I suspect LabCorp would use the more modern formula, but your doctor's lab may not be able to measure Cystatin C.
Last Thursday had another blood lab (Sodium, eGFR, etc) done at local VA Clinic. I was really scared that I'd get a call from my VA doctor concerning the Report, but I didn't on Thursday or yesterday. I was able to see my Report on my HealthyVA website this morning and I was shocked, but extremely happy. My Sodium was 142, up from 137 on April 24th. So, I'm getting plenty of sodium in my food. My eGFR was 69, up from 57 on April 24th. Wife and I will be seeing my VA doctor this coming Monday afternoon to discuss this last Report.
My VA doctor gave me the "all clear" yesterday for eGFR lab results (kidneys function), done by VA last Thursday and Sodium lab results, done the same day. He told me, with my wife right there, "just keep doing what you're doing (eating/drinking water/walking). When I mentioned to him about possible Dialysis in the future, he said "from your last lab results eGFR, absolutely no way." He also said, "from looking at previous years VA lab results, you eGFR is the best it's ever been." All wife and I could say is, "Thank You, Lord!!" We've prayed a lot for a good recovery.
Since I have been reading more about the problems that gut issues can cause and how probiotics and foods like kefir can help, I found this interesting video today. It is about how kefir can actually help people with kidney failure and also kidney stones. She explains the way kefir probiotics can help and also shares emails from friends who have used kefir for kidney problems. She even mentioned how it has helped dogs who had kidney failure. I have been making kefir again, and drinking some each day, so hopefully it is helping to remove some of the uric acid and creatine that my kidneys have not been able to filter out properly.
One of the things that I have been reading about that helps with creating a healthy gut biome, is getting enough prebiotics for the beneficial bacteria to consume, since our body does not digest these fibers. Acacia is one of the best prebiotics, so I decided to order some from Amazon. While looking, I found once acacia product that is supposed to help heal and detox kidneys. Since I have kidney failure, I decided to order this and try it. It only contains acacia, the same as most of the other acacia prebiotic supplements, but it comes with several e-books ($67 value, it says) along with the acacia; so it made sense to me to get this brand and try it. People add it to water or other liquid, and it looks like it can also go into coffee, or herbal coffee like chicory drinks. I have been drinking some kefir each day along with my L.Reuteri yogurt, and just the kefir is supposed to help with detoxing kidneys. My lab results showed a GFR of 51, up from 44 in July; so the kefir and the Cordyceps mushroom powder have been helping my kidneys. Apparently, kefir produces some of the same things that come in ACE inhibitor drugs used for high blood pressure. https://www.culturedfoodlife.com/kefir-and-your-blood-pressure/ Hoping to see even more improvement on my next labs, which should be late December probably.
Another issue of high-protein: The human body is alkaline. Excess protein causes it to become acidic, which causes the body to seek a neutralizing agent to return it to alkaline. That agent is calcium, leached from bones, which can lead to osteoporosis.
I have been adding the Kidney Restore acacia to my morning coffee, along with the mushroom every day now, and it is easy to mix in. I add everything else to the coffee first, and then stir it gently with a spoon while using the measuring spoon in the other hand to slowly add in the acacia. My coffee still tastes like coffee to me, so neither the acacia or the Cordyceps mushrooms seem to have much taste. I actually got Mr. Bobby to try a taste and he didn’t make bad faces at me when he tried it. (Although he refuses to drink any himself). This afternoon, I felt like having a second cup , so I made some of the dandelion Chicoraya with some dark cocoa in it and cream, and then added the acacia to that, and it tastes good, too. So, for anyone wanting to supplement their kidney health, I can recommend having either or both products in your coffee.
I just got a new book that is about uric acid, and what all it can affect in our body. We know that it is involved with both gout and kidney stones; but they are now also saying that too much uric acid is a factor in things like heart disease, high blood pressure, and dementia illnesses as well. I have just started the book, and it is a fairly new book by Dr. David Perlmutter.
I'll be curious to hear if acid foods help. I know that--paradoxically--acidic drinks like lemon juice and vinegar can turn one's urine more base. I have no idea if that change affects uric acid levels upstream of the bladder (kidney output) or not.
