Turning into a hypochondriac

[DebE13]

I am not trying to find more health issues......honestly.

Looking over my labs from April I saw some that were mildly out of range. Looking into a select few it shows a possibility of kidney disease. Please, someone tell me to leave it be because none of my doctors brought up any suspicions they had about my labwork.

These were the ones I looked into:

eGFRnonAfA
44.7 mL/min high 60.0 mL/min low 150.0 mL/min

I read a comment stating at 30 there are some serious issues. As I type this, I can imagine why doctors dislike the internet and patients coming up with their own dx. On the flip side, I have been failed by the medical community in many aspects of my multiple issues.

The following were some of the listed symtoms:

Urinating more or less often- I don't know what's normal anymore but I feel like I pee a lot.
Feeling itchy- is it allergies or not? I've also developed the itchy bumps on the backs of my arms and legs.
Tiredness, loss of concentration- I have been assuming this is all related to my thyroid meds
Loss of appetite, nausea and/or vomiting- attributed this to MC (no vomiting)
Swelling and/or numbness in hands and feet- thought the physical demands of my job may be behind my carpel tunnel issues (no swelling)
Darkened skin- does not apply. Generally pale as a ghost.
Muscle cramps- using magnesium oil to help relieve


Creatinine
1.3 mg/dL High 0.4 mg/dL low 1.0 mg/dL

BUN
25 mg/dL high 6 mg/dL low 24 mg/dL

When I was first dx with MC my CT scan revealed I have a horseshoe kidney. Could this possibly cause decreased kidney function, therefore, slightly off numbers would be my normal?

My father and brother both had a kidney removed. One was cancerous and the other was suspected cancer but turned out to be a mass (or clot) but the kidney was removed anyway. I believe the reason behind that was a needle biopsy could then provide a pathway for the cancer to travel if it was present.

I'm hoping someone will just call me out as a fruitcake and tell me to chill.

[tex]

Deb,

FWIW, when I went to the ER back in April with the antibiotic reaction/magnesium deficiency, my NON-AFR. AMER. EGFR was 49. 2 days later (at my GP), it was 38. 4 days later it was 52. I have no idea what it is now, but I have an appointment coming up later this month, so I hope we'll remember to check it.

My creatinine at the ER was 1.42 (normal range 0.60 - 1.60 mg/dL). 2 days later it was 1.77 4 days later it was 1.35

My BUN at the ER was 12 (normal range 8 - 27 mg/dL). 2 days later it was 24. BUN was not tested 4 days later.

The last tests were done on 4/28/15. My PCP said, "See you in 3 months". I figured if he wasn't worried about it, why should I worry?

I have had some itching problems since then, but apparently that was due to the magnesium oxide that Vitacost had hidden in their "buffered" chelated magnesium, because after I stopped using it (and switched to Doctor's Best brand), the itching stopped. I no longer have to take Allegra twice a day (which didn't completely stop the itching, anyway). I take no antihistamines at all now.

Normally, a horseshoe kidney configuration doesn't affect function. Approximately 1 in 400–500 people have the condition. I some cases, some diseases are found to be more common with a horseshoe kidney, compared with normal kidneys, such as UTIs and kidney stones.

I hope this helps.

Tex

[DebE13]

Thanks Tex,

I guess it will be something to just be aware of and ask about at a future visit. There will never be one clear cut answer to explain all of my weird quirks within my body. I surely don't need to go chasing after any dark clouds. In times of pure frustration I think of Gabes many posts and it helps calm the mind.

Plus, your opinions and everyones' here is my comforting second opinion.

[tex]

Deb,

Here's something I forgot to mention: I didn't log on to view my lab results from the ER until 2 days later. IOW I went to the ER on 4/22/15, and I had the blood draw for the appointment with my PCP on the morning of 04/24/15. That means that the blood draw on 04/24/15 was done before I logged on to view my lab results at the ER, so at that point I hadn't figured out that a magnesium deficiency was the problem. So by then I had accumulated 2 more days of damage from magnesium deficiency.

That afternoon (on 04/24/15) I logged on and viewed my results, and I immediately began taking more magnesium. My appointment with my PCP was on 4/28/15, and after the appointment, I had another blood draw. But by then I had been taking additional magnesium for about 3 and a half days. So that's why the blood test results on 04/24/15 were worse than the results at the ER on 04/22/15, and it's why the results on 04/28/15 were better than both of the previous sets of results — because I had started taking additional magnesium on the afternoon of 04/24/15.

As I mentioned before, there is a very good chance that some of your symptoms may be due to a magnesium deficiency. Magnesium affects many vital functions in the body.

Tex

[TXBrenda]

Deb,
I have problems with my skin when I use magnesium oil. I use magnesium gel instead.

[Lilja]

Deb,



As I mentioned before, there is a very good chance that some of your symptoms may be due to a magnesium deficiency. Magnesium affects many vital functions in the body.

Tex

Hi Tex,

I have been taking Magnesium for almost one year. However, after starting with Magtein I get nausea. Why do I know that my nausea is due to Magtein? Well, I went to my friend's cottage last weekend and forgot to put both my three B-vitamins as well as Magtein into my bag.

I felt great during the weekend, and I didn't understand why. When I got home I saw my vitamins on the kitchen counter. I immediately took 1 Magtein pill, and voilà... after 45 minutes I felt just like I used to... The nausea was back.

