Now its my kidneys!!!!!

Today I went for my routine oncology appointment, of course I never get to see my actual oncologist instead I see one of the registrars a russian woman ( FYI I am not a racist and never have been BUT) her english is terrible, so hard to understand what she is saying I have to really concentrate on it also she has a tendency to smirk at me when I am asking her very important questions or discussing side effects! Why would you do that? this is supposed to be a serious conversation!  Anyway back to the appointment she told me just as we were leaving last time that my kidneys were showing a above normal high number (whatever the fuck that means!) she told me to drink loads of water and not take Ibuprofen or Aspirin (I don't take these medicines anyway and drink tons of water) and again this time she told me that my creatinine levels were high again she reiterated what she told me last time to drink plenty and not to take certain medicines. I also told her about my migraines, my swollen stomach and back which I now realise is my kidneys, she told me these were all symptoms of going through the menopause and did not seem worried about it, in fact she smirked when I told her!. I'm now a bit worried to say the least as I have googled it and the following post is what I found, its a bit long but if you are in the same position I suggest you take this in.

Acute renal failure is a malfunction of the kidneys so that they are unable to perform their vital functions, one of the most important of which is filtering out waste. Some cancer treatments cause damage to the kidneys that can result in acute kidney failure. Kidney damage is usually reversible if it is carefully managed to control the life-threatening complications. Once the drug or drugs that are causing the kidney damage are stopped, treatment focuses on preventing the excess accumulation of fluid and waste while allowing the kidneys to heal.

What is acute renal failure?
Acute renal failure is a malfunction of the kidneys so that they are unable to perform the vital function of filtering out waste from the blood. Acute renal failure may be caused by decreased blood supply to the kidneys from drugs or infection, direct toxic damage to the kidneys, or by blockage in the urinary system. The most common cause of acute renal failure in cancer patients is damage to the cells in the kidney.

The kidneys are fist-sized organs located in your lower back, near your spine. Their chief functions are to filter out waste products and regulate electrolytes and water levels. When the body breaks down protein from the diet for energy or building tissues, it produces a waste product called urea. Urea circulates in the blood until it is filtered out by the kidneys and excreted in the urine. When the kidneys are not functioning properly, filtration is reduced and urea builds up in the blood. Also, the balance of electrolytes and water cannot be adequately regulated, sometimes resulting in a buildup of potassium, sodium, and fluid.

Kidney damage may also result in increased excretion of protein in the urine. Protein is an important component in our blood that carries food, hormones, and many other things through the body. Under normal conditions, blood proteins do not pass through the kidneys into the urine because they are too big. If you have kidney damage, protein may pass into your urine. Protein in the urine may be a sign of temporary or permanent kidney damage or failure.

What causes kidney damage?
Some chemotherapy drugs and biologic therapies can cause kidney damage. Chemotherapy causes renal dysfunction by damaging the blood vessels or structures of the kidneys. The chemotherapy drugs that are most likely to cause kidney damage are listed below.

Kidney damage occurs in 30 percent or more of patients using the following chemotherapy drugs:
Cytosar-U® (cytarabine)
Gemzar® (gemcitabine)
Ifex® (ifosfamide)
Platinol® (cisplatin)
Proleukin® (interleukin-2)
Zanosar® (streptozocin)

Kidney damage occurs in 10 percent to 29 percent of patients using the following chemotherapy drugs:
Alimta® (pemetrexed)
Eloxatin® (oxaliplatin)
Mithracin® (plicamycin)
Mylotarg® (gemtuzumab ozogamicin)
Neutrexin® (trimetrexate)
Paraplatin® (carboplatin)
Rheumatrex® (methotrexate) 

What are the symptoms of kidney damage?
You may not have any symptoms of kidney damage. However, you should notify your doctor if you exhibit any of the following:
Decrease in amount of urine or frequency
Pain or urgency with urination
Dark urine
Blood in your urine
Fatigue
Muscle weakness
Swelling in your feet or ankles
Nausea or vomiting
Confusion, seizure

Notify your doctor immediately if your urine output decreases or stops.

How is kidney damage diagnosed?
1. Blood levels of two products of normal body function, blood urea nitrogen and creatinine, are used to diagnose kidney problems.

Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) - The waste product from the breakdown of protein is called urea. Urea circulates in the blood until it is filtered out by the kidneys and excreted in the urine. If the kidneys are not functioning properly, there will be excess urea in the bloodstream. Under normal conditions, BUN levels range from 10 to 25 mg/dL (milligrams per deciliter) of blood.

Creatinine - Some of the energy for your muscles is derived from burning a substance called creatine. Creatinine is the waste product left after the breakdown of creatine. The kidneys are normally able to filter out large amounts of creatinine on a daily basis. However, when your kidneys are not functioning properly, your creatinine levels will increase. Under normal conditions, creatinine levels range from 0.7 to 1.4 mg/dL (milligrams per deciliter) of blood.

2. Urine changes are frequently seen as a result of kidney damage. Bloody or turbid urine or a major decrease or increase in the amount of urine you produce may indicate kidney damage. A urinalysis done by a laboratory often will show changes that are characteristic of kidney damage. For example, an increase in red blood cells, white blood cells, protein, or casts (abnormal structures in your urine) are frequent signs of kidney damage.
How is kidney damage treated?

Kidney damage is usually reversible, if it is carefully managed to control the life-threatening complications. Once the drug or drugs that are causing the kidney damage are stopped, treatment focuses on preventing the excess accumulation of fluids and wastes while allowing the kidneys to heal. This may be achieved in several ways, including diuretics, sodium polystyrene sulfonate, diet modification, dialysis, or drugs.

Diuretics - Commonly known as water pills. Your doctor may prescribe a diuretic to increase the amount of water you excrete in the urine. A commonly used diuretic is Lasix® (furosemide).

Sodium polystyrene sulfonate - This medication helps lower the amount of potassium in your blood by binding with the potassium in your stomach or gut so that you excrete it. This medication is administered by mouth or in an enema. Brand names include Kayexcalate® and Kionex®.

Diet modification - Your doctor may recommend that you restrict substances that are normally excreted by the kidney. This may include food high in protein, sodium (salt), and potassium.

Dialysis - Dialysis is the use of a machine to remove excess waste and fluid. Your blood is routed through the dialysis machine then back into your body. Dialysis is not necessary for every patient, but may be lifesaving, particularly if you have very high levels of potassium and urea in your blood.

Drugs - Ethyol® (amifostine), sodium thiosulfate, and diethyldithiocarbamate may help prevent or reduce the kidney toxicity associated with Platinol® (cisplatin).
How can kidney damage be prevented?

The best measure for preventing kidney damage is to avoid treatments that cause it. Under certain circumstances, your doctor may also apply the following approaches:

Urinary alkalization and hydration - Urinary alkalization and increased hydration provides protection against kidney damage caused by Rheumatrex® (methotrexate).

Ethyol® (amifostine) - Clinical trials have shown that amifostine protects against kidney toxicity related to cisplatin chemotherapy.

It is a good idea to increase fluid intake the day before, of, and after receiving a chemotherapy treatment to help flush the byproducts out of your body.

Still reading? mind blowing! its so complicated and serious and I was just brushed off like it was an everyday occurrence, unbelievable! I have another appointment booked for 2 months time on the 12th of October when they will probably do another CT scan, I'm now going to look into it further and see if there is anything I can do for myself like diet etc. When I have researched thoroughly I will post my findings.