One Year Donation Results - Query

[Poppylicious]

I have a query and I wasn't sure where to put it.  I decided this might be the best place simply because it's connected to my donation and it might be useful to other live donors.

So, back in October I had my first donation anniversary tests at Hospital.  I finally got my results back yesterday and I'm wondering if I need to be worried.  The 'Recommendations' bit at the bottom states that, "Poppylicious is well and all results are as we would expect at one year post nephrectomy." So, good news.

I Googled all my results (they don't put it in easy-speak!) and I'm satisfied with the results because mostly everything falls within the normal range (I think), but I was a trifle concerned with my eGFR.

These are the results:

Blood Pressure 120/76
MSU - normal
Hb 12.1g/dl
WBC 7.0
Plt 209
Na 140mmol/l
K 4.7mmol/l
ACR <0.6mg/mmol
Urea 5.3mmol/l
Creatinine 76umol/l (equates to 0.86 in AmeriSpeak)
eGFR 79mis/min

Do I need to be worried about my eGFR being 79 or is it because I only have one kidney?  My creatinine is fine so should the eGFR be looked at in relation to that? If the donor team aren't worried should I take that as a good sign and just hope that it remains about the same next year?  I didn't have anything to drink or eat (if I did it was barely anything) before my testing, but I don't know if that affects the results of eGFR. I know I shouldn't spend my life going by what it says online but when it says an eGFR of 79 could be classed as First Stage Renal Failure then I start panicking.  Of course, it does also say that the results should be looked at in relation to all the other results, so ...

Incidentally, I have absolutely no idea what my eGFR was prior to donation!  Maybe I'll ask at my next appointment in October.

Also, I realise nobody on here can actually give me medical advice but I'm hoping you can put my mind at rest and say, 'Oi, Poppy!  If the donor team aren't worried, you don't need to be worried!'

I know I could just put my mind at rest by contacting the living donor coordinator, but I feel silly doing that because she'll be abrupt and tell me if there was anything to be concerned about at this stage they would have said.  I'm just a worry-guts!

 

[MooseMom]

Pre-tx, I had my egfr tested regularly for 8 years, so I know that a reading above 60 is fine.  You're good to go!

BTW, post-tx, my tx center doesn't even test my egfr.  They are far more interested in creatinine.  With a creatinine of .86, you shouldn't be worried at all.

[Poppylicious]

You're good to go!

Haha!  Thank you!

 

[willowtreewren]

Did you do a 24 hour urine collection to determine your GFR? I, too, would not be concerned with a GFR of 79, though.

Aleta

[smcd23]

I had my physical in October, which was just over 4 years from when I donated. My results are below, but they don't tell me what my actual GFR is, just that it's above 60.

Blood Pressure 110/80
Hb 14.8gm/dL
WBC 8.6 x10(6)/mcL
Platelets 303 x10(3)/mcL
Sodium 137mmol/L
Potassium 4.0mmol/L
Albumin 4.0gm/dL
Alk Phos 64 unit/L
Creatinine 0.89
eGFR >60

The only thing off was my cholesterol.
HDL 41mg/dL
LDL 122mg/dl
Chol/HDL ratio 4.6

And they like to have that ratio below 4.0 But given the renal diet that Tony is on, we eat a lot of animal fats/proteins and not a lot of whole grains to balance things out. I am trying to eat more oatmeal and stuff when I am at work to try to get the ratio to where they want it. Even so, my doctor said it wasn't enough to be concerned about, and given what our daily meals look like, it can be considered expected.

But I'd say your results are normal. Theoretically though, if we consider the kidneys doing 50% of the work when you have 2, your GFR once one is removed would be 50. But since we know kidneys don't do that and they take over the work of the missing one, I think you're okay. Does the kidney continue to "grow" taking over the job of the other after a year? I know they told me it would start doing that immediately, but I don't know if they had a time frame on it.

On another note, Poppy have you noticed when you look down your stomach that the side that has a kidney puffs out or sticks out more than the other? My stomach (though now covered in post baby flub) is no longer even across. I might just be a weirdo, but I've not known anyone to ask! And I assume it's because that side (right) has a kidney and the left does not.

