Chemo and The Kidneys

Judy....i'd go for that second opinion. There are many drugs that we all use such as aspirin or NSAIDS that can cause an elevated serum creatinine
or if he is a diabetic......read this....
www.chemocare.com/managing/nephrotoxicity-renal-toxicity.asp
Pat

I have to agree with Sandy get a second opinion. We do not have the knowledge to diagnose your husband, but we can see your doctor does not suite you. He may be right or he may be wrong, but he should not be adding to your stress.

Did he take into account that your husband just finished chemo? What sort of follow up tests did he order? Or did he just say let's schedule a day to get that out?

Let your husband know that we are behind him. It is normal to feel this way, but there are several on here who have lost a kidney. They are leading happy and energetic lifestyles. I am sure they will chime in.

Please get a second opinion, you are in our thoughts.

Webs

I am so sorry to hear this though I have been told ever since I began chemo in January 2008 that my cretinine level is too high to allow contract to be used when I have my routine CT scans. That always worries me because obviously they are not getting optimum pictures but they are adament about not further damaging my kidneys (which I do appreciate!)

What does his Dr. mean when he says Stage 4 kidney failure? I cannot believe nothing can be done - especially since the ultrasound shows normal kidney function. Please don't let him give up - and get another opinion as soon as possible!

Well, my husband’s final chemo—a combination of cysplatin and gembitacin—was on April 2. I was amazed how much the medicines changed his personality; he went from a talkative, strong man to a quiet, disagreeable, and very dependent person. Following the chemo, he returned gradually to his old self and our friends and neighbors keep commenting on how well he appears. On May 5, following a CT scan, his oncologist said he was in remission.

During this time, he lost thirty pounds off his slender frame and has regained about half to date. We thought everything was going to be great, THEN last week he saw his local doctor for a routine exam. His serum cretinine was elevated to a reading of 2.7! Before he began chemotherapy, it was 1.1. At the time he was pronounced in remission, it was 2.1.

We saw a nephrologists on Monday, a doctor with all the finesse of a sumo wrestler. He bluntly told Cole that he is at Stage 4 of kidney failure and nothing can be done. He blames it on the cysplatin, saying it damaged his kidneys. An ultrasound showed that the kidneys appear perfectly normal.

Now my husband is in a complete funk, staying in bed most of the time, hardly speaking or enjoying anything around him. I don’t know what to do. Has anyone else experienced kidney problems following chemo? Is there anything that can be done?

Thanks for your help.

Judy