Could someone please help me make sense of these kidney function results and the creatinine levels?
Creatinine (s) 139 ref. range 64-104) eGFR CKD-EPI 49 ref. > 90
In urine Creatinine (dU) 18840 ref. range (7700-21300) Creatinine (u) 11775
Creatinine clearance 77.9 ref. int (66 - 143)
Given that the eGFR looks pretty rough—well, "rough" might be an understatement!—but the clearance seems perfectly fine, which number should I actually be worrying about here? This is for a 54-year-old male who hits the gym three times a week and, just to add a little flavor to the data, was supplementing with protein until about a month ago. The elevated creatinine value was caught during a routine checkup—just one of those things!—and he had actually been working out at the gym just three days before the blood work was done.
I was wondering if anyone could give me some insight regarding how reliable an ultrasound really is for this kind of thing. To be specific—and I hate being the bearer of my own bad news here—I’ve been dealing with some pretty nagging abdominal pain and quite a bit of constipation lately. During a recent scan, they spotted a hypoechoic mass located at the terminal ileum (the very end of the small intestine). Now, I have a colonoscopy with an ileoscopy scheduled to get a clearer picture of what's actually going on. Has anyone here ever had an ultrasound show something concerning like this, only to have the endoscopic results come back completely clear and normal?
Back in November 2015—it feels like ages ago!—he was diagnosed with Hashimoto, which is why he had his blood work done. At that time, his CBC looked like this:
We actually went back and repeated everything last week—though we skipped the local community health center this time and used a private lab instead—and honestly, all the results came back perfectly normal this time around:
Now, I have to wonder—was he even fasting properly? He had a pancake about seven hours before the draw, so I’m really not sure if these numbers are truly representative... and then there was that previous time when his iron was down at 9; he had hit the gym for a heavy bodybuilding session the night before, so who knows if that physical exertion played a part in the dip! His doctor is sending him off for an occult blood test now.😢
So—basically—everything looks totally normal except for those few specific markers where I've noted the reference ranges. Honestly, how much should I actually worry about these little deviations?
Unfortunately, I’m dealing with the exact same thing. For me, it all spiraled when my father fell seriously ill—and then, heartbreakingly, passed away—about five years ago. Since then, it’s been this constant, exhausting cycle where things settle down for a bit, only to hit me even harder again. This past week, in particular, has been one of those intense stretches. I truly sign my name to everything you wrote here. It’s just this overwhelming fear—this terrifying feeling that something is actually going to happen to me—and most of the time, it feels like my heart is just going to stop mid-beat. Usually, my only fix is to force myself out of bed and pace around the room until I can catch my breath. It’s clearly psychological—just pure anxiety. Though, I have to admit, I’m at that age where I see more and more people my age struggling with health issues too. When a wave hits, I try my hardest to distract myself—to pivot my brain toward anything else—rather than letting my mind spin those dark, catastrophic scenarios I used to fall into back in the day, which would leave me completely frantic. Now, I just tell myself: "Don't go there, don't overthink it." I'll just walk a lap around the house, head back to bed, and try to sleep through it. Hang in there—you aren't alone in this. 🙂
I went through something remarkably similar quite a few years back—though, in my case, it was actually a carton of milk that caused all the drama! Honestly, there is absolutely no reason to fret about this.
This actually happened to me back when I was around 20 years old, studying out in Chicago—it was such a whirlwind time! My hair just... fell out, leaving this little patch shaped like a $0.67 (seriously, a perfect circle) right on the top of my head. It was so startling! Eventually, it did grow back, though it felt like it took forever—super slow progress there. Thankfully, it hasn't happened again since then. I’d definitely suggest checking in with Dr. Smith just to be safe, but honestly, I don't think you need to panic too much about it.
So, I had this weird thing happen this past Monday and Tuesday—these sudden pains shooting through my lower leg. It was super strange because during the night between them, everything felt totally fine. But from Tuesday evening until now (Thursday), there hasn't been a single twinge! The pain itself was quite abrupt—sort of a dull, momentary sensation—maybe a 3 or 4 out of 10 on the intensity scale. However, the timing was just so bizarrely rhythmic! It would hit every ten minutes, or sometimes every three minutes for about 😲 , then nothing for half an hour, and then back to every three minutes... just going in circles all day long. Honestly, it was exhausting. The pain was localized on the outer side of my lower leg—near the fibula—and if I had to guess, I don't think it was muscular at all, since movement didn't trigger it one bit. It happened whether I was sitting perfectly still or walking around. Plus, when I tried pressing on the exact spot where I felt the stabbing sensation, it didn't hurt at all; I couldn't actually reproduce the feeling manually, which is so confusing! About a month ago, I dealt with a nearly identical issue, though the pain was on the front side of that same leg—the tibia area—and that lasted a couple of days before vanishing. Has anyone else gone through something similar?
Sarah Jackson70 said:Hey everyone, I’ve got an MRI scheduled soon, and I was wondering if anyone knows of a clinic in New York City that has a 3T machine available? I’m curious about what that kind of thing usually runs. Right now, I'm booked for Friday at Diagnostic Center 2000, but from what I can tell, they only have a 1.5T setup. Any leads would be appreciated!
The only place in the US with a Neuralink clinic in New York City is Neuralink itself. As for the cost—well, that’s always the big question, isn't it?—it really depends on exactly what you're scanning and whether you need contrast dye, but you should probably budget around $667. Just give them a call; they'll walk you through all the details nicely.
