Ateam2023
Member
Cystatin c was how i discovered i had ckd, im glad i pulled this test because im in early stages of ckd and can absolutely do something about it now that i know,,
MESO-Rx
Anabolic Steroids
Ok, how retarded am I?
- Thread starter YatesIsBased
- Start date
Both, more or less. Standard creatinine based eGFR dropped from 105 to 64 in that time. I’m not yet big or hardcore enough yet that I think my training is invalidating liver and kidney measurements too much.
This month was my first cystatin-c test ever, and that eGFR was 55.
Not sure what happened yet. They did a contrast CT and didn’t see anything concerning on that. Told me to go home and stay hydrated and maybe go easy on the PEDs and peptides. Negative for protein in urine but low serum protein. Guess I’ve got protein gremlins running around somewhere.
Probably self-inflicted, though I am on a new biologic for IBD and some other prescribed things that might be factors. Seeing a nephrologist in a few weeks and will hopefully get some better tests (ultrasound, biopsy).
First time this month. Wish I had history for it. Thank god for communities like this sharing critical info like that.
The doctors looked at my results and scratched their heads and said “why would anybody order these tests?” For cystatin-c, apolipo, ggt, etc. I mean, they’re ER docs so if I’m. It bleeding out they’re happy, but it was an eye opener. They said creatinine was probably high because I was dehydrated and just ignored that the cystatin-c eGFR was also low and in close agreement.
Also, I am *never* dehydrated.
malfeasance
Member
That is a shocking amount in such a short period of time, 5 months.
malfeasance
Member
What did you do over the last five months that might have caused this precipitous drop?
I was not deliberate enough or consistent enough in my “cycle” to be able to say. But my guess is injectable orals / PWOs including heavy solvents were the straw that broke the camel’s back. Maybe I’m also sensitive to EQ, which I was running alongside test. I expect to see some rebound after a few weeks on cruise as I am already feeling somewhat better.
Just stupidity and acting like a kid in a candy store. Not the first time I’ve done it. Almost died cave diving once in a Florida cave that had been closed because I’d already made the drive to the site and didn’t think it could be *that* silted out. So far god’s been kind enough to give me a free warning shot now and then.
malfeasance
Member
Please let us know how things turn out.
That’s great to see!
Pardon the presumption, but if I were you (and I’m in a pretty similar situation), I’d still recommend seeing a doctor ASAP and coming clean so they can best do their job. My experience with this scared me so bad I’ll happily burn a GP relationship if that’s what it costs to get an informed look at my kidneys. There are plenty of doctors around, but I’ve only got these two filters.
YatesIsBased
Member
I see a GP and he has seen my blood work. (Not the >4k total test results. lol)
I think we have a kind of don't ask, don't tell relationship. Otherwise, I have taken responsibility to closely monitor my own healthcare.
It's interesting how your GP responded.
What do you think your GP did different with his "informed" look at your kidneys that another GP without the full PEDs disclosure wouldn't?
malfeasance
Member
Off topic, but I am curious. Who is in your avatar?
That was the ER doc. I wasn’t dying fast enough for them to be too concerned. I am waiting to see a nephrologist. Not sure what they’ll do, but I’m going to be very clear about what I have done and plan to continue to do (which are somewhat different things). I just don’t think I’ll get my full money’s worth otherwise.
Thinking a bit more on this - it’s possible when I tell the nephrologists that I’ve taken high dose test and some other AAS, they’ll tell me to get the fuck out and not think any further on the topic, rather than using that data to better guide my treatment. I’ll let you know which way the chips fall. In the meantime, I have my bucket of Astragalus root for “support” and Claude.ai to hallucinate diagnoses for me.
I have this dream of building a relationship with a doctor with a harm reduction mindset that won’t need to be DA/DT. I’m not actually sure what their ethical and insurance limitations will allow it for an ongoing relationship. Recreational drug abusers get treatment, as do habitual overeaters and others who are in some way or other the cause of their own health problems, though, so I don’t see why PEDs *have* to be any different. Maybe it would keep me off the list for an organ transplant or something but honestly I don’t think I’d be willing to go through that to live anyway.
YatesIsBased
Member
I hope your dream comes to fruition. Keep us posted.
YatesIsBased
Member
Just a cool looking dude with an important message.
I'll post a fully thread about this adventure when after my second nephrology appointment in a couple of weeks, but this has been interesting.
Latest tests:
So that's better and improving a little, but still nowhere near as good as I was a year or two ago. But I also wasn't on anabolics or maniacally focused on building muscle a year or two ago.
Now for the 24 hour urine test, which my nephro called "the gold standard". Funny thing: despite all the doctors skeptically suggesting I was just dehydrated and that's what drove up my creatinine levels - I had to buy an extra urine sample jug to cover the 24 hour period. I think I hit about 2.4 liters total volume. Never had one of these before, so no baselines to go off.
From what I can tell, that creatinine clearance of 118 mL/min is plenty good. I made a mistake and didn't leave enough time between my last gym session and protein feast and starting the collection -- which the doctor didn't mention. So this is still probably a bit warped by non-average-population behaviors.
Between maybe having a bit above average muscle mass, high protein consumption, and maybe just quirks of my own physiology, I've downgraded to KIDNEY DEFCON 4.
(I"m 215 lbs, btw - not sure where they got 205)
Ateam2023
Member
im sure i missed this , but what medication did your nephrologist put you on?
Nothing yet. I'm going to ask about SGLT2 inhibitors like Jardiance because why not. He said if I kept retaining water, he could prescribe a "water pill", which ... ugh. Don't talk to me like Pa Kettle.
Before I was able to see any physician, I cut out all AAS, HGH, and peptides except testosterone and HCG, dropped a lot of meds including Protonix (proton pump inhibitor with known kidney toxicity), to remove as many variables as possible. I also started taking a few supps like astragalus and milk thistle. Figured it couldn't hurt.
Based on my labs before the 24 hour test, he doesn't think it's CKD. Could be medication related AKI or similar. Said it's probably related to exercise and new muscle mass. I'm bigger, but not that much bigger than I was last year. It also seems that doctors always assume you've been dehydrated no matter what you tell them or how much you slosh when you walk. But I will find out what he thinks next steps are after my next appt. I couldn't talk him into an ultrasound or biopsy on the first visit, and it may not be justifiable after this test.
After being persuaded by the folks here who opened my eyes to the potential future ramifications of having "AAS drug abuser" on my record, I did not disclose anything related to anabolics except TRT to him.
How's your journey going?
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Ateam2023
Member
some dr scoff at trt like its actual steroid use, my nephrologist saw that i was on testosterone and automatically said "that likely your cause" for ckd, COMPLETE IDIOT, i asked him if he was "up to date on current TRT protocols" and he said NO? Wtf then, Anyway he put me on jardiance and all my kidney numbers have improved and i was only on for 1 month, so likely it will get even better, some of these "older dr" are just so stuck in the past and are not current on TRT protocol etc,,
How are you feeling? I can't remember - did you ever have symptoms or just catch things via blood tests?
I definitely notice an improved energy and sense of wellness since my low point corresponding with poor numbers. Maybe that was due to compounds I was taking, maybe it was due to poorer kidney function. I may never know.
Ateam2023
Member
no symptoms per say, and i honestly can't tell im on anything from the jardiance, smooth transition into my 10 mg daily, the only reason i found out i had stage 3a CKD was a Cystatin c test i took randomly myself, sometimes getting thorough tests is important and in my case i caught this early where its totally treatable,,
