Drugs and Kidney Issues

[ikam]

hello again...

my blood test revealed that I may have some kidney's problems. I need to repeat this test to be sure. But I also have had some dull pain on my right site for last few days...

I guess it is related to meds...

 

Have others had kidney problems as well?

 

Maybe it is just temporary?

I had before high cholesterol, but it has been better now...so maybe this result will change as well?

[Wondering]

My husband and I have kidney disease. One of the best places for info is Davita.com. There are lots of meds that are bad for your kidneys, ibuprofen is real bad. If you need any medical tests with or without contrast always do the without contrast if the doc lets you. Always check any RX or OTC meds....I always just google kidney disease and the name of the med. if you take the test again and do have kidney disease, there will be lots of info on what to do. If you are curious you can check out Davita.

[freespirit]

I developed kidney disease on the meds too. While it's possible it is also related to having diabetes for me...but had a very short time of higher blood sugars, so not that likely.

 

In the 3 month period when I started qi gong, my kidney function returned to normal and has stayed there the past 2 years...that's the only thing I changed during that time. Apparently that kind of improvement doesn't happen that often, but it can occur. I started tapering just after things returned to normal. I suspect that the ad played some role, as did the diabetes drug I used to be on.

 

I'm guessing a lot of systems in the body go through multiple changes through the process of coming off the drugs. It's another way we might end up labeled with something which ends up not being permanent.

 

I hope you're able to find out what you need..and that whatever problem is there is only temporary.

[ikam]

I hope it is temporary...will have my blood tests repeated...

[ikam]

I wonder if paraesthesia may be related to the kidney problems?

[ikam]

Precautions In Taking Magnesium Glycinate

Before you decide taking oral supplements of magnesium glycinate, be sure to first consult your doctor. There are components in magnesium glycinate which can affect those who have liver problems, kidney problems, diabetes, alcohol dependence, or the like. If pregnant, it is recommended to use only if greatly needed because it is not known if it passes through breastmilk or if it can affect the child negatively.

 

Could anybody comment on this?

[bruno2016]

I really doubt taking mag is bad for someone with kidney problems. In fact, they need it more. There are some articles out there on this subject and conventional doctors advise not to use it but they are also the same ones who say ssri are safe and effective.

 

Anyways, i also developed kidney problems on ssris. Over the years my creatinine kept getting higher and higher indicating kidney damage or dysfunction. In fact, i am due for a biopsy. In my case i think it was the ssris combined with diet and alcohol that caused the problems. Also, my grandfather has kidney disease so there is prob a genetic component there. While on ssris, i often craved alcohol and sweets so drank and ate like crap which may have causes my issues. I am young (30) so kidney problems at my age should not exist!

 

Fear not, though. Again, conventional wisdom is dead wrong- kidneys can and do rejuvinate and heal. The key is to STOP whatever is harming them: food, alcohol, infections, some supplements, chemicals, drugs, etc. Focus on diet, stress reduction, and appropriate supplementation. Drink lots of water, avoid high oxalate foods, and consider consulting with a holistic doctor. Kidneys can heal.

[ikam]

Thank you...

I have abused my body with alcohol, chemicals, medication, etc...

 

I will have my second blood and urine test on Tuesday...I am a bit worried...

 

I have also been thinking how much of my strange symptoms (paraesthesia, tiredness...) may relate to something with kidneys...

But I have also learnt that I have had so many health problems that just cleared. Recently I had high cholesterol, but not anymore...

[freespirit]

Ikam,

 

I use transdermal magnesium http://www.ancient-minerals.com/transdermal-magnesium/...not due to past kidney issues, but because I can't tolerate supplements. It might seem expensive and you could likely find cheaper oil somewhere. I bought a bottle of the lotion and use it every night. A $20 container has lasted 3 months...which I'm sure is not more than the supplements. Some people say it is better absorbed, so you can actually use less of it..and no concerns about it being processed by the kidneys.

 

I also found this article about criticism of the current kidney disease diagnosis. I was wrongly identified with kidney disease, not having some of the issues that define it: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3100281/

 

I very much take with a grain of salt these warning to "consult a doctor"...few doctors have even minute knowledge of nutrients. You probably know more than your doctor does.

[ikam]

Thanks. I just think it will get better as it happened to any other pains and problems...

