First follow-up: What should I ask?

[Eldonna Edwards]

I have my first (4 1/2 months post op) follow-up visit and wondering what tests I should request and good questions to ask. I'm guessing creatinine but is there anything else I should ask for in terms of labs?

Thanks in advance for advice!

[Aries7]

My Center has me request the following tests:

Serum Creatinine (e-GFR)
Urinalysis
Urine microalbumin
Blood pressure

Best of luck to you at you appointment. Please let us know how it goes.

Linda

[Eldonna Edwards]

Thanks for the suggestions, Linda. They only ordered a general blood workup so I'll see that in about a week. No urine tests. Incisions have healed nicely. Blood pressure was really low and I'd lost 16 pounds, or about 4 pounds per month since the surgery. Pretty happy about that. 

My Center has me request the following tests:

Serum Creatinine (e-GFR)
Urinalysis
Urine microalbumin
Blood pressure

Best of luck to you at you appointment. Please let us know how it goes.

Linda

[Eldonna Edwards]

E-GFR was 55
Creatinine is 1.14 (.9 before surgery)

They didn't do any urinalysis. So, are these numbers good/fair/poor for 4 1/2 months post-op?

[Aries7]

Hi Pink!

I am glad to hear that you got your results back. I am not a medical professional, but I can tell you that your results are very similar to mine. The highest my creatinine has been post surgery is 1.2 (this was once when I hadn't had anything to eat or drink since the night before so I was fairly dehydrated.) My new normal otherwise had been 1.1 which also puts my GFR in the lower 50's. (I am now 19 months post OP) I think this is a very normal range for a kidney donor/someone with one kidney. I also believe that it is most important that our numbers stay basically the same - if the creatinine were to begin to creep upward, that would be a concern. My only "concern" would be that they didn't do a urinalysis to check for protein. I am a bit curious why they did not check this - you may want to ask your doctor about that. Otherwise, in my opinion it sounds like you are doing great! I am very glad to hear that your incisions have healed up nicely - and the weight loss - well that is a "side effect" I think most of us would be happy to have!

Linda

[lawphi]

I am 29 and would be happy to have those levels post surgery.