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The kidneys filter blood and regulate body flood. What happens during kidney failure? And what types of kidney failure do doctors diagnose?...
There are three main condition which cause renal (kidney) failure. Learn what causes kidney failure and what factors increase your risk of kidney problems....
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Q: estimated gfr level
asked by: arfna on April 16th, 2008
New User
The hospital gives yearly low cost blood tests (no doctor visit involved). You walk in, pay, they take blood, and mail the results. I am 30, 5'11", overweight (guessing 215, I don't know, size 38 jeans). I am very active, walk several miles a day, do heavy chores, etc. My cholesterol is 217 (I eat plain bran flakes for breakfast, oatmeal, rice, etc. watch it the rest of the day, small portions of meat, etc., it has always been high, though 3 points lower than last time). My blood pressure is good/normal. No food/liquid from 10pm to the test at 7:30 am, and I walked about 1/2 mile a little while before the test to check cows, then a 30 minute drive to the hospital. I was wondering if this is a problem or what I should do. I know, doctor, but the ones within a couple hours distance are not very good. You basically have to tell them what's wrong with you before they know anything, I'm not exaggerating. They've misdiagnosed members of my family, mixed wrong medicines together, etc. I don't trust them unless I "have" to go.

Anyway, other than cholesterol, the only thing mentioned in the results is what's in the subject (the amount actually is printed like > 60 , the same way the reference number looks).

Here are a few other numbers
sodium 142
potassium 3.9
chloride 102
co2 32
glucose 77
bun 11
creatinine .8
bun/cr ration 14
calcium 9.2
total protein 7.1
albumin 4.7
globulin 2.4

Thanks.

edit: I drink a good amount of fluids, mainly plain tea and diet soda though.
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^Serenity^
replied on April 16th, 2008
Moderator
Hi and welcome to ehealth

The GFR you show is >60 which is greater than.
I understand your concern about doctors, It would be a good idea to review this with your general doctor. I saw your cholesterol is 217, normally it should be below 200 but you are eating a good diet.

Did the report have anything flagged? Such as an H for high or L for low or just marked flagged.
All labs have different ranges which makes it frustrating also.
As for your kidney function the GFR (>60) that is on all the lab reports.
Any family history of kidney disease or have you ever been told you have kidney problems?
Keep us posted also you can pm me anytime.
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arfna
replied on April 16th, 2008
New User
Yes, I know the greater than symbol, I just find it odd that it is listed that way in both the "results" column, as well as the reference column (seems like it should just be a number in the results column like everything else is, my actual number, if that's not it..., without the greater than sign...). That number has a footnote next to it in the results column (kidney issues basically). It is not labeled with an L or an H now that I look at it. So I don't really know what to think about it I guess. I'm kind of wondering if my number isn't on there or something, it might just be above 60, and the footnote is just there for if it was out of range.... GFR numbers/results were not on any of the previous tests, so I don't have anything to compare it to. Possibly it's nothing?

HDL is 46 not flagged, reference is >39, LDL is flagged, 149 reference <130

I never could figure out why it was high, or my weight either. I don't eat "much" junk. Don't smoke, drink, drugs, anything at all.

No family history.

Thanks.
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^Serenity^
replied on April 17th, 2008
Moderator
Have you ever been checked for diabetes?
Do you have high blood pressure?

As for the >60 being the same in both columns I think this is the baseline number they use. I wonder those things also. Does the footnote tell how to calculate if african american? That is on my reports.
Everyone is different, I'll give you an example when I have an infection my WBC never goes up, so this causes a problem when they are looking for a possible infection with me. I guess what I'm saying is if you are in any doubt call you general doctor to get his/her view on your blood results.
The doctors have a few ways to tell kidney function in addition to blood test. They can do a nuclear renal scan, and a combination of blood and 24 hour urine test.
The reason I asked is you have a family history is that can be helpful but not always. There's no family history within my family that we are aware.
Keep in touch..Smile
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arfna
replied on April 17th, 2008
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Yes, and every time it is in range. Usually at the lower end of normal blood sugar level though, but not below.
No, always well within normal

I finally found someone else to ask about that number, theirs reads the exact same as mine with the symbol(70 yr. female, so should be different, I'd think...). So it must not be the actual number, maybe they only report it if below 60, but I still find it strange, seems like it should just list the number if that's not it.... So basically it might say greater than 60, so it is good enough.

No way listed to calculate for any other race, her test just has the different range numbers though. Since other ethnicities are at around 0% to 1% in this area (African american is 0% in town, no one there), and the results come from the local hospital as far as I know, I suppose they just do male/female, possibly age, and adjust the range.

Thanks.
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