I think I need magnesium, but I would love to be without the nausea.
What do you suggest that I do? Go back to ordinary Magnesium glycinate?

Lilia

[DebE13]

Maybe I'm not getting enough through the spray? I wonder if it would be worth taking a chance using a pill form? Worst that could happen is it would aggravate my D and I stop using it. I think it'd be worth a try because maybe I would notice better relief?

Is there a suggested brand and dose? Looking at all the options out there is a bit overwhelming.

Tex, thanks again for your observations- a make such a positive impact on so many people's lives. are you sure you don't have wings tucked in under your shirt?

[BearcatRx]

It may seem silly but dehydration can cause a lot of issues and abnormal lab values. I had my blood drawn at the MD office which showed my SCr was elevated. Enough to cause the doctor to call me back to come back in for repeat labs. I drank a lot of water the day prior and my labs came back normal, just as I knew they would.

[tex]

Maybe I'm not getting enough through the spray? I wonder if it would be worth taking a chance using a pill form? Worst that could happen is it would aggravate my D and I stop using it. I think it'd be worth a try because maybe I would notice better relief?

Is there a suggested brand and dose? Looking at all the options out there is a bit overwhelming.

Tex, thanks again for your observations- a make such a positive impact on so many people's lives. are you sure you don't have wings tucked in under your shirt?

Chelated magnesium (magnesium glycinate) is typically free of any D risk for most of us. 200 mg per day should certainly be safe. I take twice that amount (spaced out during the day), plus 200 mg of magnesium citrate (which definitely carries a D risk in larger amounts).

Doctor's Choice brand has been given the highest absorption rating over other commonly-available brands by an independent testing lab. The Vitacost Chelated Magnesium (magnesium glycinate) Buffered (the brand I was previously using) was given the lowest rating.

Deb, it pains me to see others suffering, especially when it's from the same things that I've had to deal with. I can certainly identify with the hopeless/frustrating feeling. Nothing makes my day/week/month like being able to help someone resolve a difficult problem. I suppose that's part of the engineer in me — resolving a problem that no one else has been able to sort out is exhilarating, to say the least.

Let's just hope that it works.

Tex

[tex]

It may seem silly but dehydration can cause a lot of issues and abnormal lab values. I had my blood drawn at the MD office which showed my SCr was elevated. Enough to cause the doctor to call me back to come back in for repeat labs. I drank a lot of water the day prior and my labs came back normal, just as I knew they would.

Not silly at all. Dehydration can cause almost exactly the same symptoms as a magnesium deficiency (and basically the same symptoms as hyperthyroidism or overtreated hypothyroidism). Everything else being equal, blood pressure is always lower in the morning, because blood volume is lower due to loss of water during the night, without rehydration. Hypovolemia can make a big difference in many lab test results because the blood (and everything in it) is more concentrated when blood volume is reduced by dehydration.

In my examples however, both the blood tests on 04/24/15 and on 04/28/15 were fasting tests done in the morning, with no rehydration after going to bed the night before, so they were both done on the same hydration basis. Clearly, the additional magnesium made a significant (and consistent) difference. The ER blood tests were done about noon, after drinking water during the morning, so yes that could have altered the test results so that the results of certain parameters were not as low as they were on the fasting blood test of 04/24/15.

Tex

[Erica P-G]

I am a huge believer in getting as much elemental magnesium into our bodies that it will allow.

I noticed the spray Mag will irritate my skin if I leave it on too long (I get a tinge of stinging and tiny red dots on my legs) so I will leave it on 10-20 minutes and wipe it off. The red dots go away.

I soak my feet in Epsom salts, I only see a drying of my feet, so I rub them with a safe fragrance free moisture hand cream.

I just started taking Magnesium Threonate liquid form about 4 days ago and seem to be doing well (no D) with it at half the dose right now, and will work up to the full dose once in the morning and once at night in another week or so.

I believe I am getting somewhere in the area of around 800mg of Elemental Mag a day right now and am beginning to feel better (not as much anxiety, or fogginess, a bit better energy, and I sleep a whole lot better).

I hope you find your best combination of Magnesium soon
Erica

[Gabes-Apg]

Deb
firstly - when these niggly symptoms are happening day in and day out, and the energy levels are low, it is hard not to get overwhelmed about it.
we put so much energy into our strict diet and other changes, we want to be well!

I agree totally with Tex, alot of the symptoms you are having are linked with magnesium deficiency. and for me, they went away once i fixed the magnesium deficiency.
I have multiple spray bottles, one by the bed, one by the loo, one by the computer. through the day i spray neck, shoulders, stomach.
each time i go to the toilet, i spray the tops of my legs.

doing this I am getting about 500mg elemental magnesium every day
(and I take oral form as powder that i sip through the day..)

it took me 3 months of high doses to fix the deficiency.
I worked up to the full dose gradually, take it slow...

I have been on high doses for 14 months, when ever i drop the magnesium intake below about 500mg the symptoms return, so i must be a high magnesium user and maintain a daily dose of 800mg of elemental mag...

Hang in there Deb, you have dealt with alot the past 18 months....
take care

[DebE13]

Thanks Gabes-

I've been taking 200 mg of an elemental magnesium supplement for about two weeks now so I should probably try increasing it. I've noticed the leg cramping at night is better. It's a good reminder that it may take months and not days to notice improvement. I tend to expect immediate results with everything.