[bananas]

I am bringing up the issue of kidney issues because I have just been diagnosed with chronic kidney disease.  I have had so many health issues to work through since I started weaning off the Effexor three years ago.  Most are the known side effects that we all know, but since I have still not felt well, my new doctor has been trying to narrow down on what is up with me.  Last October I found I was low in my vitamin D.  Today, she told me my recent lab tests indicated I have kidney disease.  

 

Just as a lark, I decided to search out whether or not there were any kidney damage issues with Effexor.  I have been in the medical field for 29 years and there is a great site to go to for medication information.  It is rxlist.com.  So, I went there, and sure enough, under the side effects section under postmarketing reports, there is renal failure listed.  I found out from another site, that kidney disease also affects your vitamin D level, so I wonder now if that is what has caused all my other strange lab results. 

 

Although I can not definitively say that the Effexor has caused my newly diagnosed kidney disease, I can definitely say that everyone should go to that site and really read what is on there in that section.  Read every word.  I have also been suffering with sleep apnea, and it was also listed. I read the little pamphlet when I first started the pills, but this extensive information was not in that pamphlet. I rue the day I ever started that medication.  Although I am still not completely off of it and am not on a high dose (taking 33 beads a day out of capsule), I now have to re-evaluate my tapering to get off of it as quickly as is safe and tolerable as it is not good for my kidneys.

 

My suggestion is that you make sure you have lab tests done frequently to track your health while you are on these meds.  Again, I can not be sure that Effexor has caused this.  I will probably know more after seeing the nephrologist I am being referred to, but it is sure suspicious that I have found several things on there that I have come up with and it makes me wonder....

 

Good health and safe withdrawal my friends!

[Altostrata]

That is a good point, bananas.

 

Please note that generally, adverse effects from drugs are reduced as you reduce the dosage. If the Effexor is affecting your kidneys, it's doing it less than it did 3 years ago when you were at the full dose.

 

Liver and kidney damage are more often the result of drug-drug interactions than single drug reactions, but it can happen.

[Katch]

Hi bananas,

 

Do you know based on what test your doctor thinks you might have a kidney disease?

 

I definitely don’t want to dismiss that claim because, unfortunately, kidney issues are possible side effect of many ADs but perhaps my experience will give you a bit of hope whilst you are waiting to see your nephrologist.

 

When I was initially hit by the withdrawal, I had a whole lot of bloods done and the only one that came back as not within the range was my kidney function. According to the notes from the lab I was in stage 2 of chronic kidney disease.

However, this particular test (I think it’s called GFR) is based on calculation of other blood results (creatinine I think), age, sex, etc.  On its own it actually means nothing. It has to be confirmed by other tests – presence of blood and protein in urine and possibly ultrasound. When I had all those done, they all came back negative.

 

I don’t know about your tests so this might not apply to you at all.  I don’t want to give you empty hope but I also don’t want you to worry too much at this stage.

 

Please do let us know how you are getting on.

Sending lots of healing vibes your way.

Kat

[bananas]

Thanks so much for your input Alto and Kat.  Your support means a lot.  I don't take any other medications except Effexor, vitamin D, and a once a day multi-vitamin.  Kat, I think it was my creatinine level that she based it on.  She compared it to the tests I had in October with my old doctor and it was lower than it was in that test.  I have been struggling with feeling poorly for a while, and after having gotten down so far on my dosage, I knew there had to be something else.  I just don't feel good.  Today is one of those days when I really don't feel good.  I have not been functional at all today.  Although being put on the vitamin D did help somewhat, it has not made enough of a difference for me to consider that it is everything that is wrong with me.  My tests this time showed several tests in the CBC that were off as well.  I did some research last night on stage 3 kidney disease and I have to honestly say that I can check off almost every symptom.  Even those CBC values that are off, as well as the vitamin D level issues, can be caused by kidney disease.  I would love for the nephrologist to tell me I don't have it, but my gut is saying that, with what I have been seeing in my research of it, I probably have it.  According to what I have read, if I have it, I can not look forward to 100% functioning kidneys again, although getting off the Effexor once and for all will help my kidneys function better, as well as watching what I should and should not have in my diet.  It appears there aren't many obvious symptoms with stages 1 and 2, but stage 3 is when they start getting noticeable.  I am so happy for you that you came out as having been misdiagnosed with stage 2!!!!  I so hope that is the case for me, but something is causing me to feel so ill and those symptoms, right down to the clear urine, are me to a T.  I don't, however, have blood or protein in my urine.  I don't want this illness and I am going to hold out hope that I will be as lucky as you, Kat, but I am going to watch my diet until I see the nephrologist and see if I start to feel better.  I so appreciate the hope you have given me!  I am quite anxious for them to call me so I can get my appointment and get in.  The sooner the better!  Keep your fingers crossed for me you guys!

