Dying kidney

Hello, I had a TAC yesterday as a follow up check on breast cancer and I was told that my left kidney was very small probably from birth and that it is nearly dead.  When i had an ultrasound they said it had cysts, but now they are telling me they probably arent cysts but some kind of Calcius??? I dont know what that is.

I also have liver cysts, quite a lot,but need to have that confirmed next week when I get the thorough report.

I am due to have a breast expander to implant exchange in about two months time, which means I will have had the expander in for ten months, would this have put pressure on my kidney, and will the anaesthetic damage my kidney anymore and will it affect the other one.

Does anaesthetic make the kidney shrink???  

Does Arimidex give the kidney problems, and if so, what sort of problems.

I am frantic at the moment as I now have osteopenia, lymphedema, a dying kidney, polyps in my gallbladder, liver cysts and all this has started since I started my breast cancer treatments.

Thank you.
Hazel

[lindahand]

Hi Hazel,

You don't need two kidneys so if the other one is okay you are fine. Your remaining kidney picks up the load of the other one. It is important that you get some testing done if they haven't already. The number commonly used is GFR or eGFR. It is the combination of a few different tests and will let you know the overal state of your kidney function. Based on that there are 5 levels of kidney disease with 1 being next to no impairment and 5 being dialysis or transplant. For your own peace of mind these are good tests to get. And they are just blood tests. Nothing fancy. If they are doing the more accurate GFR test you'll have to collect your pee for 24 hours.

Take care best you can. You have a whole lot on your plate right now.

[lindahand]

Hi Hazel,

You don't need two kidneys so if the other one is okay you are fine. Your remaining kidney picks up the load of the other one. It is important that you get some testing done if they haven't already. The number commonly used is GFR or eGFR. It is the combination of a few different tests and will let you know the overal state of your kidney function. Based on that there are 5 levels of kidney disease with 1 being next to no impairment and 5 being dialysis or transplant. For your own peace of mind these are good tests to get. And they are just blood tests. Nothing fancy. If they are doing the more accurate GFR test you'll have to collect your pee for 24 hours.

Take care best you can. You have a whole lot on your plate right now.

[Hazellynn50]

Hi thank you for your post back to me.  I went to the urgency at the hospital on instructions from my gp.  Turns out my atrophic kidney is dead and there are problems with the other one, am due to see the nephrologist in August.  I think from what I can gather via translations as I live abroad that I have hydronephrosis.

Wishing you well.