Re: Spot Urine Test

[Guest guest]

Excellent on the alb/creat ratio. Good effect of meds and DASH.Has eGFR gotten better?Your urine testing is also excellent!!!The goal is to have more K than Na in the urine. Do you have a creatinine level in this urine? Also double check that you have the K and the Na numbers correct. Also need weight and can give you and him formula to convert to 24 hr.Keep up the good work. CE Grim MDOn Apr 3, 2012, at 11:30 AM, Dianne strong wrote: I got a spot urine test yesterday, to see how well I've been Dashing, but now I've forgotten what the ratio of K to Na is supposed to be and I'm not sure what this 4 to 1 ratio means. Is it too low? Since I got the test after seeing my Nephrologist I couldn't ask him during the appointment.My results were K = 100.5 (12.0 - 129.0) Na = 24 (no norm given)The rest of my results were pretty much unchanged from last year, but they did do an Albumin/Creatinine ratio. It had started out at 300.1 (0.0 - 29.9) when I was first diagnosed with PA in July 2010 and before any treatment. Now it's at 5.1, which my Nephrologist says is very good.Dianne F-69, bi-lateral adenomas, undiagnosed PA for over 25 years, CKD, 75mg Spiro, 37.5mg Atenolol, Dashing.

[Guest guest]

I doubled checked my K and Na urine numbers and they are correct. They did not do a urine Creatinine, only a serum test, which was 1.52 (<1.11). Serum GFR was 34 (>60)(it had been 39 in May of

2011. BUN was 26 (10-20), unchanged from last year.Should I have asked for a K, Na, Creatinine urine test? This was a spot test, not 24

hour.Nephrologist doesn't want to see me for six more months. He thinks my numbers are good. I'm thinking not so much, but I guess compared to what they could have been if I had never been treated for PA I can't complain. I got a spot

urine test yesterday, to see how well I've been Dashing, but now I've forgotten what the ratio of K to Na is supposed to be and I'm not sure what this 4 to 1 ratio means. Is it too low? Since I got the test after seeing my Nephrologist I couldn't ask him during the appointment.My results were K = 100.5 (12.0 - 129.0) Na = 24 (no norm given)The rest of my results were pretty much unchanged from last year, but they did do an Albumin/Creatinine ratio. It had started out at 300.1 (0.0 - 29.9) when I was first diagnosed with PA in July 2010 and before any treatment. Now it's at 5.1, which my Nephrologist says is very good.Dianne F-69, bi-lateral adenomas, undiagnosed PA for over 25 years, CKD, 75mg Spiro, 37.5mg Atenolol,

Dashing.

[Guest guest]

Sounds good. I would do a spot urine Na, K and creatinine next time. if the alb/creat was done on the same sample then we can use that creatinine. What time of day was the spot urine collected? You seem to be doing very well and would be sure you avoid any meds or OTC that can injure kidneys esp NSAIDs. On Apr 3, 2012, at 12:53 PM, Dianne strong wrote: I doubled checked my K and Na urine numbers and they are correct. They did not do a urine Creatinine, only a serum test, which was 1.52 (<1.11). Serum GFR was 34 (>60)(it had been 39 in May of 2011. BUN was 26 (10-20), unchanged from last year.Should I have asked for a K, Na, Creatinine urine test? This was a spot test, not 24 hour.Nephrologist doesn't want to see me for six more months. He thinks my numbers are good. I'm thinking not so much, but I guess compared to what they could have been if I had never been treated for PA I can't complain. I got a spot urine test yesterday, to see how well I've been Dashing, but now I've forgotten what the ratio of K to Na is supposed to be and I'm not sure what this 4 to 1 ratio means. Is it too low? Since I got the test after seeing my Nephrologist I couldn't ask him during the appointment.My results were K = 100.5 (12.0 - 129.0) Na = 24 (no norm given)The rest of my results were pretty much unchanged from last year, but they did do an Albumin/Creatinine ratio. It had started out at 300.1 (0.0 - 29.9) when I was first diagnosed with PA in July 2010 and before any treatment. Now it's at 5.1, which my Nephrologist says is very good.Dianne F-69, bi-lateral adenomas, undiagnosed PA for over 25 years, CKD, 75mg Spiro, 37.5mg Atenolol, Dashing.

