I've not been here for a while...protein in urine

[SilentAssassin1642]

Hello all

I haven't been on here for a while - how are you all?

Anyway just recently I've been having a few issues blood sugar wise. Last time I was at B-Dec I was told I was on way too much insulin and to cut back my lunch ratios and some of my basal rates which I duely did - and lo and behold my levels shoot through the roof. It's caused no end of problems.

Most recently I've been having a lot of issues with going to the toilet. As in I keep needing to go at least every half an hour and there is what i call a constant leak. I've been to the doctors 3 times now and only just had it looked at properly. I've been worrying myself silly incase it could be autonomic nueropathy but the doctors don't even want to consider that yet.

What it looks like, as the doctor looked at my last urine and renal blood test, is that I have a high amount of protein in my urine. It's at 8.1 whatever that means which he said could be pointing towards a kidney infection so he's put me on 2 courses of meds. One lot of anti-bs for an infection which they may not be picking up and the other is for kidney stuff. He said its called an ace inhibitor or something and can help sort out the protein stuff and protect the kidneys.

Obviously I'm a tad worried considering I'm only 23 and already have peripheral nueropathy and I am still slightly frightened that something more sinister may be at work here. I'm sure its probably nothing of the sort and I guess the doc wants to make sure everything else is out of the question before they even consider that.

So I'm signed off work for a week, on these tablets (one of them may turn me yellow apparently! fun...) and spending alot of time going to and from the toilet. Even more fun.

Not only that but I didn't want to be on kidney tablets at such a young age either Very worried

 

[Caroline]

Hopefully if it is just an infection you wont be on these tablets forever. I hope things are sorted and you are better soon.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Hope the tablets help out Sam and the anti-biotics knock the infection on its head.

Good luck turning yellow (could be the start of an interesting Superhero period in your life) 🙂

 

[Northerner]

Hi Sam, very sorry to hear of the problems you are experiencing How's your blood pressure? I think part of the problem with kidneys is if you blood pressure is too high - the pills you have been given should help you with this. I've been on similar since I was diagnosed and don't experience any side-effects from them (haven't turned yellow yet! 😉)

I hope it is just an infection and that the anti-bios help clear it up. Also sorry to hear about the problems you have been having with your control and insulin. Have you found you are using a lot more than you did when you were on MDI?

 

[SilentAssassin1642]

Hi Sam, very sorry to hear of the problems you are experiencing How's your blood pressure? I think part of the problem with kidneys is if you blood pressure is too high - the pills you have been given should help you with this. I've been on similar since I was diagnosed and don't experience any side-effects from them (haven't turned yellow yet! 😉)

I hope it is just an infection and that the anti-bios help clear it up. Also sorry to hear about the problems you have been having with your control and insulin. Have you found you are using a lot more than you did when you were on MDI?

My blood pressure always seems to be through the roof whenever I see the doctor. Today it was 165/100 😱 but every time I self test at home its between 120-125/80 something

I am on quite a bit more insulin since pumping which is wierd because according to the proff at bdec it should be less. But every time I have less insulin my levels shoot through the roof. Its really odd. He said last time I was on enough insulin for a bloke twice my size! But saying that my control hasn't been horrific, until I made the changes the doc suggested that is...still hypoing but rarely see anything above 11-12 (still a little high I know but easier to deal with that above 15's i find!)

 

[shiv]

Bleugh I hope the tablets help.

Like you I am rarely seeing numbers over 12, but I find at the moment I am hovering more in the 8 - 10 range; fear of hypos has increased dramatically over the past few weeks.

I know they reckon there is a formula of how much insulin we are on but it's rubbish sometimes. What's your average TDD? Mine is usually somewhere between 45 - 50u (but obviously there are days higher and days lower), and I know of a 12 year old boy who is on 60u a day - so clearly the maths is not right somewhere.

I really don't see why they suggested changing ratios purely to bring your TDD down, do they not think you will go high/there is a reason you aren't on that already??

 

[Northerner]

The formula doesn't work for me either. My TDD has come down from about 65 to around 30 even though I now weigh nearly a third as much again as I did when diagnosed!

Sam, sounds like me, I have terrible White Coat Syndrome when the doctor takes my blood pressure! Your home readings sound OK though.

 

[SilentAssassin1642]

Bleugh I hope the tablets help.

Like you I am rarely seeing numbers over 12, but I find at the moment I am hovering more in the 8 - 10 range; fear of hypos has increased dramatically over the past few weeks.

I know they reckon there is a formula of how much insulin we are on but it's rubbish sometimes. What's your average TDD? Mine is usually somewhere between 45 - 50u (but obviously there are days higher and days lower), and I know of a 12 year old boy who is on 60u a day - so clearly the maths is not right somewhere.

I really don't see why they suggested changing ratios purely to bring your TDD down, do they not think you will go high/there is a reason you aren't on that already??

Thanks chick. I'm like you, afraid of hypos because I'm having way too many again :/ I think that's why they wanted me to lower my insulin but I'm so insulin sensitive a teeny change could mean severe highs! My TDD is uhm...well, my day off basal is 16u and today insulin is usually about 20-30u or so (obv depending) so not a huge amount really. I just don't understand why they think a dramatic change is going to help...

 

[AlisonM]

Hi Sam, it's good to have you back and I hope you're back to stay, but I wish you were feeling better. With any luck it'll be an infection the anti-bs can deal with, I certainly hope that's the case. Do you suppose the whinge about how much insulin you're using is more to do with cost cutting than your actual needs?