Since the age of 14, my child has dealt with high myopia—we're talking significant numbers here—along with some mild astigmatism (around -7.00/-0.75 and -6.00/-0.75). We recently went in for visual field testing using the tG2 program on the New York City equipment, and the results showed some scotomas—basically blind spots—in the upper periphery and even a tiny bit centrally (marked in red). The doctor mentioned this might be directly linked to the high myopia itself. I have to admit, this is all brand new territory for us, so I'm feeling a bit out of my depth! Has anyone else navigated this or had similar experiences? I would truly appreciate any insight you might have.😢
Aaron Young6 said:Is it actually possible that Rijeka is the only city without a single proctologist available—aside from the state ones where you're stuck waiting for six months?
If I’ve somehow managed to overlook one, please, I am begging for a recommendation!
Thanks, Ivano Skalamera
Skalamera—there's an office right behind the theater.
Betty Green37 said:From what you’re describing—and I mean, really looking at it—it sounds like this little guy might have just had a pretty chaotic, high-stress lifestyle beforehand... plus, he’s navigating a whole new environment now without his mama nearby to buffer everything. But honestly? The absolute best move is to just get the bloodwork done ASAP so you aren't left guessing! Good luck—I am sincerely crossing my fingers that all those worries turn out to be nothing more than nerves!
Well, turns out you were absolutely right! He went in for the blood tests, and everything came back perfectly fine. Thank you so much for your response—it truly meant the world to me during such a stressful time.😘
I’m feeling a bit anxious—honestly, a little bit overwhelmed—about whether my son might be dealing with Type 1 diabetes. To give you some context, about a year and a half ago, he moved away to start college in NYC—you know how it is, a brand-new city where you don't know a soul, living on that classic student diet... all those quick meals and irregular schedules! Anyway, when he finally came home after his first two months, he had dropped a staggering 8 to 10 pounds, and he’s just stayed at that lower weight ever since. He also sleeps for 10 to 12 hours straight—though, to be fair, he was always a bit of a heavy sleeper back in high school too. I haven't really noticed anything regarding excessive thirst or frequent bathroom trips compared to how he used to be. However, about nine months ago, his breath had this really strong, unpleasant odor—almost like something was decaying—but I actually thought it was just a hygiene issue, because once he started being more diligent about brushing his tongue, that smell vanished. Still, I'm practically nagging him to finally go get some blood work done so we can see what’s actually going on. My big question is: if this were truly Type 1 diabetes (he's 20, after all), would the symptoms have manifested much more drastically over this 1.5-year period?😢
So, my husband just had his routine checkup, and his glucose came back at 7.2—though, to be fair, he did have a late-night snack right before bed, which probably threw things off! Then, when he went back for the actual OGTT test four days later, his fasting level was 6.8... but here’s the kicker: after he drank the glucose solution, his two-hour reading was only 6.4 (!!!). I know, right?! This is the first time we've ever seen anything even remotely elevated. Does anyone here actually understand how this works? Could someone please explain how it's possible for that two-hour result to look so okay despite the initial numbers?
Amanda Patel said:I’d also say we should definitely throw some young stinging nettles into the mix—honestly, they are everywhere right now! You can prepare them exactly like you would sautéed spinach or Swiss chard, and let me tell you, they are an absolute powerhouse when it comes to iron. I’ve personally tested this out myself—tried it on my own skin, so to speak—and it is just such a fantastic, budget-friendly way to boost your nutrition naturally. It’s truly worth a shot! 👍
Stinging nettles are actually incredibly healthy—though you really have to make sure you harvest them while they’re still young; honestly, you want to grab just the top part of the stem for the best results! I personally love to boil mine up with some dried ribs and potatoes—it turns out to be absolutely delicious.
Emily Gonzalez51 said:How much time does it actually take to get hemoglobin levels back to normal through iron supplementation? Is it like a month, maybe two?
Well—it really depends on just how low your hemoglobin dropped in the first place! Generally speaking, you’re looking at somewhere between 3 to 6 months.
Of course, it’s absolutely vital to make sure you're incorporating iron-rich foods into your diet—I mean, we're talking red meat, liver, maybe even some venison... and let's be honest, the body just absorbs iron from those much more efficiently than it does from fruits or veggies! But—and this is a big "but"—when your iron levels have been bottoming out for a long time, to the point where your hemoglobin (and your final ferritin numbers, too!) are crashing way below the lower limit... well, at that stage, you really can't get things back on track without actual medication.
It’s become this little daily ritual of mine that I just absolutely adore—it’s my little way of staying sane! I usually have one cup first thing when I get into the office (I make sure it’s a particularly strong brew, of course) and then another one right around 2:00 PM when that inevitable afternoon slump starts to hit me. 🙂(I just use the Keurig machine at work.) I’ve actually noticed that if I try to squeeze in a third cup, it hits me all wrong—sort of makes me feel jittery or off—so I try my best to steer clear of a third one.
I’ve been fighting this battle with anemia for quite a long time now—it all really kicked off right after I had my baby. Turns out, the culprit is just those heavy menstrual cycles... it's such a constant cycle, honestly! I’ll get my iron levels up, then my hemoglobin starts crashing again, so I spend a few months taking supplements, feel totally fine for about a year, and then—bam—back to square one. It’s exhausting, really. But, if you're wondering what actually works for me to get those numbers back up, I swear by Ferum Lek + Centrum + Vitamin C.
Anonymous said:Live your life in a healthy way—really, make time work for you instead of against you—and find true happiness. Is it actually possible? Can we pull it off? Well, there’s a way! It’s all about letting our bodies function exactly how they were designed to, regardless of what kind of chaos we're facing. And honestly, learning how to do it is just as instinctive as learning how to breathe!