elevated creatinine

[kk7788]

i am a 42 year old female, and i have had an elevated creatinine for the past few years. it has been slowly rising, and is now at 1.27. my BUN is 21 on a scale of 8-26, and has been consistently on the high side of normal for over year. my regular doctor ordered a kidney panel, but i haven't had it done yet.
here are my questions:
1. is an elevated creatinine common?
2. what could be causing this?
3. should i see a kidney specialist?
4. on a scale of 1-10, how seriously should i consider this?
also, 3 weeks ago, i completed a 48-week course of interferon for hepatitis. i got my results back today, and i tested negative! i know the interferon didn't help my kidneys, but my creatinine was elevated before i started the treatment. i would be grateful for any insight anyone could offer.
thanks,
kk7788

[skwrd]

Your creatinine level is elevated, but I am more concerned about your BUN. With your BUN rising, you might want to consider seeing a hepatologist. This individual would be able to see how your liver is functioning with relation to your other organs and tests. You do not want to have liver disfunction. Talk to your MDs about consulting a MD that specializes in liver functioning. I am not saying that your MD does not know livers. I am just saying that seeing a specialist that specializes in livers would be advisible given the circumstances you present currently. Good luck.

[kk7788]

thank you for the response. i have been seeing a hepatologist for a year while being treated for hepC. i just got my test results back today, and won't see him again until friday (i pick them up from the lab and take them to him). i am negative for HepC now, but  my alt (67) and ast (48) are elevated again; they had been down in normal range during treatment for HepC. my moncytes have been elevated for a few years. i don't know if it is significant, but my blood pressure is also consistently low. today it was 93/61. i get dizzy a lot, and generally don't feel well. also, my sed rate is elevated too. i want to tell my doctor everything that is going on with me, but i think i sound like a hypochondriac and usually my mind just goes blank when i am talking to him. i'm so frustrated because noone can tell me what is going on. i also get short of breath.
my hepatologist says that there is no way to tell the extent of liver damage except for a biopsy. i don't want to do that unless i have to. would you do it if you were me?
do you think the creatinine is anything to worry about? my hepatologist won't even talk to me about it, becasue he is not a kidney specialist (the plumber can't finish the job, becasue there is no electrician available to change the lightbulb). i guess what i want to know is: am i being overly concerned, or should i find a doctor who will listen to me?
kk