high creatinine levels?

jlshea
jlshea Posts: 494 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I visited my doctor yesterday and had some labwork done. Today I got my results back and my doctor stated that my creatinine levels were high and she'd like me to have them re-done. If they are still high she wants me to see a kidney specialist.

This hit me out of nowhere. I don't know anything about creatinine levels. Has anyone else had experiences with this?

Replies

  • wonderwoman234
    wonderwoman234 Posts: 551 Member
    Funny you should mention this. Mine were a little above normal too but my doc wasn't concerned at all. I actually wondered if it was from drinking so much water during the day!
  • Slaintegrl
    Slaintegrl Posts: 239 Member
    My creatinine levels are pretty consistently above normal and I see a kidney doctor regularly. If your levels don't go down, please follow your doctor's advice and at least see a kidney specialist. High creatinine levels can be an indicator of kidney issues, or even damage (not trying to scare you, just stating a fact). Here's hoping that your levels on that one test were just a fluke and will go back to normal.
  • Vune
    Vune Posts: 674 Member
    I'm a kidney transplant recipient, and sometimes my creatinine levels are slightly elevated due to dehydration. If yours are still elevated after a second test, and you're well hydrated, ask your nephrologist to send you to a dietician who specializes in kidney disease.
  • wonderwoman234
    wonderwoman234 Posts: 551 Member
    I also just read that being dehydrated can skew the test. So can heavy weight lifting and a high protein diet. So maybe drink a lot and cut back on the lifting and protein for a few days before the test and see if it makes a difference?
  • jlshea
    jlshea Posts: 494 Member
    I am kind of freaked out. Mainly because I've been drinking water like a fish, especially yesterday and my labwork was later in the day. I don't think its dehydration but I suppose anything is possible.

    I am also drinking once a day a protein shake, for breakfast, its not crazy amounts of protein but I'm wondering if I should go off of it? I've only been drinking the smoothie for 2 weeks now and its only 8 ounces.

    I'm really using this as a wake up call to eat better and just take better care of myself.
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    Mine were elevated a couple of weeks after starting metformin for T2 diabetes. My EGFR was also low and the BUN was high normal.Those three together give the doctor a sense of how the kidneys are doing. My doctor changed the meds. A few weeks later, I had the labs done again and the levels are back to normal.

    It's scary to hear that your kidney's might not be functioning at their best but sometimes it is temporary. Let your doctor do whatever tests they feel are necessary and definitely see the nephrologist if your doctor refers you.
  • mersh24
    mersh24 Posts: 14 Member
    When I was in high school, I overdid it exercising when I was dehydrated - basically, I did a bunch of medicine ball sit-ups on an incline bench and must have ruptured part of my abdominal muscle. Anyway - the next day I had some ab pain (like, hey, great work out yesterday), but then it just got progressively worse. By the third day after the work out, I could barely stand up at all and went to the doctor. I had blood in my urine, and my creatinine levels were sky-HIGH (like in the 20,000 range, at least, which really freaked the doctors out). I was diagnosed with Rhabdomyolysis and had to spend 4 days in the hospital getting fluids. Only at the end of my hospital stay did they say, "Oh yeah, by the way, you almost died of kidney failure." Yikes! So, please be careful, especially if you have been exercising a lot. I see you said you are drinking a lot of water, which is great! Just keep an eye on things for your own health. As a side note - Also, I have heard that cholesterol medicines can cause leg cramps which can also be a sign of Rhabdo, so just wanted to make sure you aren't on any cholesterol medicines which might possibly affect creatinine levels? (I'm not sure?)

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