50% Renal Funct. and High Hemoglobin Ques

[voracious]

A friend of mine that was also a friend of masswithclass for about 15 years, has found out that he has the following:

1. 50% renal function (both kidneys reduced function)
2. High Hemoglobin (19+)
3. High Hematocrit
4. 5 Kidney stones in his right Kidney
5. High Cholesterol
6. High Blood Pressure
7. 43 years old

His high blood pressure and high cholesterol are well controlled with meds and have been for that past year or so. At that time, his liver enzymes were up but they went back down to normal. He thought the chol and pressure would resolve when his last cycle was out of his system all together.

He has only done three to four light cycles in the past two years. He did do a pretty heavy cycle back in 1989 which was his first cycle but then didn't do any more until about two years ago. He has taken all injectables. He did take HGH.

He's physique is pretty thick. He is 5'10 and and 216lbs, relatively lean. He looks larger than his weight indicates in print. He eats pretty clean.

OTC supps he has taken are GNC Mega Vit for men, Three caps of Fish Oil/day, protein shakes etc... Off and on ECA over the past year. Currently he is off of everything. He has been off roids for the past eight months and off OTC supps for the past month or so. He has only been diagnosed with reduced renal function for the past month or two.

He can temporarily relieve the hematocrit and hemoglobin to some degree by donating blood but can only do that every 54 days. Doctors keep running tests but don't tell him what renal diet he should be following and they don't have him on any meds, no dialysis, even temporarily yet. (Usually dialysis is end stage but not always).

Please tell me:
1. If anyone has every heard of this combo of symptoms or something like it.
2. Are there roids that may have brought this on?
3. Anyone know a good resource for renal diets based upon renal function etc?
4. Can he trust a dietician to teach him how to eat for renal health and maintain his physique as much as possible?
5. Any homeopathic info/resources that you can share with me for him?
6. Anyone know of roids that could allow these symptoms to go on past 8 mo post cycle? We know of roids and chol and pressure as well as liver - but 8 mo is terribly long.
7. MWC and he had used some of the same orders.

He has two children that are very close to him and he lives life to the fullest. I want so much to help him prevent having the life mwc had, but I am having a tough time finding info to help us put together the roid puzzle and how it fits into this and if possible how to reverse it.

He has been straight with his docs about the roid usage and they are clueless because they are nephrologists and hemotologists/oncologists. They say they have to do research.

I can be more specific with the roids if anyone needs to know in order to help. I do know of deca, test (unsure of which exactly), winny and growth. Not sure of others but I can find out.

Please help, mwc would be devastated to know this is happening to one of his best friends. MWC told me numerous times that he thought of this friend as a brother. Please help me help him.

	Hgh 177-191

	Supps

	protein

[JOEYZ]

First of all, He needs to get rid of anything that doesnt promote absolute health in his life including Roids, Speciality diets, unnecessary supplements that he doesnt need and anything else. He needs to realize that the roid game is over for him. Your friend is sick and would be VERY foolish to not convert to a more cautious lifestyle. He needs to deal only with Endocronologists, Nephrologists, Cardiologists, ect in my opinion. The Nephrologist and Cardiologists will be sufficient in setting him up with the appropriate diets for his condition that he SHOULD follow religiously. The fact of it is, when you have have the problems you listed you can end up with high blood pressures in your liver and kidneys and lungs and not have high blood pressure on a cuff reading when they measure it at the doctor. Really the only way to tell this this aside from Blood pressures, measuring urine output and a physical assessment such as looking for edema in the extremeties and neck veins is to take what is called Swan readins, or pulmonary artery catheter readins of all the different blood pressures in his heart and body. The problem is, this is normally only done in critical care units of a hospital on critical patients, so we have to assume that these organs are functioning properly by lab tests, assessment and a few other factors. At some point he will probably have some type of a stress test to determine heart function and the determination of dialysis. Your kidneys can function at a lot lower percentage then normal and still get the job done, but once kidney problems persist it effects all the other organs and pretty much the entire body since they regulate electrolytes and excretion of a lot of different toxins and substances from the body. This is kinda though honestly to recommend things to you because your friend needs to be followed by several specialists closely and needs a lifestyle change. Like I mentioned, its time for him to realize that the life of High protein diets, Roids, drinking (If he does), and anything else such as this is over for him if he wants to prolong his life. At 43 years old these are some pretty bad signs and the things you listed:

