Daily Archives: February 5, 2018

I recently ended up in the hospital and my nephrologist decided to start dialysis rather than wait any longer because I was retaining so much fluid. I have a large red infected area on my left leg and they were treating it as cellulitis. However they changed the diagnosis to calciphylaxis. My outer thighs are extremely sensitive to the touch, feels like live nerves just below the surface of my skin. It’s especially bad during dialysis. Is there anything I can do to alleviate this pain? Thank you.

Posted on February 5, 2018 by National Kidney Foundation

Calciphylaxis is a very serious complication of End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) and must be treated by your nephrologist. Calciphylaxis is a calcification of the blood vessels in the skin, and results in death of the skin overlying the areas … Continue reading →

Posted in Ask the Doctor, Diabetes, Kidney-Related Health Questions, Medication and Kidney Disease, Nephrologist | Comments Off on I recently ended up in the hospital and my nephrologist decided to start dialysis rather than wait any longer because I was retaining so much fluid. I have a large red infected area on my left leg and they were treating it as cellulitis. However they changed the diagnosis to calciphylaxis. My outer thighs are extremely sensitive to the touch, feels like live nerves just below the surface of my skin. It’s especially bad during dialysis. Is there anything I can do to alleviate this pain? Thank you.

Good morning, I am a 77 year-old-male, having a CKD stage 4 due to hypertension. This hypertension was caused by primary hyperparathyroidism; serum PTH level = 355 pgm/ml. After the parathyroidectomy serum Pth level = 12-22 (N=12-64) & HTN was controlled with losartan 12.5 mg-po-daily. I heard that the Beijing Tongshantang Hosp in Beijing, China is capable to perform micro-osmo therapy that could defy or stop my CKD progression to stage 5 (ESRD) or in other words it will avoid the need of renal dialysis or renal transplant. They quoted me and the cost is about $ 20,000.00 USD for about 30 days of hospital stay. My question: is this treatment real or a scam? Do you know how many patients have already been successfully treated so far? Thank you for your attention and advice.

Posted on February 5, 2018 by National Kidney Foundation

I know of no clinical benefit of Micro-Osmo therapy for anyone, including someone with Stage 4 chronic kidney disease (CKD). I believe that Micro-Osmo therapy is a scam to take your money and not provide any benefit. I suggest that … Continue reading →

Posted in Ask the Doctor, Chronic Kidney Disease, Kidney-Related Health Questions | Comments Off on Good morning, I am a 77 year-old-male, having a CKD stage 4 due to hypertension. This hypertension was caused by primary hyperparathyroidism; serum PTH level = 355 pgm/ml. After the parathyroidectomy serum Pth level = 12-22 (N=12-64) & HTN was controlled with losartan 12.5 mg-po-daily. I heard that the Beijing Tongshantang Hosp in Beijing, China is capable to perform micro-osmo therapy that could defy or stop my CKD progression to stage 5 (ESRD) or in other words it will avoid the need of renal dialysis or renal transplant. They quoted me and the cost is about $ 20,000.00 USD for about 30 days of hospital stay. My question: is this treatment real or a scam? Do you know how many patients have already been successfully treated so far? Thank you for your attention and advice.

K/C/O right ectopic ureter S/P right open ureteric reimplantation was done to my daughter at 4 months of age (April 2016). MCU done on Jan 2018 shows right grade V vesicoureteric reflux. Is it common to get a grade V reflux for the surgical procedure stated above. After 1 year of her operation her DTPA suggested both kidneys were functioning normally. But now MCU shows grade V reflux. What should we do next. They have advised to do DMSA test. Doctor, please advise what to do next.

Posted on February 5, 2018 by National Kidney Foundation

The problem that you describe is a urological problem. I am a nephrologist and have no surgical expertise.  You should address your question to a urologist. Since your daughter is very young, you may need to ask this question of … Continue reading →

Posted in Ask the Doctor, Kidney-Related Health Questions, Nephrologist, Pediatric Issues, Urological Issues | Comments Off on K/C/O right ectopic ureter S/P right open ureteric reimplantation was done to my daughter at 4 months of age (April 2016). MCU done on Jan 2018 shows right grade V vesicoureteric reflux. Is it common to get a grade V reflux for the surgical procedure stated above. After 1 year of her operation her DTPA suggested both kidneys were functioning normally. But now MCU shows grade V reflux. What should we do next. They have advised to do DMSA test. Doctor, please advise what to do next.

