Lupus and recent RNY and protein in urine

Any correlation between my new RNY and NOW having protein in my urine.  Its a first.  Just completed 24 hour urine and labs so I'm anxiously waiting the results.  It's goign to be a LONG 5 days!

Can anyone shed some light here?  Im nervous.

Can't help you.  I've had small amounts of protein in my urine for nearly 14 years.  All my docs shrugged it off for years.  I had to find a new rheumie last year and he decided to send me to a nephrologist for follow up.  The neph suggested it could be because of my weight (I'm currently pre-op) and I took that moment to see if he would be on-board with WLS.  Sure enough, he was.  He changed my blood pressure med from hydrochlorothiazide (a diuretic) to lisinopril (an ACE inhibitor) and said that might help.  Sure enough, I now don't have protein in my urine.  He says it's the 60 pounds I've lost.  I say it's the BP med change.  I've lost significant amounts of weight before yet still had the protein in my urine. 

So, I'm not much help.  I can tell you that just because there is protein at a single urine sample, doesn't mean it's a significant amount when they measure for the 24 hour test.

Good luck!
TS

Thanks for the feedback.  I appreciate it!  l'll follow up with the Rheumy next week and well see what happens iwth the 24 hour urine sample!

Thanks!

There are a lot of things that cause protein in urine, even with lupus.

Rheumies check protein (and other kidney levels) because they are looking for CHANGE, that might mean problems.  Your Dr. will evaluate protein levels in concert wtih other blood/urine chems.

But it's probably not WLS related.

Hi...Not sure if this will help, but I had "nephrotic range" protein levels in my urine 2 years ago...got sent to a nephrologist...had a biopsy and to everyone's surprise was diagnosed with membranous glomerulonephritis....which turns out to be associated with lupus and some other autoimmune disorders (I have had lupus for around 8 years)...I was concerned that I wouldn't be able to have RNY because of the kidney disease and lupus, but I did in Nov. 2009 and am doing great (well, only 1 flare since surgery)....I would think the protein is definitely a kidney issue, not a WLS related....the other thing is several blood pressure medications have a side affect of decreasing protein in the urine...I currently take Vasotec twice daily simply to control the protein levels in my urine and it has worked well so far...good luck

 I had a protein change that looked as if it was going to be glomerulonephritis -- it was a sudden spike.  Further tests were negative, though.

How are you feeling now?  And how did they treat the kidney probs?

I feel great now...no further kidney problems since the diagnosis- it is being treated with Vasotec (a blood pressure medication) twice daily and that seems to be doing the trick...it's keeping everything under control...the only problem will be if I have to come off of the medication because of my blood pressure being too low (which might happen with further weight loss)...we'll see...

I should clarify that my RNY was in November 2008 (not 2009 as listed above)!