mild potassium deficient, not severe. Not dehydrated and all other electrolytes were perfect. Urine straw colored. (I am pretty diligent about constant hydration...lived in the desert SW for many years) though the Cardiac issues were causing nausea as they do sometimes and diet had been limited for a few days before but not dehydrated. And no sign of significant hyperkalemia signs on the ekg all night. Just my typical tachycardia in recent months as I have arrhythmias (5 of them so far recently, 3 of which are tachycardias) alot in recent months in addition to the shunting defect. Wasn't really going thru anything other than feeling bad my poor husband was stuck there in the ER for 12 hours after having worked all night before and up all day then off to the ER for a 12 hour stint. He kept nodding off and almost falling out of his chair.

Tachycardia happens several times a day now....it has progressed alot since January...even since I sought care for it in March and those few months with nobody testing me appropriately till I had to change networks to get care. Just recently established with new Primary but things are degrading exponentially after 11 months of prodromal symptoms and no diagnosis so zero treatment. Tachycardia is nothing new just another day in the neighborhood. So not upsetting particularly. I was very annoyed though....like most people stuck in an ER for 12 hours...lol.

Im not so much worried about the eGFR itself.....saw that last week or so ago and just figured it must have been going down slowly for some time. Was surprised to see the drop occurred in just under 3 days. I wasn't sick, no symptoms other than the ones I have had for many months related to cardiac issues. Im feeling same as my 2025 "norm".

Just so odd! And, with the PFO/ASD/VSD or whichever is causing the shunting predisposing to causing clots and allowing the clots to travel to places in the body they wouldn't otherwise be able to get to. In Researching this I am finding that clots from this are often found in the kidneys as well as the brain (REALLY super common to get them in the brain (Cryptogenic strokes or TIAs typically) so that got me wondering if my long day of intermittent Tachycardia (typical day) followed by sustained tachycardia that was unusually high, might have been pushing thru alot of blood allowing for microclots to get thru to the kidneys, as apparently is not altogether that uncommon.

I already messaged the Dr before posting here. Haven't heard back so apparently normal to have this happen. Or at least, nothing serious.

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