Kidney Function Decreasing
Posted , 6 users are following.
I'm afraid I've damaged my kidneys by taking a lot of ibuprofen for head and muscle pain during the course of 8 weeks. I also had an MRI with contrast dye during this time. Three different doctors told me to take 600 mg. of ibuprofen every 6 to 8 hours for the head and body pain (1800 mg. daily). I usually took the medicine about every 7 to 8 hours. There were days I took less ibuprofen and some days I didn't need it at all. The fact remains that I took a lot of ibuprofen. The contrast dye probably didn't help matters either. In March and June of this year (I was not taking ibuprofen at the time) my creatine levels were within range, 0.9 with 1.0 being the high end. Both tests revealed that my EST GFR was greater than 60. I didn't pay attention to the fact that the results didn't give me an actual number. The lab I use doesn't give a specific number if the GFR comes back greater than 60. The result simply shows that the GFR > 60. I don't know how much greater than 60 my GFR was either time. Had I known then what I know now about kidney functioning, I would not have taken the ibuprofen nor allowed the technician to inject contrast dye during the MRI. I had lab work done in late August and found to my dismay that my creatine level exceeded the range. The level should be no greater than 1.0., mine was 1.1. My GFR had dropped to 50. My primary care physician didn't seem concerned. He told me to eat and drink more than I do. Recently, I've lost a lot of weight due to a variety of health problems. When I got home I started researching particulars about kidneys and was dismayed to find that my kidneys are only functioning at 50%. I have stopped taking ibuprofen. I've increased my water intake and am trying to eat a wider variety of healthier foods. Does anyone have experience like this? Can a GFR increase once the ibuprofen is out of the system? I can't help wondering if the contrast dye did some permanent damage as well. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
0 likes, 10 replies
louise5027 Lu26744
Posted
Hi, you do seem to have alot going on right now but ref your Egfr, if it helps reassure you having a Egfr of 50, which is the same as mine (stage 3) doesn't necessarily mean you only have 50% function, this can only be determined after specific medical tests. My left kidney functions normally but my right at 30%. I was diagnosed about 16 years ago and have not deteriorated at all. Other than taking a couple of tablets a day it had no impact on my daily life. I try to stay fit and healthy but I would do that without the Ckd anyway. Your function can improve once you stop taking ibrbrufen and this can take a while. Your physician might want to do further blood tests in a few weeks to check. I'm not sure about the effects of contrast dye but I wouldn't have thought it would have a major impact on the kidneys unless you already had problems with them. You didn't say what the MRI was for, someone on here might have a better idea of the impact.
If your worried go back and ask for a further test
Lu26744 louise5027
Posted
Hi Louise, Thanks for the information. I didn't realize that an est gfr of 50 doesn't necessarily mean your kidney function is 50%. I will be seeing my PCP again in a few weeks and will ask for further testing to get a better idea of what is going on. I had an mri of the brain done due to daily headaches. The results were normal and the headaches have decreased during the past month. I still have muscle aches and some tingling/twitching on the right side of my face. I've had a number of tests done with results being normal other than the kidneys and high cholesterol. I have lost a lot of weight since this all started due to anxiety. I'm trying to eat more frequently. I have to start getting back into exercising. Doctors are attributing my symptoms to anxiety. Maybe some of them are but I'm having a hard time believing they all are. I'll keep working with my doctors to get the bottom of it all. I'm glad your kidney function remains normal. All the best.
KenR Lu26744
Posted
I am sad to hear that you have lost some kidney function probably due to normal meds and tests. However if you do indeed eat carefully using a kidney friendly diet, avoid becoming overweight, take exercise, and ensure that you keep properly hydrated you may well recover a few percentage points. I recovered fronm 29% to 33% On the bright side you may expect to feel quite normal with an eGFR of 50% and should not require any restriction to your activities. In any case you have to anticipate eGFR will fall with age and now that you are wiser on possible kidney damage you can be very careful what you take so that kidneys are protected. This does mean that you ought to arrange regular blood tests for kidney function with your GP so that you know how things are going!
