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My mother has type 2 diabetes. She is 62 and overweight. Two years ago she visited the doctor and her sugar was over 300. This really scared her and she lost weight and began feeling better. Well 2 years went by and she went through soem stressful situations which lead to overeating, etc. She went back to the doctor on Tue and had a workup, but she hadn't been for 2 years. The doctor called her later that day and said that a few tests were off, kidney, liver, and they found protein in the urine. Over the past year or so she has stopped taking all of her medications. The doctor wants to recheck the blood work in a week and started my mom back up on her medications. I am so concerned for her, as she has not been feeling well(tired)and was just wondering if this is a life threatening issue. I don't know which tests came back abnormal, or to what degree. All I was told was that the liver and kidney tests came back high. Also, she was only born with one kidney.

Submitted: 37 days and 4 hours ago.

Category: Health

Value: $9

Status: CLOSED

Posted by Schuyler_ANP 37 days and 4 hours ago.

Answer

Hello,

Welcome to Just Answer and thanks for your question. Without knowing which of the numbers that were off and by how much they were off, it's difficult to say if there is reason for concern. Certainly having uncontrolled diabetes can lead to kidney dysfunction, which is one reason for protein in the urine. She could also just have a urinary tract infections with some occult blood. Liver numbers can be up from infections, inflammation, medications, and other things. Usually if blood work isn't terribly off, the procedure is just to wait and repeat it to see if it comes back toward normal levels. Just getting her blood glucose back on track should make her feel a lot better over the next couple of weeks.

37 days and 4 hours ago.

Reply

Her white and red counts were all normal. She has been suffering with what she thinks is a yeast infection, but didn't tell the dr about that(she is a former nurse, she should know better...ugh) Her blood sugar level was over 300. The last time it was that high, two years ago she also had the symptoms of a yeast infection. I understand why/how the kidney function tests could be off, but why the liver too?

Thanks a bunch!
~Rebecca

Posted by Schuyler_ANP 37 days and 4 hours ago.

Answer

The liver enzyme increase probably isn't from the high blood glucose. It can be from infection, fatty liver (i.e. non-alcoholic steatohepatitis or NASH), cirrhosis, medications (Tylenol), etc. It can also come from gall stones, and any number of other things having nothing to do with blood glucose.

37 days and 4 hours ago.

Reply

oh and I almost forgot....her sodium level was low, but she uses a lot of salt so what would cause that?

Thanks again!

Worried daughter,
Rebecca

Posted by Schuyler_ANP 37 days and 4 hours ago.

Answer

Among the possibilities for low serum sodium are kidney disorders, Addison's disease, diuretics, drinking too much water, vomiting, diarrhea, problems with the hypothalmus or the pituitary gland, and many others. It's just as complicated as what can cause liver problems.

37 days and 4 hours ago.

Reply

I know it's so hard to tell at this point but the doctor said the levels were not way off, but slightly off. Do you think it's something that can be treated/managed?

This will be my last question

With much thanks,
Rebecca

Accepted Answer

If levels aren't far off, then it should respond well to treatment, and fairly quickly. I hope she will stay the course with her treatments this time. As a nurse she should know the serious microvascular and macrovascular consequences of poor diabetes control.

Accepts:
Expert:	Schuyler_ANP
Pos. Feedback:	99.5 %
Answered:	10/17/2009

Nurse Practitioner

Board Certified Nurse Practitioner, MS, RN. Private practice and hospitalist experience.

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Answer

The liver enzyme increase probably isn't from the high blood glucose. It can be from infection, fatty liver (i.e. non-alcoholic steatohepatitis or NASH), cirrhosis, medications (Tylenol), etc. It can also come from gall stones, and any number of other things having nothing to do with blood glucose.

Reply

oh and I almost forgot....her sodium level was low, but she uses a lot of salt so what would cause that? Thanks again! Worried daughter,Rebecca

Answer

Among the possibilities for low serum sodium are kidney disorders, Addison's disease, diuretics, drinking too much water, vomiting, diarrhea, problems with the hypothalmus or the pituitary gland, and many others. It's just as complicated as what can cause liver problems.

Reply

I know it's so hard to tell at this point but the doctor said the levels were not way off, but slightly off. Do you think it's something that can be treated/managed? This will be my last question With much thanks,Rebecca

Accepted Answer

If levels aren't far off, then it should respond well to treatment, and fairly quickly. I hope she will stay the course with her treatments this time. As a nurse she should know the serious microvascular and macrovascular consequences of poor diabetes control.

Related Health Questions

oh and I almost forgot....her sodium level was low, but she uses a lot of salt so what would cause that?

Thanks again!

Worried daughter,
Rebecca

I know it's so hard to tell at this point but the doctor said the levels were not way off, but slightly off. Do you think it's something that can be treated/managed?

This will be my last question

With much thanks,
Rebecca