I remember reading before that acid foods, like lemon juice, do help the body pH, but I have not read enough about uric acid yet to know much. The main thing they say is the worst is fructose, not from eating an apple, but from foods like the HFCS that is used instead of real sugar in almost everything that is sweetened. He said in one of the videos that I watched, that drinking fruit juice is almost as bad, but if you eat ONE apple in a day, two at the most, at different times, it would be okay because of all the fiber and other components of an actual apple , as opposed to drinking a glass of straight apple juice, which hits the blood sugar immediately. They make uric acid testers, but the one like Dr. Perlmutter uses is over $100 (plus strips) on Amazon, and I am not sure that the uric acid saliva strips are exact enough. I am going to read more before I try any kind of testing device. It may be that other places have them cheaper than amazon. He stated that the general advice now is that uric acid on lab tests should be below 7, but he also said that for it to be at an optimal range not to cause damage to the body, it should be below 5. I looked back through a few of my labs from before, and the only one I could find right away was from several months ago, when I had the gout attack, and then my range was at an 8, so definitely way too high.
It's interesting that there are a lot of Uric Acid measurements. I'm not sure how you achieve a low Urine pH and not go out of range on your Super Saturated UA measurement or your 24 your UA measurement. I have a bunch of urine tests over time from my bladder issue. Ranges & Notes are per LabCorp: -My Urine pH has topped 7, and is usually in the mid-6 range. --Ref Range is 5.8-6.2 --If <5.9, consider potassium or sodium citrate -My Super Saturated Uric Acid is .03 --Ref Range is 0-1 --This LabCorp note makes no sense to me "Urine pH <6, creates UA stones. Treat with alkali." But there's no context to to that note. There's no connection to an SS UA number. And a High pH is 6.2. My pH of 6.977 on this test was referred to as "elevated." -My Urine Uric Acid is .564 grams/day --Ref Range is Male <.800 and Female <.750 Every time I look at the interaction of these numbers and the questionable impact of what I do to reduce my risk of stones, my head spins. I have been taking vinegar, which--like lemon juice--raises the Urine pH level (makes it less acidic), so doing so militates against getting below 5. I'm not sure how to balance the apparent conflict. Is my "elevated Urine pH" OK because I take vinegar, or am I harming my body by elevating my pH? I have an appointment with my nephrologist in March and one with my urologist in May. I'm gonna ask them about all of this. Neither has made mention (that I recall) of my high Urine pH.
I have no answers for all of this, @John Brunner . I am just starting the book and still working on understanding the importance of uric acid levels. I believe that the urine pH is different than uric cid levels, because there are different ways of measuring it. I have a pH stick, which works similar to the keto sticks for measuring ketone levels; but the one to measure uric acid is different. I recall you said that you just ordered a Kindle, so maybe you might want to start your Kindle Library with this book about uric acid ? Kindle puts books on sale every so often, so when you have a category of books you are interested in, or an author you follow, you can check and see whether any of the books you are interested in are on sale. I also have Kindle Unlimited, because I read rather than watch television, and many good health books can also be read on this app. You can keep them as long as you want to , so some have been in my library on a semi-permanent basis, and if they go on sale, then I buy them.
I feel as though I owe you an apology, @Yvonne Smith. Every time (well, lot of times) you comment about your latest health readings, you get me thinking about when it means to my circumstances. Then I post my stream-of-consciousness as though I've assigned you to be my physician. I'm sorry I unintentionally chuck my issues over your fence. But your investigations and observations are invaluable. I've tagged this thread in a Word doc I maintain for each upcoming appointment so I can get answers from my doctors on these things you get me thinking about. ps: Thanks for the other notes on the Kindle stuff. I just grabbed the package off of my front porch. I used to be a voracious reader. I hope this gets me back into the habit of more reading/less tv, and can house some resource material as well.
Avoiding foods that contain high amounts of purines should help prevent high uric acid levels, but if you have a tendency for gout, low blood levels may not completely remove the risk.