Post Transplant Update: 31 March 2020

Last week [during my now weekly lab tests], my Creatinine came back at 2.66; a drop of 0.20 from the retest the week before.
Today, my Creatinine took a not-so-nice jump of 0.62, to end up at 3.28. Plus, my BUN rose ten points, and my GFR dropped five. Both of those last two numbers moved in the wrong direction.

So, there is something wrong with the kidney.

I received a call from my Transplant Coordinator, asking if I was feeling OK; which I am. She was going to check with the Clinic doctors to see how to proceed. As of this writing, I have not yet heard anything back.

Also, last week, the Parathyroid surgeon ordered me to increase my calcium intake by 1,000 mg per day. Additionally, he ordered a Vitamin D test to see if my body is lacking proper Vitamin D. The test results for that have not yet been posted.

I do not yet know how anything will play out; but I suspect that either an ultrasound or a renal biopsy (or both) are in my near future.

As it has been two and a half years since the renal artery was opened, I am thinking that it is maybe time to have that opened once more. (But that is only guesswork.)

Anyhow, I will keep you informed.

Stay safe!
Practice social distancing, as required!
Wash your hands often!

Good Health to All!

ScottW


Update!
**(01 April 20) The test results for the Vitamin D came back. Here are the results with previous test history included:

(Normal Range 30-80)

31 Mar 20:   43     

11 Jan 18:   33

25 May 17:   46

22 May 17:   48

The level is within the needed range, so it would appear that Vitamin D deficiency is not the issue. I will await word from the doctor as to what, if anything, is next.

Post-Transplant Update: 19 March 2020

It has been more than just a couple of weeks since my last entry, but there really hasn't been much happening as I seem to finally be stabilizing...at least somewhat.  Add in the whole Covid-19/Coronavirus/Wuhan Virus pandemic, and I have done very little lately.

For today, let's begin with my latest labs...

17 Mar 20 Labs

*Creat:   3.0 (!)

*HCT:   36.2 (-2.5) IR

*Hemo:   11.3 (-0.5) IR

*Lymph:   7.5 (-6.0) Very Low

*Lymph ABS:   0.5 (-0.4) Very Low

*RBC:   4.03 (-0.20) Very Low

*WBC:   6.0 (-0.3) IR

*BUN:   37 (-1) Very High

*CA:   9.2 (+0.2) IR

*GFR:   22 (-3) Extremely Low

*Gluc:   96

*K+:   4.1 (+0.1) IR

*NA+:   (139 (+1) IR

*MG:   2.3 (+0.2) IR

*Phos:   4.1 (+0.1) IR


*Urinalysis:

Appearance:   Normal

Color:   Normal

Glucose, UR:   Negative

Hgb,UR:   Negative

Ketones, UR:   Negative

Leuk Esterase:   Negative

Nitrite:   Negative

pH, Urine:   6.0 (Normal Range is 5.0-8.5)

Prot, UR:   Negative

Specific Gravity, Urine:   1.014 (Normal Range is 1.003-1.030)

Also, my Parathyroid surgeon ordered a follow-up PTH (Parathyroid Hormone) test. This came back as:    

*PTH:   108 (Desired range 90-100)

Surprise, surprise....my Lymphocytes dropped...again. (The yo-yo ride continues!)

Though there was a small decrease in my RBC, it is fairly minor, and I am not yet concerned about it. If it drops further by next month, I'm sure my doctors will address the issue.

My Urinalysis was nearly identical the last month. The only difference was a minor decrease of the Specific Gravity. No Glucose, no Ketones and a good pH.

The big news from my labs is the Creatinine. Lastly month (Feb), it was at 2.71. This month, a jump of 0.29 happened, leaving me at 3.00; which is rejection territory.

I immediately called my Kidney Clinic coordinator to ask what they might want me to do. After speaking with the doctors, I was told to drink a lot of water that night (Tues.), then repeat the Renal Function Panel the next morning. So that evening, I drank three full liters of water...and got up repeatedly during the night. :(

Yesterday morning I went back to the lab and had my second draw at it came back lower at 2.88. The Kidney Clinic doctors want me to do weekly labs for at least a month to keep an eye on the Creatinine level, and act accordingly should it rise again.

In the meantime, on the days I take the diuretic Torsemide, I am to drink at least three full liters of water, plus any other fluids. This might help keep the Creatinine from rising.

So, mixed results this month on my labs. Mostly good news; but a few zingers, too.

I also had my monthly infusion of Belatacept on Tuesday. The stick (canulation) went well, and the infusion had no complications or side effects.

My headaches have been somewhat better. Most days they are controlled by just using Excedrin. But in the evening, they are ramping up. All in all, my T3 usage is just over two per day; so I am seeing significant progress on getting them under control.

Now, with the Covid-19/Coronavirus/Wuhan Virus, there is much misinformation, along with great amounts of disinformation that is doing nothing but scaring people, and causing unnecessary fear and anxiety. Grocery stores are cleaned out, toilet paper is being hoarded--for no reason, I might add, other than hysteria caused by bad information--and the stock market is crashing. It would seem to be a time of panic and of a global human extinction event. 

Only, it isn't. 

True, the virus has the potential for large-scale deaths, if the appropriate precautions are not taken by the countries affected. However, because of decisive actions, it has killed far fewer people than the yearly flu; but you wouldn't know it from the social media hysterics of the uninformed.

If you want the real information that is actually helpful, go to the CDC website. They have accurate stats and info on the virus. Plus, the White House is keeping American citizens well informed on many fronts. THESE are the sources everyone should be listening to, and completely avoid the paranoid hysteria on social media.

As for me, now being in the "Sensitive Class" due to taking immunosuppressants, I am not the least bit worried about this virus.

Why? because I am already doing pretty much everything that needs to be done. The only things my wife and I added are: 1) She wears a mask while out in public.  2) We both are washing our hands a bit more frequently.  3) After returning home from shopping or being around others, we both immediately put our clothes in to wash, as laundry soap immediately kills the virus. That's all we do differently. 

I already practice social distancing because of my unstable immune system, and my wife was given permission by her boss to work from home so that there is no chance of her potentially bringing home the virus from someone at her work.

So no worries about this virus from me!

On that note, I will wrap up this entry.

Stay safe.

Practice Social Distancing whenever possible.

Follow the advice of the CDC and the experts on the President's panel.

And PLEASE...remember that this brief period of isolation will ultimately result in the Covid-19 virus becoming just a memory.

Good Health to All!

ScottW

**(28 March) In this weeks' lab draw, my Creatinine level dropped from 2.88 to 2.66. As before, I drank extra water the day before the test, which produced the results I was hoping for.