# So I might have kidney issues **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 8, 2013, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-might-have-kidney-issues/668351 "2013-09-08T20:14:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![treis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@treis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/treis)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-might-have-kidney-issues/668351/1 "2013-09-08T20:14:00Z")
I’ve been pretty tired recently and it seemed like I wasn’t recovering from workouts like I was just a few months ago. I went to the doctor, did a blood test, and it came back with high levels (1.5~) of creatinine and very slightly high levels of BUN. He wants me to do a 24 hour urine test and I started collecting my urine this morning and tracking how much I drink. It’s now just before 4. I’ve drank about 3L of water and have urinated over 3.5Ls so far. I’ve nearly filled the container they gave me for the test. And normally I drink more and go to the bathroom more at night. It’s not exactly a surprise to me that I drink more liquids and urinate more than other people. Actually tracking it and nearly filling up your 24 hour urine test bag ~10 hours after you start has been a bit of a shock. I’ve been googling and excess urination can be caused by a lot of things. A lot of them are treatable and don’t seem to have many long term issues. Luckily, I’m not jaundiced, swollen, or have any other obvious medical problems. So I’m not too worried. Actually, I’m somewhat happy that something fixable will be found. Hopefully I will be less tired, drink less water, and piss less. ---
**Author:** ![Helena330](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helena330/32/531_2.png) [@Helena330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena330)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-might-have-kidney-issues/668351/2 "2013-09-08T20:26:49Z")
When I workout hard I drink a LOT of water. Here’s hoping you were just dehydrated at the time of the test. ---
**Author:** ![treis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@treis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/treis)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2013, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-might-have-kidney-issues/668351/3 "2013-09-09T02:01:40Z")
Unfortunately today was pretty much normal for me. Looks like something is definitely up. ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2013, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-might-have-kidney-issues/668351/4 "2013-09-09T02:22:02Z")
Here’s hoping that it is one of the easily treatable things. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2013, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-might-have-kidney-issues/668351/5 "2013-09-09T03:05:49Z")
There’s a lasix renal scan that’s really good for measuring kidney function. First they hydrate you with a saline drip. They put in a dye and take pics of the kidneys. Inject lasix and wait a bit. Then take pics as the urine passes through the kidneys. They can tell you exactly the percent urine that is passing through each kidney. I had it done last year at my urologist’s order. The lasix hit me hard about an hour after the test was over. I never peed so much in my life for about the next two hours. The test is done in the Nuclear Medicine dept. Not x-ray. ---
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2013, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-might-have-kidney-issues/668351/6 "2013-09-09T11:18:00Z")
Do you know your eGFR? It is a direct (estimated) measurement of renal function. It’s waaayyy past bedtime, but I believe it is included in any (there are 2) metabolic panels. Also check the red cell count in the CBC. Best wishes. ---
**Author:** ![treis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@treis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/treis)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2013, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-might-have-kidney-issues/668351/7 "2013-09-09T19:05:06Z")
> [@usedtobe](#): > > Do you know your eGFR? It is a direct (estimated) measurement of renal function. I didn’t see it on my blood tests. I turned in my urine this morning and they took blood to estimate/calculate my eGFR I believe. Hopefully I will find out more tomorrow. ---
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2013, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-might-have-kidney-issues/668351/8 "2013-09-10T07:00:26Z")
That seems weird - I just check one of my Basic Metabolic Panel’s. It showed: SODIUM POTASSIUM CHLORIDE CARBON DIOXIDE TOTAL UREA NITROGEN, BLOOD (BUN) CREATININE BLOOD E-GFR GLUCOSE CALCIUM If you want to be safe, watch for phosphorous (or is it potassium?). Whatever, avoid dark soft drinks (phosphoric acid), nuts, bananas. Anyway, a 1.5 isn’'t bad - let’s hope is was just a spike that day ---
**Author:** ![treis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@treis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/treis)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2013, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-might-have-kidney-issues/668351/9 "2013-09-10T20:36:22Z")
Good news is that my creatinine levls came down. Other than that, nothing really to report. The kidney doctor correctly, but unsatisfyingly, pointed out that if you drink 6Ls of water you’re going to pee a lot. He wants me to restrict myself to 2-2.5L a day and then do a urine/blood test in a couple of days. I also have an ultrasound scheduled for thursday. ---
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2013, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-might-have-kidney-issues/668351/10 "2013-09-11T04:04:03Z")
Looks like you have good insurance! Kidding (kinda). Sounds like they have it well in hand. And, yes, excess water can actually kill. A radio station in Sacramento, when the Wii was hot and flying off shelves, put on a childish “Hold your pee for a wii” contest. A young (mid-20’s mother wanted to get one for her 2 sons. Her bladder wasn’t big enough, so she headed to work. To make it short: dead that evening. Electrolyte imbalance, or some such - I didn’t come close to understanding the medical terminology. ---
**Author:** ![OtisCampbellWasRight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/d78d45/32.png) [@OtisCampbellWasRight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtisCampbellWasRight)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2013, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-might-have-kidney-issues/668351/11 "2013-09-11T17:35:00Z")
I say this to you, OP, as a friend and bladder cancer patient: take care of this sooner rather than later.