My father is a kidney patient. He is under treatment now a days. He is suffering from a cough. Can he take any cough syrup?

Posted on February 5, 2018 by National Kidney Foundation

Most cough syrup should be safe to take for a patient with chronic kidney disease (CKD). He should avoid taking any medication that contains ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, or has a “D” on the label meaning that there is a decongestant present … Continue reading →

Posted in Ask the Doctor, Chronic Kidney Disease, Hypertension/High Blood Pressure, Kidney-Related Health Questions | Comments Off on My father is a kidney patient. He is under treatment now a days. He is suffering from a cough. Can he take any cough syrup?

My father aged 67 yrs, is undergoing dialysis for last 1 year twice weekly. Very rarely, he had any breathing problems between dialysis. Now recently he is experiencing breathing problems within 1-2 days after dialysis. Please let me know why suddenly he is experiencing this. He is hypertensive and diabetic and has stent in heart.

Posted on February 5, 2018 by National Kidney Foundation

I am unable to make a specific diagnosis based on the information that you provide. In the United States, dialysis is generally performed three times weekly. It may be that your father needs more dialysis, if he is experiencing difficulty. … Continue reading →

Posted in Ask the Doctor, Dialysis, Kidney-Related Health Questions, Nephrologist | Comments Off on My father aged 67 yrs, is undergoing dialysis for last 1 year twice weekly. Very rarely, he had any breathing problems between dialysis. Now recently he is experiencing breathing problems within 1-2 days after dialysis. Please let me know why suddenly he is experiencing this. He is hypertensive and diabetic and has stent in heart.

My father is 49 with ESRD, high blood pressure and diabetes. He also has a high urine output and very low amount of swelling. He decided to stop dyalisis 12/22/17. He has gone without for 18 days now. He doesn’t eat and he drinks about 32oz a day or less. He has very labored raspy and wet breathing. He is refusing all medications and going to the ER. We have tried over and over to contact hospice but they won’t come. My question is, is there any natural way to help with his breathing? Because everything else he doesn’t want.

Posted on February 5, 2018 by National Kidney Foundation

The labored breathing is because of the kidney failure and likely related to fluid in the lungs. There is no other “natural” treatment for fluid in the lungs. Diuretics or dialysis would be required. His primary care physician (PCP) or … Continue reading →

Posted in Ask the Doctor, Dialysis, End of Life Issues, Kidney Failure, Kidney-Related Health Questions, Nephrologist | Comments Off on My father is 49 with ESRD, high blood pressure and diabetes. He also has a high urine output and very low amount of swelling. He decided to stop dyalisis 12/22/17. He has gone without for 18 days now. He doesn’t eat and he drinks about 32oz a day or less. He has very labored raspy and wet breathing. He is refusing all medications and going to the ER. We have tried over and over to contact hospice but they won’t come. My question is, is there any natural way to help with his breathing? Because everything else he doesn’t want.

Hi doctor. I was wondering if you could explain my split renal function results. I had bilateral ureter damage during a surgery. The injury was not noticed for 10 days. By that stage, I was in kidney failure. Thankfully the kidneys recovered with neph tubes being inserted. I had urosepsis 3 times. And had a ureteral reimplatation. One year on, I had a Mag 3 test. Right kidney is working at 35% and the left at 65%. My overall eGFR is >60. As my eGFR is within the normal range, does this mean I no longer have kidney issues.

Posted on February 5, 2018 by National Kidney Foundation

The nuclear medicine Mag 3 scan only shows what percentage of the total kidney function is present in the right versus the left kidney but does not indicate the total kidney function that is present. Since your estimated glomerular filtration … Continue reading →

Posted in Ask the Doctor, GFR, Kidney-Related Health Questions, Medication and Kidney Function | Comments Off on Hi doctor. I was wondering if you could explain my split renal function results. I had bilateral ureter damage during a surgery. The injury was not noticed for 10 days. By that stage, I was in kidney failure. Thankfully the kidneys recovered with neph tubes being inserted. I had urosepsis 3 times. And had a ureteral reimplatation. One year on, I had a Mag 3 test. Right kidney is working at 35% and the left at 65%. My overall eGFR is >60. As my eGFR is within the normal range, does this mean I no longer have kidney issues.

