Creatinin 1.7

At our 'six-month meeting with my surgeon/urologist he expressed concern over my high-ish creatinin levels ~1.7 ( normal range of 0.7 to 1.3). These have been high since my surgery in November but he hasn't been concerned because some elevation is 'normal' following this surgery. But after 5 months the doctors start using words like 'cronic' and my surgeon wanted to take a closer look at my kidney function. 

Kidney Function: 

The Creatinine test measures the level of the waste product creatinine in your blood and urine. This test tells how well your kidneys are working. The substance creatine is formed when food is changed into energy through a process called metabolism. Creatine is broken down into another substance called creatinine, which is taken out of your blood by the kidneys and then passed out of your body in urine. 

Creatinine is made at a steady rate and is not affected by diet or by normal physical activities. If your kidneys are damaged and cannot work normally, the amount of creatinine in your urine goes down while its level in your blood goes up. [Read more on Web MD]

Since my Creatinine levels have remained high since my surgery (and both x-rays and cat scans of my kidneys have indicated a swelling of the left kidney) I was scheduled for a "NM Renal Scan w/ Lasix" test where they injected a radioactive dye into my blood which would be filtered by the kidneys and moved to the bladder. They watched the progress of this dye, with some sort of scanner, for 60 minutes, and from this they could tell what percentage of the dye was processed by each kidney. [Read more about NM Renal Scans].  I was instructed to lay as still as possible during the scan and once the techician was satisfied that I was lined up properly and all systems were good, she turned the monitor so I could watch the progress (pass the time). I could tell right away that the left kidney was quite different than the right. One glowed much brighter than the other (I think it was the left). The Lasix is injected to stimulate the kidneys and since I had been instructed to drink up to 36 oz. of liquids prior to the scan I was a little concerned with holding it for an hour (with the neo bladder). I could see the bladder filling with the dye but I had no problem lasting the hour.

I will have to wait until my appointment with the surgeon (next week) to learn the official results. From what I saw, and from what little I know, I don't think the results will be good ...