[Guest guest]

The urine albumin/creatinine spot check was done around 7:30AM the day before the K and Na spot urine, which was done around 10:30AM the following morning. Two different samples, simply because the doctor did not order the K/Na urine I had requested beforehand. Next time I will ask for them all together. Thank you for letting me know.I also talked to the Nephrologist about anxiety. It's that non-situational anxiety that so many of us have talked about. It's a feeling of flight or fight, but with no reason behind it. It's also nowhere nearly as bad as pre-PA treatment, but it still comes on once in a while. My Nephrologist suggested that I try Xanax. I really had no idea what Xanax was, except that it was used to treat anxiety, so I agreed to give it a try. I've never had anything like that before. He gave me a

prescription for 0.5mg tablets and when I returned home I took one. Holy Mackerel! I was a zombie for the remainder of the day. I hated it and while it did minimally help with the anxiety, it's totally not worth it. I just can't imagine that there are actually people walking around out there while living in zombieland due to Xanax. If I try it again it will be 1/2 of a tablet taken at bedtime to see if it has an effect my ability to remain asleep. If not, that bottle of pills can join all the retired BP pills that still sit at the back of my drawer to remind me of how far I've come and how bad the bad-old-days really were.What a strange journey this PA takes us all on.Thank you Dr. Grim.Dianne I got a spot urine test yesterday, to see how well I've been Dashing, but now I've forgotten what the ratio of K to Na is supposed to be and I'm not sure what this 4 to 1 ratio means. Is it too low? Since I got the test after seeing my Nephrologist I couldn't ask him during the appointment.My results were K = 100.5 (12.0 - 129.0) Na = 24 (no norm given)The rest of my results were pretty much unchanged from last year, but they did do an

Albumin/Creatinine ratio. It had started out at 300.1 (0.0 - 29.9) when I was first diagnosed with PA in July 2010 and before any treatment. Now it's at 5.1, which my Nephrologist says is very good.!

Dianne F-69, bi-lateral adenomas, undiagnosed PA for over 25 years, CKD, 75mg Spiro, 37.5mg Atenolol, Dashing.

[Guest guest]

Tell me exactly what you are trying to improve with Xanax?If getting up at night do you get up to pee?CE Grim MDOn Apr 3, 2012, at 3:52 PM, Dianne strong wrote: The urine albumin/creatinine spot check was done around 7:30AM the day before the K and Na spot urine, which was done around 10:30AM the following morning. Two different samples, simply because the doctor did not order the K/Na urine I had requested beforehand. Next time I will ask for them all together. Thank you for letting me know.I also talked to the Nephrologist about anxiety. It's that non-situational anxiety that so many of us have talked about. It's a feeling of flight or fight, but with no reason behind it. It's also nowhere nearly as bad as pre-PA treatment, but it still comes on once in a while. My Nephrologist suggested that I try Xanax. I really had no idea what Xanax was, except that it was used to treat anxiety, so I agreed to give it a try. I've never had anything like that before. He gave me a prescription for 0.5mg tablets and when I returned home I took one. Holy Mackerel! I was a zombie for the remainder of the day. I hated it and while it did minimally help with the anxiety, it's totally not worth it. I just can't imagine that there are actually people walking around out there while living in zombieland due to Xanax. If I try it again it will be 1/2 of a tablet taken at bedtime to see if it has an effect my ability to remain asleep. If not, that bottle of pills can join all the retired BP pills that still sit at the back of my drawer to remind me of how far I've come and how bad the bad-old-days really were.What a strange journey this PA takes us all on.Thank you Dr. Grim.Dianne I got a spot urine test yesterday, to see how well I've been Dashing, but now I've forgotten what the ratio of K to Na is supposed to be and I'm not sure what this 4 to 1 ratio means. Is it too low? Since I got the test after seeing my Nephrologist I couldn't ask him during the appointment.My results were K = 100.5 (12.0 - 129.0) Na = 24 (no norm given)The rest of my results were pretty much unchanged from last year, but they did do an Albumin/Creatinine ratio. It had started out at 300.1 (0.0 - 29.9) when I was first diagnosed with PA in July 2010 and before any treatment. Now it's at 5.1, which my Nephrologist says is very good.! Dianne F-69, bi-lateral adenomas, undiagnosed PA for over 25 years, CKD, 75mg Spiro, 37.5mg Atenolol, Dashing.