Respected sir, It’s been 7 years that I received a kidney transplant. My mother was the donor. Once in every year I do medical checkup. I did my transplant in India. I take Cellcept 500mg and pangraf 1mg tablets twice a day. Now my age is 23 years old. I would like to know if there are any complications in getting married and having a baby.

Posted on February 5, 2018 by National Kidney Foundation

If pregnancy is desired, then you must change the medication that you are using for your transplant. The Cell Cept (mycophenolate mofetil) that you are taking will cause possible birth defects and a different medication must be used. You must … Continue reading →

Posted in Ask the Doctor, Kidney-Related Health Questions, Medication and Kidney Function, Pregnancy / Kids, Transplantation | Comments Off on Respected sir, It’s been 7 years that I received a kidney transplant. My mother was the donor. Once in every year I do medical checkup. I did my transplant in India. I take Cellcept 500mg and pangraf 1mg tablets twice a day. Now my age is 23 years old. I would like to know if there are any complications in getting married and having a baby.

My wife has recently been diagnosed with a potassium wasting disease, likely Gitlemans, Bartters, or Liddle’s. She has been symptomatic for many years and is now 37. She has had hypertensive crises for years, exhaustion, polyuria and other symptoms. She has had relief using Amiloride once a day and significant amounts of potassium and magnesium supplements about every 4 hours. Her blood pressure has been quite stable, she has had more energy and much better feeling of well being. Prior to amiloride her 24hr Urine output was 6300ml. Following amiloride, it has decreased by about 40%. Though this has been great, can she expect the polyuria to correct itself completely? If we assume Liddle’s due to the high Blood Pressue spikes, does she need a higher dose of amiloride to shut down the sodium channel? Does the body need more time to adjust amiloride? 3700ml of urine output still gives her urinary urgency throughout the night making sleep very difficult. Also, one would assume if the polyuria was corrected, then less potassium and magnesium supplementation would be needed. All we can find on Liddle’s is the amiloride typically “corrects the issue”, but which issue? Hypertension? Polyuria? Potassium wasting? All of the above? Thank you.

Posted on February 5, 2018 by National Kidney Foundation

I am unable to make a specific diagnosis based on the information that you present.   Your wife does not likely have Bartter’s syndrome as this is not associated with high blood pressure. I cannot provide a prognosis or a … Continue reading →

Posted in Ask the Doctor, Kidney-Related Health Questions, Nephrologist | Comments Off on My wife has recently been diagnosed with a potassium wasting disease, likely Gitlemans, Bartters, or Liddle’s. She has been symptomatic for many years and is now 37. She has had hypertensive crises for years, exhaustion, polyuria and other symptoms. She has had relief using Amiloride once a day and significant amounts of potassium and magnesium supplements about every 4 hours. Her blood pressure has been quite stable, she has had more energy and much better feeling of well being. Prior to amiloride her 24hr Urine output was 6300ml. Following amiloride, it has decreased by about 40%. Though this has been great, can she expect the polyuria to correct itself completely? If we assume Liddle’s due to the high Blood Pressue spikes, does she need a higher dose of amiloride to shut down the sodium channel? Does the body need more time to adjust amiloride? 3700ml of urine output still gives her urinary urgency throughout the night making sleep very difficult. Also, one would assume if the polyuria was corrected, then less potassium and magnesium supplementation would be needed. All we can find on Liddle’s is the amiloride typically “corrects the issue”, but which issue? Hypertension? Polyuria? Potassium wasting? All of the above? Thank you.

I have been swollen on my left side since fistula formed June 2014. The second part is finally done November 2016. Since February 2017, I started to get numb in my left arm. It was swollen to approx 4 times in size and I have been given an elastic sleeve to squash fluid out. I have had bad dialysis for 3 1/2 years now. My doctors do not know why I am swollen. I would appreciate any advice on how to stop swelling and what I can do?

Posted on February 5, 2018 by National Kidney Foundation

I am unable to make a specific diagnosis based on the information that you present. I suspect that you have a blockage to your fistula either in your shoulder or your chest that is causing the arm to swell. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Ask the Doctor, AV Fistula, Dialysis, Kidney-Related Health Questions | Comments Off on I have been swollen on my left side since fistula formed June 2014. The second part is finally done November 2016. Since February 2017, I started to get numb in my left arm. It was swollen to approx 4 times in size and I have been given an elastic sleeve to squash fluid out. I have had bad dialysis for 3 1/2 years now. My doctors do not know why I am swollen. I would appreciate any advice on how to stop swelling and what I can do?