[Katch]

Hi bananas,

 

I’m so sorry you have to go through this. I know how unsettling the uncertainty of not knowing is.

 

I did a lot of reading on chronic kidney disease when I though I had it too and one piece of advice I can give you, if you do have it,  is not to believe that your kidneys will never work properly again. This is the point where I do not trust allopathic medicine at all. For me, when doctor uses the word ‘chronic’ all he is saying ‘medicine does not know how to treat it’. 

 

Again, from my own personal experience

-       I used to have ‘chronic’ headaches – all I was told that medicine cannot help me, all my doctor could do for me was give me painkillers and I was told to learn to live with it.  All I needed was drinking water. Headaches disappeared.

-       I had ‘chronic’ backache – similar scenario as before. After months and months of suffering, few visits to chiropractor sorted me out.

-       I had horrible, horrible PMS. To the point I used to faint left, right, centre. All my doctor could do was to prescribe contraceptive pill. And I stupidly took it. All I’m going to say here is that withdrawal from the contraceptive pill was much, much worse for me than what I’m going through now with AD withdrawals. My PMS is mostly gone. it got bit worse in the last couple of months but I know it's because of the AD withdrawal.

-       My official diagnosis now is ‘chronic’ anxiety with depression’. It was so bad I was treated with electric shocks and told that I will have to be on a cocktail on strong antidepressants and antipsychotics for the rest of my life. All I still take from that cocktail is 3mg of Lexapro. That's it! And with time, that will go too. Ok, so I’m not feeling great but I’m absolutely, 100 per cent sure that I’m dealing with is withdrawal and I’m basically having to correct what doctors screwed up.

 

I guess, what I’m trying to say that even in the worst case scenario that you do have kidney disease, don’t just accept it as something you will have for the rest of your life. I believe strongly in the power of our subconscious mind and putting yourself in a box is not a helpful thing.

Also, when I was reading on kidney disease, I came across fascinating stories of people on dialysis and kidney transplant waiting list who actually fully recovered. I cannot tell you how as it was different for everybody, but what is important now is to believe that it is possible.

 

Stay strong!

Kat xx

[bananas]

Kat, you are so right!  Today, is a pretty good day and things appear much different.  I am hoping this is just a temporary side effect as I re-read the side effects and it says "adverse effects temporarily associated with the use of venlafaxine."  So, I am hoping once I finish getting off this, it will go away for good.  In the meantime, I have been pretty sick for several years and am still dealing with it.  I have tapered so slowly and have had hardly any side effects of withdrawal, and there has definitely been more wrong than detox.  If this turns out to not be temporary, then I have no doubt it was caused by this evil medication as it definitely shows this medication affects the kidneys, even to failure.  I did see a posting by someone posted a few years ago on another site who said they had sudden kidney failure when on the medication.  Something needs to be done with these pharmaceutical companies putting out poison and escalating the cost of drugs that are legitimately needed.  I will, however, pick up my tapering a bit, even at the cost of some side effects, to finish getting off it.  If I could, I would just throw away the rest of them and just be done, but I know the way things are right now, I could not tolerate the side effects on top of how I have been feeling with the kidney issues.

 

In the meantime, you have helped me so much, Kat, with pulling me back and reminding me to keep my head up.  I'll keep you guys posted.

[Katch]

Bananas,

I’m glad it has been a better day. Things do seem so much more manageable on days like that, don’t they. 

 

Have you thought about very gentle kidney detox? I tried some homeopathy as herbs make me feel quite unwell. I had to go mega gentle with it. I was supposed to take 15 drops 3 times a day but I started with just 1 drop 3x a day and increased it by one drop after every 3 days. I decided to take it even though my kidneys turned out to be ok and I have to say the drops were definitely doing something because I was thirsty like nobody’s business even though I was drinking oceans of water and I was also extra tired.

And, I have to say that the wave I was in when I started the detox has been the shortest I had so far.  And I really believe that refreshing the kidneys made it easier for those two poor things to filter all that rubbish inside my body out more efficiently which consequently helped my body to get through the wave much faster.

 

It’s just a thought.  Perhaps an option for you to explore when you feel like it. 

Katxx