[Guest guest]

I was trying to improve my anxiety level, but Xanax did more harm than good. I only get up at night to pee if my hip hurts and it wakes me up, or when I just spontaneously wake up and remain awake for a couple of hours. Since Xanax made me sleepy I thought I'd give it a half-dose try, to see if it would help me remain asleep through the night because if it's not my hip waking me up, it's non-specific anxiety. I'm only trying this because I have it now, so may as well see what affect it has on me.My suspicion is that it will end up in my unintentional collection of medicines that don't work for me or cause more harm than good. It might help with situational anxiety, but that's not what I have.DianneOn Apr 3, 2012, at 2:32 PM, Clarence Grim <lowerbp2@...> wrote:

Tell me exactly what you are trying to improve with Xanax?If getting up at night do you get up to pee?CE Grim MDOn Apr 3, 2012, at 3:52 PM, Dianne strong wrote: The urine albumin/creatinine spot check was done around 7:30AM the day before the K and Na spot urine, which was done around 10:30AM the following morning. Two different samples, simply because the doctor did not order the K/Na urine I had requested beforehand. Next time I will ask for them all together. Thank you for letting me know.I also talked to the Nephrologist about anxiety. It's that non-situational anxiety that so many of us have talked about. It's a feeling of flight or fight, but with no reason behind it. It's also nowhere nearly as bad as pre-PA treatment, but it still comes on once in a while. My Nephrologist suggested that I try Xanax. I really had no idea what Xanax was, except that it was used to treat anxiety, so I agreed to give it a try. I've never had anything like that before. He gave me a prescription for 0.5mg tablets and when I returned home I took one. Holy Mackerel! I was a zombie for the remainder of the day. I hated it and while it did minimally help with the anxiety, it's totally not worth it. I just can't imagine that there are actually people walking around out there while living in zombieland due to Xanax. If I try it again it will be 1/2 of a tablet taken at bedtime to see if it has an effect my ability to remain asleep. If not, that bottle of pills can join all the retired BP pills that still sit at the back of my drawer to remind me of how far I've come and how bad the bad-old-days really were.What a strange journey this PA takes us all on.Thank you Dr. Grim.Dianne I got a spot urine test yesterday, to see how well I've been Dashing, but now I've forgotten what the ratio of K to Na is supposed to be and I'm not sure what this 4 to 1 ratio means. Is it too low? Since I got the test after seeing my N!

ephrologist I couldn't ask him during the appointment.My results were K = 100.5 (12.0 - 129.0) Na = 24 (no norm given)The rest of my results were pretty much unchanged from last year, but they did do an Albumin/Creatinine ratio. It had started out at 300.1 (0.0 - 29.9) when I was first diagnosed with PA in July 2010 and before any treatment. Now it's at 5.1, which my Nephrologist says is very good.! Dianne F-69, bi-lateral adenomas, undiagnosed PA for over 25 years, CKD, 75mg Spiro, 37.5mg Atenolol, Dashing.

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[Guest guest]

