Question about protein in urine

2000+ or when creatinine started rising!

Hey Couch,

I dont want to be a downer but you have to be careful here. There is more to it than just how much protein is in your UA. As Aimsgirl mentions Creatinine is also important as is the GFR rate. You could have minimal protein but your Creatinine could be high and/or GFR low. That is a blood test, not a pee test.

When I was diagnosed with Lupus Nephritus - I was a "3+" which I think is 1000+ and my kidney doc about had a cow . I started treatment the next day. If you are only 50 -100 that is a 1+ but any protein at all in your urine is not good.

I wonder why your doc is taking a wait and see? What does he think will happen without some type of treatment? From what I have been told protein in the urine doenst just go away without treatment of some type. That could just be for kidney issues associated with lupus - not sure - but my rheumatologist is still aggressively treating me after my nephrologist finished his treatment and I am only a trace to 1+. She said this is nothing to play with and that you can go from a little protein to really bad damage in a matter of weeks with no symptoms. I check my protein twice a week using the strips.

Trust your doc, but make sure you keep up on it.

Cheers.

My numbers in my first reply were completely off . That is what I get for trying to actually REMEMBER anything anymore! <grin>

Not sure which Reagent strips your kidney doc is using but the ones mine prescribed for me to check myself are from Siemens and called Albustix.

Here is the color range for reference:
Negative
Trace
1+ = between 30 - 100 mg/dL
2+ = between 100 - 300 mg/dL
3+ = between 300 - 2000 mg/dL
4+ = over 2000 mg/dL

I was at a 3+ when diagnosed and was around a 1000 mg/dL when they did the more accurate testing at the lab (the pee strips are not very accurate for actual testing but give an idea if more testing is needed).

So to the original poster - if you are at 100 then I guess that could be "keep an eye on it". What I have found about nephrologists thus far is they dont understand Lupus and how fast something can change. So IMO follow up with your Rheumy too when you get a chance. After my Cytoxan treatments my nephrologist pronounced me "cured" of the nephritis because in a non-lupus patient I would have been. But getting lupus out of the kidneys once doesn't mean it wont go back. So I work with my Rheumy now and not my nephrologist when it comes to the treatment.

Cheers.

I was told that taking nsaids (advil, for eg. ) can cause protein in the urine?

Am nodding my head at couchtater on this one. My kidney doc said my days of Advil were finished and quite honestly Tylenol does very little to relieve my pain. I used to eat Advil like M&M's but now I just sort of deal with the pain.

I have never heard that taking them can cause protein in a UA but they are just very hard on the kidneys. Considering most drugs we have to take are hard on the kidneys (not to mention the nephritis) any "extra" can be a problem.

Couchtater - the strips are prescription but I am sure your kidney doc will write you a script. But dont check too often. You can drive yourself nuts! <grin>. I started fixating on them and was checking every few hours and worrying about the levels. I am trying to check once a week now - at the same time of day. Honestly they make me feel better because I know if I see an upward *trend* I can get into the doc and do something vs. waiting for three - six months between appointments. But the levels fluxuate from a negative to a 2+ at times during the day so as long as I normally get a trace or 1+ on a regular basis I know the 2+ is because I am not drinking enough water or something like that.

Cheers.