[lainiepop]

Ok this from the worlds biggest worrier i agree with mm u have nothing to worry about!
My appointment on fri creatinine was 79 (0.89) gfr 74 and apparantly on my lettets that says stage 2 kidney disease. But u know what? I ignore gfr and stages.  if normal creatinine is between 60 abd 90 and mine falls within that then surely thats fine as for first time in my whole life my function is classed as normal!
Saying that i worry constantly and am already worrying what it will be in 3 weeks lol.

My dad has a check up soon i think but his 3month one his gfr was 64 i think and they were fine with that. His gfr before op was 110 which is fantastic for a 66 yr old.

I dont think they worry unless your gfr is below 60 its not classed as kidney disease.

To me it makes sense if u lose a kidney u have less function anyway. Do u get to talk to doc bout it? Xx

[Poppylicious]

Did you do a 24 hour urine collection to determine your GFR? I, too, would not be concerned with a GFR of 79, though.

Aleta

I have never had to do a 24 hour urine collection thingy, even in the testing stages.  I assume they got my eGFR from my blood.  I have no idea how they collect their data; I just know that I provide them with what they ask for and they tell me what it says.

 

On another note, Poppy have you noticed when you look down your stomach that the side that has a kidney puffs out or sticks out more than the other? My stomach (though now covered in post baby flub) is no longer even across. I might just be a weirdo, but I've not known anyone to ask! And I assume it's because that side (right) has a kidney and the left does not.

My belly is a little odd looking.  On my left side I have a little dip and the same place on the right side is flat (well, it isn't flat; I'm still carrying too many pounds and unable to blame that on post-baby flub, but you know what I mean!) There is a distinct difference and I'm sure it wasn't there before so I assume it's just been 'displaced' because there's no kidney there to pudge it out a bit.  It's nice to know that it's probably normal (because you + me definitely equal 'normal', *chuckle*) Where is your BIG scar?  My little ones have all but disappeared now, but I have a surgeon's hand/kidney sized scar running from just below my belly button to just above my pubic line. It's fading quite nicely, although I definitely don't want it to fade too much because it's my most favourite scar ever. 

if normal creatinine is between 60 abd 90 and mine falls within that then surely thats fine as for first time in my whole life my function is classed as normal!

My dad has a check up soon i think but his 3month one his gfr was 64 i think and they were fine with that. His gfr before op was 110 which is fantastic for a 66 yr old.

Awww, the bit that I've emboldened warms the cockles of my heart!  And is it standard practice for a live donor to have a three month post-donation check up down your way, or was it because your dad was older or there were other complications?  I can't remember.  I had one at six weeks post-donation and then I didn't need to go back for a year.

Thank you everybody for putting my mind at rest.  I can stop worrying now!

[lainiepop]

I think because he had that hernia complication and bit of blood in urine. So will be worrying for him and me in coupleweeks. Steve says im not happy unless im worrying bout something but honestly i cant help it i just think things have gone too well must go wrong at some poibt!!

[smcd23]

Where is your BIG scar?  My little ones have all but disappeared now, but I have a surgeon's hand/kidney sized scar running from just below my belly button to just above my pubic line. It's fading quite nicely, although I definitely don't want it to fade too much because it's my most favourite scar ever. 

My big scar is like a c-section scar but a lot higher, it runs across from left to right about 3-4 inches below my belly button and is about oh, 7 inches long or so? Tony always says I have a dysfunctional mental ruler so my distances could be a little off. That one has faded the best and is just a thin white line. It almost looks like it has vampire fangs courtesy of pregnancy stretch marks. 1 of my smaller incisions, the one off to the side more from the instruments is pretty well gone, but the higher one in the front and the lower one in the front are both there and very noticeable. They both attracted stretch marks when I was pregnant, which makes sense since the skin had been recently traumatized to begin with and was weaker, so they are still fairly dark and noticeable.

I am glad I am not the only one with a sloped belly! I honestly always just figured that I was just strange, and then I figured maybe it had to do with the loss of the kidney on one side. And no, you and I are definitely by no means normal, maybe we are both dysfunctional haha