Worth a try but may also want to try some OTC sleep aids with diphenlyhydramine. It is a antihistamine that makes some drowsy and may have fewer side effects than Xnax.CE Grim MDOn Apr 3, 2012, at 5:15 PM, Dianne Strong wrote: I was trying to improve my anxiety level, but Xanax did more harm than good. I only get up at night to pee if my hip hurts and it wakes me up, or when I just spontaneously wake up and remain awake for a couple of hours. Since Xanax made me sleepy I thought I'd give it a half-dose try, to see if it would help me remain asleep through the night because if it's not my hip waking me up, it's non-specific anxiety. I'm only trying this because I have it now, so may as well see what affect it has on me.My suspicion is that it will end up in my unintentional collection of medicines that don't work for me or cause more harm than good. It might help with situational anxiety, but that's not what I have.DianneOn Apr 3, 2012, at 2:32 PM, Clarence Grim <lowerbp2@...> wrote: Tell me exactly what you are trying to improve with Xanax?If getting up at night do you get up to pee?CE Grim MDOn Apr 3, 2012, at 3:52 PM, Dianne strong wrote: The urine albumin/creatinine spot check was done around 7:30AM the day before the K and Na spot urine, which was done around 10:30AM the following morning. Two different samples, simply because the doctor did not order the K/Na urine I had requested beforehand. Next time I will ask for them all together. Thank you for letting me know.I also talked to the Nephrologist about anxiety. It's that non-situational anxiety that so many of us have talked about. It's a feeling of flight or fight, but with no reason behind it. It's also nowhere nearly as bad as pre-PA treatment, but it still comes on once in a while. My Nephrologist suggested that I try Xanax. I really had no idea what Xanax was, except that it was used to treat anxiety, so I agreed to give it a try. I've never had anything like that before. He gave me a prescription for 0.5mg tablets and when I returned home I took one. Holy Mackerel! I was a zombie for the remainder of the day. I hated it and while it did minimally help with the anxiety, it's totally not worth it. I just can't imagine that there are actually people walking around out there while living in zombieland due to Xanax. If I try it again it will be 1/2 of a tablet taken at bedtime to see if it has an effect my ability to remain asleep. If not, that bottle of pills can join all the retired BP pills that still sit at the back of my drawer to remind me of how far I've come and how bad the bad-old-days really were.What a strange journey this PA takes us all on.Thank you Dr. Grim.Dianne I got a spot urine test yesterday, to see how well I've been Dashing, but now I've forgotten what the ratio of K to Na is supposed to be and I'm not sure what this 4 to 1 ratio means. Is it too low? Since I got the test after seeing my N! ephrologist I couldn't ask him during the appointment.My results were K = 100.5 (12.0 - 129.0) Na = 24 (no norm given)The rest of my results were pretty much unchanged from last year, but they did do an Albumin/Creatinine ratio. It had started out at 300.1 (0.0 - 29.9) when I was first diagnosed with PA in July 2010 and before any treatment. Now it's at 5.1, which my Nephrologist says is very good.! Dianne F-69, bi-lateral adenomas, undiagnosed PA for over 25 years, CKD, 75mg Spiro, 37.5mg Atenolol, Dashing. =

[Guest guest]

I've been meaning to ask this for awhile, and you reminded me. The hip pain you mentioned-is this from arthritis or an injury? I have recently noticed worsening joint pain in my knees shoulders and now hips. I'm only 27 years old, 115 pounds ish, with a healthy (DASH) diet. I've wondered if joint pain or arthritis/rheumatoid arthritis is a potential side effect of some with PA? Do you have any thoughts on this? I've also experienced the 'unspecified' anxiety you referred to. It seems like it comes on as a minor panic attack for absolutely no reason. I've considered anxiety medication, but am strongly against taking medication since the last 4 have done nothing to lower my blood pressure, and have given me the worst side effects. Yoga and plenty of exercise is all I'm willing to do for the anxiety for

now! From: Dianne Strong <dianstrong@...> "hyperaldosteronism " <hyperaldosteronism > Sent: Tuesday, April 3, 2012 5:15 PM Subject: Re: Spot Urine Test

I was trying to improve my anxiety level, but Xanax did more harm than good. I only get up at night to pee if my hip hurts and it wakes me up, or when I just spontaneously wake up and remain awake for a couple of hours. Since Xanax made me sleepy I thought I'd give it a half-dose try, to see if it would help me remain asleep through the night because if it's not my hip waking me up, it's non-specific anxiety. I'm only trying this because I have it now, so may as well see what affect it has on me.My suspicion is that it will end up in my unintentional collection of medicines that don't work for me or cause more harm than good. It might help with situational anxiety, but that's not what I have.DianneOn Apr 3, 2012, at 2:32 PM, Clarence Grim <lowerbp2@...> wrote:

