To think steroid injection could have affected my kidney function

[cultkid]

Sorry I'm panicking and upset

I've got hydronephrosis and it's because I'm pregnant
I am 27 weeks pregnant and being treated by the hospital with things like pain management and fluids when I can't cope at home
I'm taking dihydrocodeine for the pain

Yesterday the pain was horrific again and I couldn't even move so I went to hospital in an ambulance, they even had to take me out of the house on a stretcher

I had bloods taken and the baby moved so the pain became more manageable and I went home

Anyway bloods have come back as kidney function being out. The midwife didn't give more details on phone. The doctors are in theatre and I'm panicking I'll have to go back in to hospital again when they call me. Just going to have to get bits ready in case I do go in.

I had to have two steroid injections last week because I had a positive partosure swab but they think it was just contaminated? Could the steroid injections affect my kidney function? I've never had problems with the function only just infections and pain from the hydronephrosis

I'm so upset and I can't stop crying I was wondering if anyone could shed some light

I think it is far more likely that the hydronephrosis has got to the point where kidney damage is occurring. Long term steroid use does cause kidney damage, but two injections are unlikely to. Sorry you are suffering with this, I hope they can get your kidneys back online.

Oh no 😩 that is really not the answer I was thinking or hoping for

Last week when they scanned, the kidneys seemed to be smaller then they had been 😩 function was fine too, I'm so sad

Still waiting to hear

Any news yet today? Definitely chase them if you havent heard by tomorrow morning, you really dont want your kidney function to be down for more than a day, especially when you are pregnant

@SeaToSki thank you for checking in

I called back 4 hours later to ask what was the latest and the midwife had one hundred percent forgotten to ask a doctor. I could tell. They always call back within like an hour. She also didn't know what she was Talking about she said my function was 29, I was utterly terrified. My GFR is fine😑 it was the creatinine was 29 but that's not awful and I've had it hanging around there or there abouts for the whole pregnancy

When I asked for the results she gave me a whole spiel about the self discharge I made the day before, told me my function was out etc. She tried to frighten me on the phone, if my function was 29 that would have been horrendous especially if she forgot to tell the doctor. She then said I was rude when I asked her if she forgot to ask. She was just awful. I spent the day in tears thinking it was very serious.

I have had good experiences of the maternity care at the hospital with this pregnancy and have worked really hard building relationships with the people there, it was awful what happened yesterday. How did she confuse my GFR for 29 and then not think to raise it with a doctor? Awful!!

@SeaToSki thank you so much for checking in. I was utterly terrified xx

So Im a bit confused, is your function actually fine and the midwife told you the wrong number (which made it seem like it was dreadful) or is it still not actually ok?

Either way, you are doing a good job building great relationships…the midwife was probably having a bad day and then just got defensive when she realised she got something important wrong. Try and let it just wash over you and start fresh with her tomorrow.

Are you still in pain, did you get some help with that?

GFR is fine it's in the normal range. She told me it was out and she needed to speak to the doctor. She said it was GFR 29, then didn't call me back for over 4 hours, so I called again to see what was going on. At which point she said she hadn't spoken to a doctor yet, she clearly forgot and then she said I was rude when I asked her to go and talk to a doctor. With a GFR of 29 I would obviously need to be in hospital and indeed have stents done right away to protect my kidneys, she was wrong and didn't read the results properly. Creatinine was 29 . She told me on the phone GFR was 29, which shocked me that if she thought that she didn't raise it with a doctor right away for a woman who has existing serious renal issues. You can see why I would be so distressed being told my GFR had suddenly dropped to 29!

Yes I let it wash over me but I did admittedly spend the night tossing and turning and imagining seeing her today when I had to go to clinic. She wasn't there. I waited in my car until the last minute and went in praying she wasn't there Incase she tried to discipline me for leaving hospital again. But I saw the MCAs and MWs I knew, who were happy to see me and very loving.

Pain is ok it is largely manageable with pain killers although the occasional day where it's so so bad I can't move and then maternity have been incredible at helping me back onto my feet again. I usually do stay at hospital for treatment but on Saturday once the pain was gone I was so exhausted I wanted to get home, there wasn't any reason for me to stay other then for fluids, which I knew I could stay on top of at home myself as long as I took anti emetics.

I think at this point it's really important that midwives and doctors respect that I do honestly understand my body well, it's my third baby and I have had hydronephrosis three times including a nephrostomy.

Thanks so much for checking in, it's actually very interesting how much the body changes when pregnant. Do you work with kidneys? They are fascinating aren't they.

Im glad you are doing better, I completely agree that doctors and healthcare professionals in general shouldn't treat patients like naughty children (which they are prone to doing) it drives me crazy as I am in healthcare although not clinical. But I shouldn't have to tell medics that to be treated with respect