Potassium back to normal

[Ken Shelmerdine]

Called in to the APD drop in clinic three days ago and had some bloods done. They phoned me yesterday to say that my potassium is now only 4.4. but my creatinine is up from 5.8 to 7.2. and phosphate is 1.9. Urea is down from 28 to 23. Does anyone know if the amount of reduction in urea in terms of quality of dialysis is an acceptable amount or not enough? I know the calculation in a pet test is more complex and that it takes other factors into account but I want to clutch at any straws I can at the moment because I'm scared sh**less that they'll say after my tests in January that APD is not working and I'll have to go onto haemo. One things for sure, now that the potassium is under control, bring on the Brussels sprouts and mince pies at Christmas! and maybe a banana but I never liked bananas anyway so I won't bother.

[jbeany]

Maybe someone with more experience can give you a better answer - but my print outs from the Kidney School website list goal levels for dialysis patients as:

Potassium - Less than 6.0 for patients.  3.5 to 5.3 is normal.

Creatinine - 10 to 18 for patients.  .5 to 1.5 for healthy men.

Phosphate - 3.5 to 5.5 for patients.  2.5 to 4.5 is normal.  (Yours is low!)

BUN blood urea nitrogen - 60 to 80 for patients.  5 to 25 for healthy adults.

I would think your results look good - but I'm just learning all this myself.

[angela515]

I wish I had ur phosphorus levels........... omg... 

[JerseyGirl]

Ken they will probably increase the volumes of your exchanges as a first step.  You'll be able to tolerate more fluid in your abdomen lying supine - I forgot what you said your dwell volumes were now - I think you said 2000cc.  A pretty standard amount.  They can increase you up to three liters if they need to, but my bet is they will first increase them to 2500cc.   After the PET they'll be able to let you know better if you are a high or a low transporter and adjust your dwell times, or even add a daytime exchange, to get that creatinine down.  Potassium is pretty easily contolled on PD.

[AlasdairUK]

Maybe someone with more experience can give you a better answer - but my print outs from the Kidney School website list goal levels for dialysis patients as:

Potassium - Less than 6.0 for patients. 3.5 to 5.3 is normal.

Creatinine - 10 to 18 for patients. .5 to 1.5 for healthy men.

Phosphate - 3.5 to 5.5 for patients. 2.5 to 4.5 is normal. (Yours is low!)BUN blood urea nitrogen - 60 to 80 for patients. 5 to 25 for healthy adults.


In the UK we use a different measurement for phosphate. 1.9 is acceptable as 1.8 is normally the target for renal patients. I can't remember but 1.2 or 1.4 is considerd the normal range for healthy people.

I do haemo so not sure about the URR and what levels you will strive for. On HD I go from pre urea of about 25 to about post of 7.

I would think your results look good - but I'm just learning all this myself.

[Ken Shelmerdine]

 
Thanks for your posts everyone, there does appear to be different scales of measurement from one side of the pond to the other just to confuse things. I'm surprised at the the lower patient figure of of 10 for creatinine. In the UK they start you on dialysis at 6.

By the sounds of it I ain't seen nothing yet. My lab figures are'nt bad and I feel well but I know I've got it all to come sooner rather than later, and I'm dreading it.