Good luck and try not to worry as you are not at a hazardous level yet,
KenR
Lu26744 KenR
Posted
Hi Ken - Thanks for your reply. It's good to hear you were able to recover percentage points. I drink a lot of water and have cut caffeine to one cup of tea a day. I am in my early 60s so perhaps part of the drop in my est gfr is due to age. I will be talking to my PCP about monitoring my kidney function. As I mentioned in my reply to Louise5027, I've been dealing with a number of health issues for a while now. My anxiety level is high at times and I'm having difficulty eating. I've lost too much weight so I'm trying to eat more frequently and need to start exercising again.
All the best to you.
marj01201 Lu26744
Posted
My nephrologist and my primary care physician have both told me that they don't get too worried when our renal function is 50% or higher. But they definitely keep an eye on it. The goal is either to improve it or to stabilize it. My job when my kidneys were at that level was to do exactly what they told me to do, exercise, and check with them before using any over the counter medications, vitamins or herbs. They were not surprised to hear that I still felt fine. They said that was normal. My nephrologist especially said that people rarely feel any problems when they have 50% function. I remember leaving hisoffice wishing I had more renal function. (My father had had chronic kidney disease and I was one of his home hemodialysis care providers. So I had a pretty good idea of what could happen. That likely scared me even more than I would have been had my father not had CKD.) Nevertheless, I certainly committed myself to doing exactly what he said.
Anyway, you'll need to be vigilant from this point forward and you'll definitely want to have your renal panel run regularly.
Marj
Lu26744 marj01201
Posted
Hello Marj - Thanks for all the info. I plan to be vigilant now that I understand kidney functioning better. I had been taking vitamins and supplements but will stop until I discuss it all with my PCP. I am also going to ask him for a referral to a nephrologist. I would have already scheduled an appointment with a nephrologist but my insurance plan requires a referral from my PCP to do so. Sorry to hear your dad had to go through such a hard time with CKD. I'm glad your kidney functioning is normal and that you're feeling good.
All the best.
sonia68053 Lu26744
Posted
Don't beat yourself up about taking ibuprophen etc. It would have taken years of use on a regular basis to do much damage. There are lots of reasons why kidney function deteriorates and often no reason can be identified. Just be pleased that you now have some knowledge about how to look after your kidneys. Most people don't ind out until it is too late. It is possible that your kidney function will never deteriorate further. Or, so slowly that they could outlive you! Keep smiling.
Lu26744 sonia68053
Posted
Best wishes.
helen54849 Lu26744
Posted
Hi,
Your creatinine isn't that high so don't worry about that. 0.9 is 90 in the uk and 1.0 is 100 not excessive. The dye for MRI won't have any adverse effect on your kidney function, I have this done with a GFR of 6% and it has not caused it to decrease. The ibuprofen on the other hand will have an effect on your kidneys. As you have been taking them for a short period of time now that you have stopped as long as there is no underlying cause your kidney function should increase. Are you taking any other medication, the reason I ask is that there are a lot of medications including antibiotics that effect our kidney function. What you have done before a blood test can effect a GFR result, what you have eaten, what time of day the test is carried out all make a difference. I would wait for 3 months and then ask for the bloods to be repeated that way you will be 3 months off the ibuprofen and then take it from there.
Lu26744 helen54849
Posted
Hello Helen - Thanks for all the info. I do take other meds that may affect my kidney functioning which I will discuss with my PCP in more detail. I remember that on the day I had the blood tests, I had eaten very little. I don't remember my water intake that day. I usually try to drink at least 40 ounces of water on a daily basis. I may have even taken ibuprofen that day. I am no longer taking ibuprofen. I know I shouldn't google info the way I do. That's why I worry about the contrast dye adversely affecting the kidneys. I am glad you had no problems with the contrast dye. I plan to discuss my kidney functioning with my PCP in a few weeks and ask for a referral to a nephrologist.
All the best.