My Mother has been on dialysis's since March of 2001. She did real well for the first 2months. Than all of a sudden she started turning for the worse. Was given all kinds of different meds. In the hospital several times. Took lots and lots of test. They all came out normal. We even took her to another town where we had heard they might could help her. Still normal test. Not much help. Her kidney Dr. had been telling her it was in her head, she wasn't excepting dialysis's, ect. Which we all knew that wasn't right. Her weight has gone down to nothing nearly, she is in having all kinds of problems. Very weak now. And, from day to day we aren't sure she will still be here with us. A couple of weeks ago, she was sent from dialysis's to have an EEG ran on her. The ER Dr. went ahead and took a blood test on her and came back and asked why she was on dialysis. He said her kidneys were working well. And, he knew she had just came from dialysis. He called her kidney Dr. and we took her back over to see the kidney Dr. She said that this ER Dr. didn't know what he was talking about that he wasn't a kidney Dr. but she would give her a 24 hour test. Than she called my Mom back in the next day and talked with her again to reasurre her that her kidneys weren't working. Now she had taken this test and in the mean time she is still on the mach. My sister and I called the dialysis center to find out what the test said about her kidneys. They said that the report was sent to the Dr. and the Dr. wouldnt be back into the office till later on this week. But, that it look like our mother would be getting off the dialysis mach. Well, what Iam wondering is why hadn't the Dr. called my Mom and started the other test which thats what the nurses said at the dialysis center that she would have to take more test. So, it is looking like another couple of weeks before we know something. And, in the mean time we are just sitting and worring and she is still having to go on these dialysis mach. and they are saying that if she does get off than she could have to go back on again. We can't change kidney Dr. because there is only 1 group in our area and they are assigned to the patients. We have already try that. What Iam wondring is if my mother stays on these mach. with her kidneys working will this do more damage to them. We think maybe they have probably been working now for 4 months and thats why she went down hill so fast. Her mind is effected now too. Before all this she was a happy go lucky lady. Full of vinger. No Dr. can give us any anwers and don't seem to want to. They tell us that the family is interfering to much, when we ask or question something. And, Dad is afraid to speech up because he thinks they will be mean to my mom and treat her different. And, that is true, we have seen that happen, but couldn't prove it if we had to. Could anyone please help, needing some kinda answers.

I really wish I had some answers for you. I started dialysis in 1986. I had a transplant a year later but have been back on dialysis for a little over 3 years now. It is not something that I would wish on anybody. Identifying kidney function is not something that takes a kidney specialist. Blood tests that show BUN and Creatin will indicate if the kidneys are working or not. Any ER doctor or any other doctor worth anything would be able to identify if kidneys are working or not. I will be praying for your family and especially your mother. Please keep us posted.

Hopefully your Mom received a 24 hr clearance which should be done on a non dialysis day. On this day, when the waste is building, you can check both the blood in the AM of the non dialysis day and then again the next day before dialysis and also collect the urine for 24 hours. The calculation can define the residual or remaining kidney function.this requires a very precise collection of samples and a reliable time frame of 24 hrs.
You have not mentioned whether she was diagnosed with acute or chronic kidney failure.
It is possible that she is regaining function, but a general review of her monthly labs should support this. Otherwise i would recommend that the multidisciplinary team in the unit bring her failure to thrive to a meeting. Perhaps you'd like to be there........ keep posting your concerns or questions.......

Hi:
I must agree with both Mick and KatRN. Certainly a blood test would show your mother's kidney function. If you are not pleased with your present nephrologist, seek another. This just should not be happening.
Many patients had been diagnosed ready for dialysis - including myself - only to find the deadline was months - if ever - down the line. It's always better to start early than late, but this seems a simple situation that should be claified immediately.
Look forward to your updates.

All the best,
Mike

Mick,KatRn,Michael
Thank you so much for your replys, My sister is Adreamer20. She has posted the day we found out from the Dr.about the test. We are still pretty confussed. We can't get another Dr. in our area. They only have the 1 group. And, would have to drive Mom over a 100 miles if we could even get in to see another kidney Dr.OH, and how much we wished we could get another Dr. for her. This kidney Dr. comes around to the dialysis center twice a month and thats all she gets to see them. They say if she has any problems call the dialysis center. When you do that they tell us to take her to the ER. where she will lay for hours and they usually give her a cat scan, she had 4 or 5. and they always come back normal, check her heart and vitals. They than will send her home. Nothing done. But, we did make an appt. with a interal Dr. for the 24th of this month.Which the kidney dr. won't like to much.We have been told that she is the only Dr. she needs. Anyway. The kidney Dr. told us that Mom had gain some kidney function the number was 13 and said it needed to be a 15. Said, she was going to take her down to 3 hours every other day and maybe to just 2 days a week later. Said they would take another test in a month. Maybe the Dr. on the 24th will be able to give us more answers. Mom has chills one min. and burning up the next(sweating bad) and her legs are in such pain all the time. They quit working on her lots.Her hands go numb and she shakes real bad now. This started a few weeks ago.(the shakes) But, the kidney Dr. doesn't do anything for this. So, if nothing maybe we will get some help for that. She has been sent to a nerve Dr. he has put her on valum and remeron. OH, and KatRN, Mom's kidney failed in March of this yr. She had never had any problems with her kidneys before this. She had went in to get 1 small polup taken off from a stomach Dr. and right after this was very sick, called several times and they told her she must just have a virus. Than was rushed to the ER 3 days later and they said she had 2% kidney and had to go on dialysis's. Was in real bad shape. They didn't know why or couldnt' give us any answers why her kidneys failed. On her records says unknown reason. It is so nice to have someone to talk to about this. We know nothing really about dialysis and trying to learn some things so we know right from wrong. I hope Iam replying right. Sorry if I haven't. And, I know my postings are so long. Just don't know any other way to tell it. Hope I haven't bored you to bad. Thank you guys so much. I will let you know what happens. And, will check on what you have told me.

As soon as you can take your mother to a big city emergency room. Tell them exactly what you told the post. Do this even if you have to drive all day. Your Neph should be whipped. Do this now.

You must be so worried and frightened! Your mom's neph. sounds like a pcp I USED to have. Follow your gut instincts. You think something is wrong, and after reading your posts I think so too! Even if you have to drive and pay for a second opinion, do it! The whole situation you describe sounds "fishy" to me too. Good luck, Lin.

A agree. Get a second opinion. I would, because I live in a small town and know what it is to have a neph who is fishy. Just because he's a doctor does not make him honest. I'm getting out as soon as I can! I really understand your predicament. If I didn't have help and no ties to where I'm currently living, I couldn't afford to move away. Lots of families are stuck with the neph they have. Its not right for a family to have to move away from everything they know, their home and their relatives because a neph is crooked.