Tell me exactly what you are trying to improve with Xanax?If getting up at night do you get up to pee?CE Grim MDOn Apr 3, 2012, at 3:52 PM, Dianne strong wrote: The urine albumin/creatinine spot check was done around 7:30AM the day before the K and Na spot urine, which was done around 10:30AM the following morning. Two different samples, simply because the doctor did not order the K/Na urine I had requested beforehand. Next time I will ask for them all together. Thank you for letting me know.I also talked to the Nephrologist about anxiety. It's that non-situational anxiety

that so many of us have talked about. It's a feeling of flight or fight, but with no reason behind it. It's also nowhere nearly as bad as pre-PA treatment, but it still comes on once in a while. My Nephrologist suggested that I try Xanax. I really had no idea what Xanax was, except that it was used to treat anxiety, so I agreed to give it a try. I've never had anything like that before. He gave me a prescription for 0.5mg tablets and when I returned home I took one. Holy Mackerel! I was a zombie for the remainder of the day. I hated it and while it did minimally help with the anxiety, it's totally not worth it. I just can't imagine that there are actually people walking around out there while living in zombieland due to Xanax. If I try it again it will be 1/2 of a tablet taken at bedtime to see if it has an effect my ability to remain asleep. If not, that bottle of pills can join all the

retired BP pills that still sit at the back of my drawer to remind me of how far I've come and how bad the bad-old-days really were.What a strange journey this PA takes us all on.Thank you Dr. Grim.Dianne I got a spot urine test yesterday, to see how well I've been Dashing, but now I've forgotten what the

ratio of K to Na is supposed to be and I'm not sure what this 4 to 1 ratio means. Is it too low? Since I got the test after seeing my N!

ephrologist I couldn't ask him during the appointment.My results were K = 100.5 (12.0 - 129.0) Na = 24 (no norm given)The rest of my results were pretty much unchanged from last year, but they did do an Albumin/Creatinine ratio. It had started out at 300.1 (0.0 - 29.9) when I was first diagnosed with PA in July 2010 and before any treatment. Now it's at 5.1, which my Nephrologist says is very good.! Dianne F-69, bi-lateral adenomas, undiagnosed PA for over 25 years, CKD, 75mg Spiro, 37.5mg Atenolol, Dashing.

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[Guest guest]

Low K might be the problem with joint pain.

> >>>>>

> >>>>> 

> >>>>>>I got a spot urine test yesterday, to see how well I've been Dashing,

but now I've forgotten what the ratio of K to Na is supposed to be and I'm not

sure what this 4 to 1 ratio means. Is it too low?  Since I got the test after

seeing my N! ephrologist I couldn't ask him during the appointment.

> >>>>>>

> >>>>>>

> >>>>>>My results were K = 100.5 (12.0 - 129.0)

> >>>>>>                        Na = 24  (no norm given)

> >>>>>>

> >>>>>>

> >>>>>>The rest of my results were pretty much unchanged from last year, but

they did do an Albumin/Creatinine ratio. It had started out at 300.1 (0.0 -

29.9) when I was first diagnosed with PA in July 2010 and before any treatment.

Now it's at 5.1, which my Nephrologist says is very good.

> >>>>>>

> >>>>>>!

> >>>>>>Dianne F-69, bi-lateral adenomas, undiagnosed PA for over 25 years, CKD,

75mg Spiro, 37.5mg Atenolol, Dashing.

> >>>>>>

> >>>>>>

> >>>>>>

> >>>>>>

> >>>>>>

> >>>>>>

> >>>>>> 

> >>>>>>

> >>>>>>

> >>>>>>

> >>>>>>

> >>>>>

> >>>

> >=

>

[Guest guest]

So can statins according to my wife! She's on her second try after stopping the

first for that exact reason!

> > >>>>>

> > >>>>> 

> > >>>>>>I got a spot urine test yesterday, to see how well I've been Dashing,

but now I've forgotten what the ratio of K to Na is supposed to be and I'm not

sure what this 4 to 1 ratio means. Is it too low?  Since I got the test after

seeing my N! ephrologist I couldn't ask him during the appointment.

> > >>>>>>

> > >>>>>>

> > >>>>>>My results were K = 100.5 (12.0 - 129.0)

> > >>>>>>                        Na = 24  (no norm given)

> > >>>>>>

> > >>>>>>

> > >>>>>>The rest of my results were pretty much unchanged from last year, but

they did do an Albumin/Creatinine ratio. It had started out at 300.1 (0.0 -

29.9) when I was first diagnosed with PA in July 2010 and before any treatment.

