I was feeling OK at my last appointment a few months ago but my wonderful primary care doctor, Dr. P-- saw something in my blood sample that he apparently really didn't like. He said my sodium and chloride were too low. And the Serum Osmol (whatever that is) was really, really low. He had me redo the test and it was apparently still not good.
So he sent me to a nephrologist. I had to look that up to see what he was. He's a kidney specialist.
Well, Dr. J-- felt the numbers weren't good but not horrible. Still...he saw that Dr. P-- had done quite a bit of the appropriate testing and thought I should redo the tests yet again.
Sigh...
Well.. he wasn't satisfied with those test results either. 😟
So he said he wanted me to do a blood and pee collection at the lab, be tested, drink 1.5 liters of water, and then have my blood and pee tested again in 4 hours.
Sigh...
For the guys: Just know it's a lot harder for a woman to collect pee than a man. I won't go into detail on this. You'll have to use your imagination.
Well... actually that's OK. Never mind.
Anyway, I was happy that they give you a little plastic pee-catcher which made it a lot easier.
So yes, I did it.
And I didn't drop any. 😁
However, when Dr. J saw what the lab did, he was not happy.
Sigh...
So he's going around them and saying he wants me to go back, get blood and pee tested, drink 1.5 liters of water and go back and be tested again.
Sigh...
He says this will be the LAST test... for now.
But in all this, there's a bright side.
This would have been REALLLLLLY difficult. I KNOW you can imagine why.
My brother went to the Kaiser Lab and got the little bottle to put her pee in. 😏 I'm sure he's glad he doesn't have to do it.
And here's the bright side. 😄 I have that plastic pee collection thing. Woo hoo! What a relief!
Sigh...
And yes, the results for her test were perfect. The doctor says she’s doing well. Aside from her memory problem, she’s healthier than I am. 😆
Your mother is amazing, but every drop? I don’t see how I could manage.
ReplyDeleteWhat a performance. How would anyone know if you hadn't collected every drop??
ReplyDeleteExactly my question!
DeleteI have a fear of pee testing. The bottles are always small and I’m always worried about not being able to stop.
ReplyDeleteI did that testing a couple of years ago and I felt like an idiot walking into the hospital to drop off my huge pee collection. The doctors just want to get your body back into balance or figure out why it is out of balance.
ReplyDeleteThis reminded me of the old song— “your cup runneth over”. Good to have a saucer!
ReplyDeleteCould you identify yourself with a name please. I love your comment. 😂
DeleteGood job Kay! -Christine cmlk79.blpgspot.com
ReplyDeleteI laughed out loud when I saw your headline and then really guffawed when I saw your photo. Terry was sitting nearby so I told him, "get, ready, Im going to show you something that you will immediately understand"...then I turned my computer around and showed him the photo. He laughed out loud. Yep, he had just finished and turned in his gallon jug a couple of days ago. He has done this collection three times in the past couple of years. His is to test for hormones being shed by the neuroendocrine tumor. Those hormones are what have caused tumors to grow on his liver.
ReplyDeleteInteresting about the low sodium level results - my husband and I both had the same thing in tests this fall. I wonder if somehow the recommended levels were adjusted? Remember when they wanted us to eat less salt?
ReplyDeleteCeci
Kay of Musings: That Serum Osmol thing really bothered Dr. J too.
DeleteI have such trouble with pee collection! It goes everywhere except where I want it to. TMI? I hope that your issue can be resolved and without too many more tests. Ugh!
ReplyDeleteKay of Musings: EXACTLY! 😂 I never know where to put that teeny cup!
DeleteGreat invention! My doctor never orders a pee collection. I will be seeing him next next Monday to get my semi annual scolding from him.
ReplyDeleteOh boy, that does not sound like fun.
ReplyDeleteMy doctor hasn't ordered a urine test for several years, for which I am eternally grateful.
ReplyDeleteI am finding all these medical tests and doctor's visits very tiring and difficult. You must be a genius to keep it all straight and that is hardly me! Take care and don't let it stress you out. We know that can cause vertigo! AHHH!!! Always something!
ReplyDeleteWell, that's a test I haven't done for a while. I can wait. :-)
ReplyDeleteI hope that your issue can be resolved and without too many more tests!
ReplyDeleteAll the best Jan
Some of the tests are a bit much. I was scheduled for a colonoscopy. I was prepared the nurses were ready. Still no action. The doctor had gone home to let his dog out!!!
ReplyDeleteOMG! You have got to be kidding! I hope he came back right away. The prep is the worst and I'd hate to do it over again! Yikes!
DeleteLaughing when I read this, Kay... as I have no trouble peeing anytime it's needed... one of the perks of old age probably. But...
ReplyDeleteno chance of me giving a 24 hour collection. I have Interstitial Cystitis and if I don't pee whenever needed, it's very painful. Hopefully no doctor will ever ask that of me.
This sounds really painful and hopefully useful information, Kay. Fingers crossed for you,
ReplyDeleteIt certainly sounds like the doc is trying to be thorough and careful. With kidney stones, I've done that 24-hour urine collection stuff too. My lab sent me the supplies, but I only had to mail back a small tube out of the entire jug collected. It's better to do the collecting at home. We had to restart them several times in the hospital because the next shift forgot or didn't read the sign we posted on the commode! Hope the docs figiure outi what you need. Linda in Kansas
ReplyDeleteUh oh!
ReplyDeleteLove your look-on-the-bright-side perspective on this. I've been there. I hope it all gets resolved quickly.
ReplyDeleteI did one of those this spring, ugh! I lost a huge sample and was so annoyed. In the end, I got enough though. I just drank a lot of water and in the end I used an old plastic container to pee in because I didn't get a pee collection device like you. It's so annoying taking it from the fridge, and putting it back, etc etc.
ReplyDeleteKay of Musings: That pee collection thing must have been invented by a woman. 😂
DeleteGosh. That is really tricky. What a trial you had.
ReplyDelete