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Possible Kidney Failure?

Posted , 5 users are following.

Jemism
Jemism

Good afternoon, I'm looking for a bit of advice really. My father-in-law has stage 4 metastatic prostate cancer which has spread to at least his lymph nodes and adrenal gland (possibly further). The doctors know he has problems with his kidney function but recently he has had extensive lymphodema in one leg (it is literally twice the size) and has had a scan and blood test yesterday to rule out a clot which it did but it has shown he has low protein levels. I used to be a nurse and although I have limited medical knowledge I know that both of these symptoms are signs of kidney failure but all his GP has done is give him some protein shakes. He eats a fair amount of protein already, in fact the problem we have is getting him to eat vegetables with whatever he is having as he tends to eat a piece of fish or a couple of chicken kievs on their own (I do cook for him but he often doesn't fancy it and gets his own) so again, this suggests to me that his kidneys aren't absorbing protein correctly.

He doesn't really retain a lot of information these days so I don't know what has been discussed with him but it seems to me that if he is showing signs of kidney failure they should be doing more than just giving him protein shakes and sending him on his way, particularly as they know his kidney function is already compromised.

I don't really know what to do next as neither his GP nor consultant seem to be that bothered about it. In other people's experience are these typical symptoms of kidney failure? He does also get pains in his chest and breathlessness sometimes. If so I will put some pressure on the doctor to do some more investigations. I know he only has a few months left but it doesn't seem fair to just expect him to put up with it and not tell him what's going on. Unless this is normal procedure in a terminal patient?

Any advice would be appreciated!

Thank you for your time

Emily

0 likes, 3 replies

3 Replies

  • Pepasan
    Pepasan Jemism

    Posted

    It must be so hard for you to see your father-in-law in such a state. As regards kidney failure, I imagine the two options for dealing with it once it gets really severe are transplant or dialysis. Assuming they would not consider him a candidate for transplant, given his weakened condition, dialysis would be the only option. Would he want to go through that? If so I should imagine he could be allowed it if it comes to that.
  • helen54849
    helen54849 Jemism

    Posted

    Hi,

    So sorry to hear your news.  This is a sad reality, they wouldn't transplant a cancer patient you have to be caner free for 3 years before they will consider this so this doesn't sound like an option.  Dialysis may be too much for his body to take if he does have kidney failure.  You don't usually get chest pains and breathlessness could be low iron or his illness in general.  My dad was terminally ill with cancer and any other issues with poo pooed I get the feeling that this was because he was terminally ill and also got the feeling that they would spend the money trying to cure something when he was going to die anyway and it broke our hearts so I do know exactly what you are going through.  If he has kidney failure he won't pass away due to this it will more than likely be his cancer.  I suppose you have to ask yourself what will be achieved by persuing the whole possible kidney failure thing, will this be one more thing for him and you all to worry about, what can be gained from it?  Of course if you feel you need to know then you have to ask the questions and keep asking until you know what you need to know.  Either way it is you and your families choice and you have to do what is best for you all.  I hope you get the answers that you need, its not a very nice situation to be in for any of you.  Sending big hugs to you all and I hope your father in law keeps going for a long time to come.

  • MrsO-UK_Surrey
    MrsO-UK_Surrey Jemism

    Posted

    Emily, you've already had some great advice, but I just wanted to add that the only way you are going to have peace of mind is to talk to your father-in-law's GP and raise your concerns yourself.  I would have thought that if the lymphodema is due to his kidney function, both legs would be affected rather than just one.  I feel sure that the GP must have had his kidney function checked via a blood test.  It sounds most unpleastand and I do hope he isn't suffering too greatly from this.  You say that you know he has only a few months left but, however long, he deserves the best care available - that is what the doctors are paid for.  Hopefully, he is drinking plenty of water and he should avoid salt in his diet as much as possible.   My heart goes out to you and your family - at least your father-in-law is blessed to have such a caring daughter-in-law. 

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