High Creatinine and BUN, low GFR (GLOMERULAR FILTRATION RATE)

[hrt2012]

Here is my 2 months long story.
I'm 44 yo, 5'11''208 lb, ~20% fat (this data is from gym device, i hope it is wrong, i think i have less fat).

Current protocol:
test cyp 80mg 2x week (160mg weekly total),
arimidex 0.25 2x week,
HCG 250IU 2x week


About 2 months ago I did a blood test and this a result:
Creatinine 1.36 HIGH (0.76 - 1.27)
GFR 63 ( > 59)
BUN 17 (6 - 24)
Hemoglobin 16.3 (12.6 - 17.7)
Hematocrit 49.3 (37 - 51)
Platelets 190 (150 - 379)
Bilirubin 0.3 (0.0 - 1.2)
HDL 26 LOW (> 39)
LDL 115 HIGH (0 - 99)
VLDL 16 (5 - 40)
Testosteron serum 754 (348 - 1197)
Estradiol 15.1 (7.6 - 42.6)
Testosteron serum 1062
Estradiol 74.5

I was eating a lot of beef. So i decided to improve my lipid profile. My plan was to eliminate red meat from my diet and I started to eat canned tuna.
I did eat it as quick snack before but now i switched to tuna almost 100%. This is what my diet looks like:
- morning: cooked on milk oatmeal (half cup dry) with teaspoon of honey + ~ 1 oz smoked salmon;
- lunch: 2 cans of tuna in olive oil [one can is 5 oz (142g), ~30g protein, 90 calories] + cucumber, tomato, onion, parsley, olive oil, lemon juce salad;
- 4PM: 1 cup cottage cheese + berries;
- dinner: same as lunch;

During the day and evening as snacks: hazel nuts, almonds, raspberries, peaches, watermelons;
No bread, pasta, rice, sugar, cookies, soda, alcohol or anything like that. On weekend i may eat good quality milk chocolate or pizza slice.
After a month of that diet I did blood test again and my lipids came back much better - HDL 48 and LDL 95:
Creatinine 1.65 HIGH (0.76 - 1.27)
GFR 50 LOW ( > 59)
BUN 21 (6 - 24)
Hemoglobin 15.3 (12.6 - 17.7)
Hematocrit 45.6 (37 - 51)
Platelets 149 LOW (150 - 379)
Bilirubin 0.2 (0.0 - 1.2)
HDL 48 (> 39)
LDL 95 (0 - 99)
VLDL 21 (5 - 40)
Testosteron serum 754 (348 - 1197)
Estradiol 15.1 (7.6 - 42.6)

But creatinine was high 1.65, it was almost always closer to upper end, but never that high. Also my GFR came as 50, and usually it was between 60 and 75.
I was exited about the improvement in lipids in such short period and thought that creatinine and GFR will improve on next blood test.

About a week later i went to see doctor about a dull pain i have in my right abdomen under last rib when i twist or bend forward.
So he wanted to check my gallbladder and sends me to CT scan and also orders blood test. CT scan comes back good, but blood not so good.
Creatinine 1.7 HIGH
GFR 44 LOW

Now he orders more detailed test because of GFR and next test comes back like this:
Creatinine 1.5 HIGH
GFR 51 LOW
BUN 21

Creatinine is still elevated and now this doc sends me to see nephrologist (kidney doctor).
In about a week I see nephrologist and he orders another blood test and also urine test, it comes back like this:
Creatinine 2.1 HIGH
GFR 34 LOW
BUN 21 HIGH

Urine test
Creatinine, urine 216 (20 - 370)

Nephrologist tells me to stop taking any medications i'm taking, including prilosac (to control stomach acid reflux)
and niacin (i was taking it to improve lipids) and send me to kidney ultrasound.
I'm going for kidney ultra sound tomorrow.

Anyone had to deal with GFR before?
Can tuna mess with you like this?
I would like to hear your thoughts.

thank you.

 

[Megatron28]

Dehydration and excessive protein consumption can increase creatinine/lower eGFR. But not to the degree you are seeing.

I agree, get off all the meds except for testosterone. Lower you dosage to the point where you no longer require an AI. Hopefully you will then see improvement in your kidneys if it is acute kidney failure. If it is chronic there isn't much you can do exceptntry not to make them worse.

Drink lots of water. Cut out the sugary drinks.

Don't consume too much protein. It you are taking creatine, stop that for now.

 

[hrt2012]

Mega, I do not drink sugary drinks. The only protein i get is from tuna. I'm thinking that in my case it is not high protein consumption but that protein makes up large part of total food i consume. It is like for example, 50g of tuna is not much, but if total weight of food you eat daily is 100g then tuna makes 50% of your food intake.

 

[maxxmill17]

hrt 2012 updates?

 

[IMT staff]

Dehydration and excessive protein consumption can increase creatinine/lower eGFR. But not to the degree you are seeing.

I agree, get off all the meds except for testosterone. Lower you dosage to the point where you no longer require an AI. Hopefully you will then see improvement in your kidneys if it is acute kidney failure. If it is chronic there isn't much you can do exceptntry not to make them worse.

Drink lots of water. Cut out the sugary drinks.

Don't consume too much protein. It you are taking creatine, stop that for now.

I think a lot of it stems from this. Your body is supercharged when on T so you have to drink even more water than normal to stay hydrated. I am willing to bet a lot of T deficient guys were not drinking enough before they started T too.

It is something that is pretty common. Definitely want to get it down though.

Levels can be elevated from vigorous workouts as well, your muscle tissue gets broken down and sent through the kidneys.

 

[sqidd]

My kidney levels are DIRECTLY tied to how long I fast before the test, how much protein I eat, how intense my workouts are and how much water I drink. If I push everything in my favor my numbers are great. If I let everything go to the other end of the spectrum my numbers don't look as good.

How much I fast before the test is the biggest factor. The difference between 8 and 12 hrs is a lot.