Enough with the chatter. My hemoglobin is down to 8.2 gm/dL. Anemia is on the rampage again and there are numerous factors that might be causing it. It might be that I’m not having sufficient doses of EPO injections, or my body’s not responding well to my current EPO therapy. Either way, I should resolve the issue immediately or risk the possibility of my hemoglobin’s further decline and the need for blood transfusion.

My creatinine level’s a bit high at 14 mg/dL. I might be the culprit on this one because I’ve been consuming more protein than I’m allowed recently, especially red meats. The solution – stricter protein intake, less or no red meat, and back to eating fish more often. The others – Phosphorus, Calcium, Potassium, Sodium, etc. – are fairly under acceptable levels.

I also had my Hepatitis Profile taken together with my monthly laboratory. Both the test for the virus – HBsAg and HCV – turned non-reactive, meaning I don’t have Hepatitis. The only sad outcome is that the test for my antibody against the virus – Anti-HBs – also turned out non-reactive, meaning my body’s still not producing enough antibody to have me protected.

To sum it up, I’m still doing fairly well with my lab results and treatment. Although there are certain adjustments I have to make and try to implement them as soon as I am able. But it’s all good and I’m still in business with the my battle against kidney failure.

image credit – positivenation.co.uk / webMD

Dialysis Update – June Laboratory Test Results is a post from: Dialysis Postings

Let me state this as an example:

• A normal person’s hemoglobin range: 12 – 14 grams per deciliter (g/dL)
• A dialysis patient’s hemoglobin range: 10 – 12 grams per deciliter (g/dL)

To elaborate this further, I have prepared a list of the common laboratory tests that I take along with their acceptable ranges. The blood levels below are provided for your reference and are to be used as guidelines. Levels may vary upon individual differences or depending on the dialysis unit;s laboratory procedures. It is always advisable to talk to your doctor, nurse, and dietitian about your blood levels.

• Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN) : 60 – 110 mg/dL
• Creatinine : 8.0 – 20.0 mg/dL
• Potassium (K) : 3.5 – 5.0 mEq/L
• Calcium (Ca) : 8.5 – 10.5 mg/dL
• Blood Sugar (fasting) : 60 – 100 mg/dL
• Blood Sugar : less than 140 mg/dL
• Alkaline Phosphatase : 25 – 100 units/L
• Phosphorus (P) : 2.3 – 4.7 mg/dL
• Sodium (Na) : 135 – 145 mEq/L
• Albumin : 3.8 – 5.5 gm/dL
• Total Protein : 6.0 – 8.0 gm/dL
• Hematocrit (HCT) : 33% – 36%
• Hemoglobin (Hgb) : 10 – 12 gm/dL

Basically, through this monthly lab exams, a dialysis patient, doctor, nurse, and dialysis unit’s medical staff can monitor the patient’s progress while undergoing treatment. For me that has been going through with it for quite a long time now, and for other’s as well, it may sound routinely boring. But I hope this article may serve as reminder on how vital this monthly blood tests are to a dialysis patient.

Laboratory Tests and Blood Levels for Dialysis Patients is a post from: Dialysis Postings