Right as I was clicking "Publish" on that last post, I had an epiphany. The only other drug I was still on, besides prednisone, was an ACE Inhibitor (Blood Pressure med). I said was because I stopped taking it a couple of weeks ago. I was only on a low dose & my blood pressure was fine. I was on it because ACE inhibitors can help preserve kidney function &... as I'm now remembering... help lower protein in the urine. DUH!
So I'm hoping & praying that my little spike in protein was due to going off that drug & not because I'm steroid dependent. I called my dr, who of course didn't get back to me, so I asked the REAL experts-- my friends on my FB group. I got some great advice. My inclination was to go back down to 7.5mgs of prednisone (where I was before today) & go back on my ACE inhibitor so see if it helped. But one very smart gal pointed out that my protein decreased between my two tests... so the proteinuria may have been just my body adjusting to the change. Maybe I'll get back down to normal range on my own.
Another girl pointed out that anything under 1g is considered partial remission so I'm still doing ok.
I seriously feel so much better. I did take 20mgs of prednisone today so I'm going to take 15mgs tomorrow, 10 on Thursday then be back to 7.5 Friday, just so it doesn't shock my body. I'm going to do a 24-hour test next week & see how that goes. Cross your fingers for me!
3 comments:
Crossing my fingers and toes. :) Keep us posted. ((hugs))
Hi Alisha, do you have a public Facebook group? I am Learning heaps more about my illness through blogs like yours than my 10 mins in docs office every couple of weeks. Thanks for sharing. Kath
It could totally be the blood pressure meds. When I took gluten and diary out of my diet my urine protein decreased to 1g and then when I went on blood pressure meds it decreased again.. to .3g. I haven't been on prednisone and have considered it to get to negative but with all the side affects and my kidneys being fairly stable right now I don't know if it's worth it.
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