1. 50% renal function (both kidneys reduced function)
2. High Hemoglobin (19+)
3. High Hematocrit
4. 5 Kidney stones in his right Kidney
5. High Cholesterol
6. High Blood Pressure

Are all going to be worsened exponentially by the use of juice, high protein diets, ect, ect. High protein diets cause an increase in ammonia levels and this is something you definately dont want in someone that might have kidney and especially liver envolvement. The juice is going to most likely raise BP, Hematocrit, Cholesterol, LDL, Cause organ hypertension due to the other factors he has and put him at great risk for complications. As I mentioned, he needs to continue to have his heart and kidneys managed by specialists. Im sure he is already on some type of Thrombolytic/Bloodthiner medication and has been instructed to take in lots of fluid every day, as well as what you mentioned with the cholesterol meds and such. The best thing you can do for him as a friend is to reinforce that he not use juice again and stay on track with his doctors and treatment. By the way, a renal diet needs to be talored specifically to his needs, and any homeopathic treatment should be left out unless his doc suggests it. He needs to realize that his body is in a very compromised state and should not undergo any undue stress that isnt necessary. I know he is ONLY 43, but this is what life has handed him and he needs to take certain precautions to try to prevent any further problems. I know this isnt what you were wanting to hear, but thats the reality of it. If you want to talk you can pm me and I would be glad to talk with you or him either one. Good luck and keep us posted.

	Supps

	protein

[liftsiron]

He may have had untreated hbp for number of years which could have harmed his kidneys? Perhaps his kidneys were weak from birth, not uncommon. An asprin each night and treatment by a specialist is necessary. Also the common flu can often raise hell with kidney function.

[voracious]

Thank you very much guys. Joeyz, I am very relieved to hear you say this. I have had talks with him and he is of the understanding that juice is no longer a part of his future, but just as mwc, this friend is having a difficult time understanding that he has to reduce his protein. He doesn't drink except for once or twice a week he will have a beer or two with dinner - I told him to cut these out entirely. His wife is not very supportive, she encourages him to have a glass of wine or something with dinner! It is unreal. I explained to him how extraordinarily bad beer in particular is for him, even just one. He is swearing it off. I have been supporting him as best as I can with the mental aspects of fearing that he will lose muscle mass. I am encouraging him to look at things differently. He states that he doesn't want to end up like mwc and die just to look good. He wants to be around for his family and friends. I am so scared for him because I know that he most likely has a very dire future ahead of him.

Liftsiron, the etiology is uncertain at this time, it is a question of his blood disease being primary or secondary. Based upon past blood work, I tend to think it is secondary.

I am so frustrated and so is he because I have been talking to him about cardiovascular complications and heart/artery health etc... and I even went to his nephrologist with him, the doc didn't even acknowledge these risks!!!!!! I was so pissed. I asked him if he was going to do a stress test or send him to a cardiologist as well as the hemotologist, he said, no not right now! That is nuts! I am going to tell my friend that he must insist that he see a cardiologist and be holistic about this care because it is so complicated.

I am so very happy Joeyz that you are open to a pm about this. I appreciate that. Maybe we can keep in touch occassionally about this. I fear that this dear sweet friend of mine is going to lose this battle. He seems well so far but has recently developed kidney pain, which surprised the docs that he did not experience it earlier.

Another thing that you and I both know his docs need to do and HAVEN'T - blood thinners! OMG! Seems so basic but hasn't happened. His blood pressure med has a diruetic in it. His nephrologist actually told him beer was OK!!!!!! OMG! It is unreal. These docs also have NOT sent him to a dietician. I will tell him tomorrow, he needs to call these docs and take control of his care. They are not doing right by him. Too much time is passing.

I thought that I would post all of this out in the open because I thought that this may benefit others in advance. Seeing this happen to two very important people in my life is too much to bear but I can't be selfish, I have to do what I can to help this friend. He means the world to me and to his beautiful children. I can't let him die like mwc if at all possible.