 

[margie]

Hi Sam its good to see you posting - but I wish it was in better circumstances.

As your team want to change your doses - can they keep in regular contact with you so that they see just what changing insulin levels does to you. Maybe once your kidney infection clears up your blood sugars may improve. A low grade infection could be messing things up for you.

Your GP is just trying to look after you - when you see him next ask about how long you will have to take the tablets and let him know your concerns and he may be able to lay them to rest.

 

[elliebug]

my TDD can be 100, if thats how much you need for good control, thats how much you need!!!

 

[elliebug]

also, i had a lot of kidney/uring probs a while back, had lots of drugs, investigations, an operation and after all that, cranberry tablets made the most difference!!!! tablets as opposed to juice as they have less sugar!

 

[Ellie Jones]

I wouldn't panic just yet..

Did your doctor send off a sample of urine to the lab to rule out a infection?


Your doctor would already know the eGFR (kidney function) as this is part of the routine blood tests.. They can also do another kidney function test with an 24 hour urine test (you collect all urine for a 24 hour period for testing) to establish what's going on,

Leaking protein does show that the kidneys have been damage (if not infection based) but it doesn't mean the your kidneys are going to fail.. There are 5 stages before you kit end stage renal failure.. The first 3 stages there is a lot that can be done either to hold the damage at bay or reverse the damage, the kidneys to have the ability up to a certain point to repair damage..

Two methods can be used either to correct or prevent futher damage occuring to the kidneys, first is improving the blood glucose control and Ace inhibitors can be introduced to lower blood pressure which takes the pressure off the kidney's helping to prevent further damage occuring..

Your team/GP will use BP tablets to drop your blood pressure basically as low as you can tollerate..

I notice that you said that your BP meter gives you a different blood pressure than at the doc's your home monitor might be wrong, really need to take it to surgery and check it agains the doc's meter, or it maybe like me you suffer the white coat symdrome..

I used to leak protien and went to about ckd3, did the 24 hour urine collection several times, and was tried on BP tabs, but couldn't tollerate the tabs as it dropped my BP a tad low and casued me to spin out at times..

But saying that my kidneys are now clear, don't leak protein my eGFR has increased and no CKD rating.. But this has been due to using the insulin pump and gaining good stable control.

 

[Phil65]

My blood pressure always seems to be through the roof whenever I see the doctor. Today it was 165/100 😱 but every time I self test at home its between 120-125/80 something

I am on quite a bit more insulin since pumping which is wierd because according to the proff at bdec it should be less. But every time I have less insulin my levels shoot through the roof. Its really odd. He said last time I was on enough insulin for a bloke twice my size! But saying that my control hasn't been horrific, until I made the changes the doc suggested that is...still hypoing but rarely see anything above 11-12 (still a little high I know but easier to deal with that above 15's i find!)

Sam,

Surely the amount of insulin you take depends on the amount of carbs you are eating and how much exercise you are taking!

The pump is fantastic for this, my insulin requirements change all the time:

Fri 12 Aug: Bolus - 65.5 Basal 38.45
Sat 13 Aug: Bolus - 63.5 Basal 32
Sun 14 Aug: Bolus - 43 Basal 38.45
Mon 15 Aug: Bolus - 75 Basal 38.45

My team do think I am a little insulin resistant and are debating whether to put me on metformin. I am a big guy and eat a lot of carbs! 🙂

Hope you feel better soon Sam!

 

[Twitchy]

Hi Sam,

Haven't got anything 'useful' to add, but just wanted to say it's good to see you here again! (haven't been on much myself for a while!).

Hope you're not feelng too down about this - it sounds from what you & the others have said that the docs are being on the ball. 🙂

Take care of yourself,

Twitchy x

 

[AJLang]

Hi Sam I hope that everything gets sorted out for you soon and that it is an infection that responds to antibiotics.

 

[SilentAssassin1642]

thank you everyone

the anti-biotics don't seem to be clearing anything up. I'm still finding myself desperate for the toilet after 30 minutes or so, and then there's the more embarrasing aspect which means I have to constantly wear something. I won't go into it.

The protein bit I've come to terms with. I'm just more concerned with the whole toilet issue now. The doctor had no idea what was wrong with me so put me on these anti-biotics just icase it was an infection. But well...surely after 5 days I should have noticed it starting to clear up? Today I have a bad tummy ache going along with it.

I'm fed up with it, and I've broken down in tears many many times today.

 

[Northerner]

Sorry to hear this Sam Has there been any improvement at all? I know when I had an infection once I still had the 'urge' to go for quite a while after even though my urine was clear, so hopefully things will improve over the next couple of days.

 

[SilentAssassin1642]

Sorry to hear this Sam Has there been any improvement at all? I know when I had an infection once I still had the 'urge' to go for quite a while after even though my urine was clear, so hopefully things will improve over the next couple of days.

i felt a bit better yesterday but today it feels like its gone three steps backwards

I'm scared of going back to work on monday. I have a docs appointment at 2.20 but start at 12 so I don't know whether to hold fire on going back til after the appointment incase they tell me to stay off for a few more days or what. Cuz the problem with working for a call centre is that you can't just run off if you get the urge

I hope they do because I'm fed up of not sleeping because of it. Even sleeping tablets aren't helping on that front

 

[Northerner]

I think if you are not feeling any better then it would be a good idea to ask work for the extra couple of hours off prior to the appt at least. It may be that the doctor needs to put you on different antibios. You'll probably find it very difficult to concentrate and do your job properly if you are feeling like this. Fingers crossed for you.