GFR 14

[ODAT]

At mom's neph appointment yesterday, the doc said that she is 14%. Six months ago she was 16, at four months 15, now 14. It seems that every two months she is going down 1. He told her to really watch her diet and he adjusted some meds. He increased her sodium bicarobante to two pills a day instead of one. Doc said the graft sounded great! yay! So we see him again in two months unless anything changes with her bloodwork.

Alarmingly when I got to the office, mom wasn't there and she should have been because her car was in the parking lot and I didn't see her walking in. I told them I was going to look for her. Got to the first floor and she had been crying. Turns out she got a call that her hematocrit was 25 and they told her she needed to get bloodwork done right away so she could have a transfusion the next morning. The place was on the first floor (even though we found out later that wasn't where she was supposed to go - she was supposed to go do it at the hospital). Mom said the girl hit a nerve and it hurt from her elbow to her thumb! Mom said that the low hemo was probably why she was so forgetful and dizzy lately.

[flip]

Can't they just give her epogen to raise it? I know how she feels about the arm. I have a nerve that is really close to my fistula and sometimes a nurse accidently hits it. Not a pleasant experience.

[pelagia]

I know how distressing it is to watch that GFR number drop.  

I found this at the labtestsonline site: http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/hematocrit/test.html

"With regard to transfusions, this is normally not considered for otherwise healthy persons as long as the hemoglobin level is above 8 grams per deciliter or the hematocrit is above 24%."

Could it be that they are anxious to get your mom's cell count up quickly so that she is in better condition when she begins dialysis?

[Sluff]

I just hope she can put off dialysis as long as she can. Sometimes people need a place to cry. Let her know we all are in her corner, and we are always available if she would like to register and visit us. My MIL doesn't know anything about computers so I'm not sure if your Mom would join, but please let her know she is in my prayers anyway. 

[ODAT]

Hi, thanks everyone. Mom doesn't have a computer, but seriously I wonder if I could get her hooked on IHD! That would give her something to do other than watch tv or read.

Mom gets aranesp shots a lot like every 3 weeks, and a b12. Is aranesp the same as epogen?

With all mom's health issues I understand that she needs transfusions. She has had a few of them in the last year. Today they said two units. She has been feeling very winded, absent-minded, and dizzy. Mom's attributing that to the blood issue. Cathy is with her at the hospital.

[flip]

Aranesp is very similar to epo and procrit.