Joeyz, I am going to show my friend your response and we are going to take proactive action tomorrow to get this job done right! Thank you for your help! We are especially going to focus on what you were saying about blood pressure and cuff readings - this is very important! I was thinking along these lines and I asked the nephrologist if he was going to look for any blockages etc throughout the body and he said no!!!!! We are moving onward and upward! I have been encouraging him to gain strength through controlling what he can - what goes into his body and getting holistic high quality care.

Thank you so much Joeyz and Liftsiron!

	protein

[JOEYZ]

I would honestly suggest getting another nephrologist and getting a second opinion. It cant do anything but help and in my opinion, based on the information you have provided me he needs someone who is going to be more pro-active. I would honestly lean more toward letting the cardiologist manage his care as opposed to a nephrologist because a cardiologist is going to have a vast understanding of renal disease as well as everything else he has wrong, were as a kidney doc might not understand or appreciate the seriousness of his situation. Plain and simple...............its his body, not the nephrologists, so he needs to be the one to take charge. He is the boss and can hire and fire whomever he chooses to. As far as the drinking and everything else, I guess you can look at it as everything in life being relative. If he feels that his quality of life is greatly diminished due to not being able to drink a beer then thats up to him, but all of these unnecessary risks are only going to hurt him. He WILL loose mass and his life WILL change. He WILL need to make sacrifices that arent going to be fun, but in order to prolong his life as much as he can he needs to do it.............if not for himself, at least for his family and friends. A chronic illness is different at the end from a hospital bed.............why not make some lifestyle changes now...........ya know? I would suggest right now that he start bottling water in a gallon jug or buying bottled water and increase his fluid intake daily, start (1) tablet per day of 81 mg baby aspirin, continue with his diuretics and cardiac meds, cut out high protein, alcohol, NSAIDS, Roids, and anything else he doesnt need as I mentioned before, as well as look for a different Nephrologist, contact his cardiologists office for a visit to address his concerns since his nephrologist is obviously either a dumbass or doesnt care, and possibly search for a cardiac/renal education group to help educate him, and more so his wife on the lifestyle restrictions and changes he needs to make. Like I said, pm if you need to and I will help you with as much of this as I can if you guys need it. Good Luck.

	protein

[powerlifter]

bump for update

[powerlifter]

bumping again for an update ?

[JOEYZ]

Im curious how you came out on this?

[voracious]

Well, after much testing and biopsy, everything is apparently caused by kidney stones - thank goodness. Although, he had a very scary time about three weeks or so ago where he was having blood red urine etc and excruciating pain, had to be admitted and they waited a few days for the stones to move on their own. Apparently it wasn't budging and blocking the ureter. They went up through his urethra etc and broke it up to remove it. He was in a lot of pain for almost two weeks after the procedure, mainly due to having a stent for a week after the procedure. The poor guy, I felt so bad for him. Anyhow, he is fine now and swears off the juice still. He is leaning out nicely and back on track - he has yet to get his blood work done again to check the BUN, creatine etc. I will let you guys know how this works out. After the procedure, while in the hospital, his creatine was still 2.2 but they said that they felt this would go to normal. We will have to see.

[JOEYZ]

Originally Posted by voracious

Well, after much testing and biopsy, everything is apparently caused by kidney stones - thank goodness. Although, he had a very scary time about three weeks or so ago where he was having blood red urine etc and excruciating pain, had to be admitted and they waited a few days for the stones to move on their own. Apparently it wasn't budging and blocking the ureter. They went up through his urethra etc and broke it up to remove it. He was in a lot of pain for almost two weeks after the procedure, mainly due to having a stent for a week after the procedure. The poor guy, I felt so bad for him. Anyhow, he is fine now and swears off the juice still. He is leaning out nicely and back on track - he has yet to get his blood work done again to check the BUN, creatine etc. I will let you guys know how this works out. After the procedure, while in the hospital, his creatine was still 2.2 but they said that they felt this would go to normal. We will have to see.

Did they him his creatinine level was 2.2 from a kidney stone?