Now it's at 5.1, which my Nephrologist says is very good.

> > >>>>>>

> > >>>>>>!

> > >>>>>>Dianne F-69, bi-lateral adenomas, undiagnosed PA for over 25 years,

CKD, 75mg Spiro, 37.5mg Atenolol, Dashing.

> > >>>>>>

> > >>>>>>

> > >>>>>>

> > >>>>>>

> > >>>>>>

> > >>>>>>

> > >>>>>> 

> > >>>>>>

> > >>>>>>

> > >>>>>>

> > >>>>>>

> > >>>>>

> > >>>

> > >=

> >

>

[Guest guest]

I believe my hip pain is arthritis. It is worse sometimes and better other times. Sometimes it does not hurt at all. I have not had this checked out because I have learned to deal with it and frankly I'm rather doctor phobic. My medical history includes being diagnosed with stomach flu, then gall stones, and then having an operation to remove my gall bladder, when what I really had was Toxic Shock, caused by Rely tampons, when I was 38. Never, ever had a gall stone problem, but that didn't dissuade them from sending me off to the operating room when I was almost dead from toxic shock. The diagnosis and operation

were medical mistakes. Then I subsequently infected from that operation, but that too was misdiagnosed over many months. Some of the doctors I visited wrote me off

as being a woman who had nothing better to do than make up symptoms. When pushed for a diagnosis, first they thought it was fibroids, then pelvic inflammatory disease, then diverticulitis, then a massive cyst on my ovaries, and finally ovarian cancer, which was thought to be terminal. When I had an operation to remove what cancer they could, and what they found instead was massive abdominal infection. The Oncologist who did the surgery did an immediate test for cancer and the test came back negative, but being experienced in these things he just knew it had to be cancer so he took out my uterus, cervix and both ovaries. All subsequent cancer tests came back negative but it was no more children for me and replacement hormones instead.I lived through it all despite several very close brushes with death - with toxic shock I felt my body rise up off the bed, yet putting my hand between my back and the bed I knew I was still lying

there, so understood that I

was dying. It was 3AM in the CCU and it seemed like every doctor and nurse in the hospital was around my bed. How I ever lived through all that may seem like a miracle, but I know that when I realized I was dying I thought about my two children and told myself that I still had a job to do in raising them. Dying right then was not an option, so I lived. They were not treating me for toxic shock, since according to them I had a gall bladder about to burst, instead they sent me off for an operation. I have never looked at doctors the same way since and unfortunately my long road to the diagnosis of PA has only increased that skepticism. Now I do my homework as best I can and have a very jaundiced view of anything doctors say. If I broke a leg I would trust a doctor to fix it, but if I have something more mysterious I don't trust them any farther than I can throw them. Dr. Grim is excepted from this as he never pretends to

know anything that is not in his field of

expertise. I respect that very much.Sorry if you got more of a story than you bargained for. I've been part of this group for almost two years now, and thought I'd finally get around to giving some background on myself.Francis's idea of joint pain being related to low K is probably worth keeping an eye on. You might also keep a food diary and see if you can relate it to something specific you've eaten, for instance high fat or extra protein, or? As far as the anxiety goes, I don't have a clue. I don't get it to the same degree that I did before being treated with Spiro and low Na, but I do still get it in a milder version. It's another of life's mysteries to be solved. At least that's how I'm looking at it. Dianne I got a spot urine test yesterday, to see how well I've been Dashing, but now I've forgotten what the

ratio of K to Na is supposed to be and I'm not sure what this 4 to 1 ratio means. Is it too low? Since I got the test after seeing my N!

ephrologist I couldn't ask him during the appointment.My results were K = 100.5 (12.0 - 129.0) Na = 24 (no norm given)The rest of my results were pretty much unchanged from last year, but they did do an Albumin/Creatinine ratio. It had started out at 300.1 (0.0 - 29.9) when I was first diagnosed with PA in July 2010 and before any treatment. Now it's at 5.1, which my Nephrologist says is very good.! Dianne F-69, bi-lateral adenomas, undiagnosed PA for over 25 years, CKD, 75mg Spiro, 37.5mg Atenolol, Dashing.

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