# High RBS and protein in urine, due to Grave's?



## Sandex10 (Feb 22, 2010)

I was Dx'd @ March 2010 with Graves. I have been on Methimazole since then. It has been a long' slow process, but my numbers are slowly coming into 'normal' range, with TSH being the slowest, of course.
Ever since I was dx'd, and have been getting regular labs done, my RBC, HGB,and HCT have always been high. I had pointed this out to my endo on numerous occasions, but he always brushed it off until recently. So he sent me off to my GP for further testing. After having a blood and urine test done (24 hour), I was found to have a high amout of protein in my urine (normal being 150 and mine was 275), whatever those numbers mean. Also, I can remember having a routine drug test done for work about half a year before I was diagnosed, (which I now know that the strange symptoms I was experiencing back then were due to the Graves), and the nurse had told me that there was protein in my urine then. 
So my question is, could this all be due to my Grave's? I have scoured the web and have found a little information, but nothing concrete. I was wondering if anyone else has experienced this. I had even mentioned what I had found, to my GP, and she wondered why my endo wouldn't have made this connection.....if it is true. I would greatly appreciate any feedback of information. I will post my recent labs, just for the heck of it. Thanks!

6/4/12

T3 Triiodothyronine 100.1 (60-181)
Thyroxine Free 1.0 (.9-1.8)
TSH .10 (.35-5.50)

Since being dx'd in early 2010, my TSH has only been in normal range for about 2 months (I was down to taking 2.5 mg of Meth every other day), but you can see it has dropped again, so we upped my doasage to 2.5 every day. SO yes, it has been a long, slow, process. Here are my labs from this past January:

1/21/12

T3 70 (60-181)
Thyroxine free .9 (.9-1.8)
TSH .74 (.35-5.5)

It seems like when my TSH was in range, my T3 and T4 were close to the hypo end. This is becoming so frustrating. Sorry for going on...


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Sandex10 said:


> I was Dx'd @ March 2010 with Graves. I have been on Methimazole since then. It has been a long' slow process, but my numbers are slowly coming into 'normal' range, with TSH being the slowest, of course.
> Ever since I was dx'd, and have been getting regular labs done, my RBC, HGB,and HCT have always been high. I had pointed this out to my endo on numerous occasions, but he always brushed it off until recently. So he sent me off to my GP for further testing. After having a blood and urine test done (24 hour), I was found to have a high amout of protein in my urine (normal being 150 and mine was 275), whatever those numbers mean. Also, I can remember having a routine drug test done for work about half a year before I was diagnosed, (which I now know that the strange symptoms I was experiencing back then were due to the Graves), and the nurse had told me that there was protein in my urine then.
> So my question is, could this all be due to my Grave's? I have scoured the web and have found a little information, but nothing concrete. I was wondering if anyone else has experienced this. I had even mentioned what I had found, to my GP, and she wondered why my endo wouldn't have made this connection.....if it is true. I would greatly appreciate any feedback of information. I will post my recent labs, just for the heck of it. Thanks!
> 
> ...


I had this book marked so it was quite handy.

High RBC, hyper
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(76)91920-6/abstract

Urine Protein
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7712927

As for the Hematocrit, I suspect you are not getting enough oxygen. With Graves', all muscles experience myopathy including the muscles surrounding and supporting the action of the lungs and after all this time, I hope that your largest muscle which is the heart is fine. Many of us have heart damage, myself included.

What is your plan regarding all of this?


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## Sandex10 (Feb 22, 2010)

Thank you so much for your quick reply! I am going to see a nephrologist on Friday. But at least now I will be able to go, armed with some info as to why this is happening. I'm still surprised that none of my doctors have made the connection.
I knew that Grave's patients experienced some breakdown of muscle. But I had no idea as to the extent. Is this something that can be reversed once I am out of hyper range? Maybe I should just bite the bullet and have my thyroid destroyed, if that may fix, or help, with the problem.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Sandex10 said:


> Thank you so much for your quick reply! I am going to see a nephrologist on Friday. But at least now I will be able to go, armed with some info as to why this is happening. I'm still surprised that none of my doctors have made the connection.
> I knew that Grave's patients experienced some breakdown of muscle. But I had no idea as to the extent. Is this something that can be reversed once I am out of hyper range? Maybe I should just bite the bullet and have my thyroid destroyed, if that may fix, or help, with the problem.


If I had known then what I know now, I would have had my thyroid removed immediately and bypass 2 years of suffering on anti-thyroid meds.

And I do mean suffering.

You are welcome and do let us know how goes it!


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## Sandex10 (Feb 22, 2010)

Well, I have an update. I went to see the kidney specialist (can't remember the correct name, due to my brain not funtioning so well these days), and he seems to think that my issue of high RBC and protien in urine, ISN'T Grave's related. Instead, he thinks it may be from being on Prilosec for such a long time (on and off, for over 10 years). Just a few months ago, I was diagnosed with erosive esophogitis, and had my dosage of Prilosec upped to twice a day. He seems to think this was around the time that my creatinine levels shot up.

I did some research, and saw all kinds of warnings about PPI's, and a link to kidney problems. I had no idea! I guess these days, I'm quick to attribute any health problems, to my Grave's. But anyway, I just thought I would pass on this information for those who didn't know.

I will be having an ultrasound done, of my kidneys, and possible a biopsy. He said he wanted to be very thorough with me, due to the fact that I have an autoimmune disease, and wanted to make sure that something else, wasn't attacking my kidneys. So, I am off the Prilosec as of now, and hopefully (crossing fingers) things will get back to normal...as far as my kidneys and blood counts are concerned. hugs1


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## webster2 (May 19, 2011)

I just found out my creatinine levels are high. I don't think it is Graves related. I have some kidney stones. This past winter I had gall bladder stones. So this has been a bout of a rocky spell.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

webster2 said:


> I just found out my creatinine levels are high. I don't think it is Graves related. I have some kidney stones. This past winter I had gall bladder stones. So this has been a bout of a rocky spell.


"Rocky" is an understatement!


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## desrtbloom (May 23, 2010)

Have you been tested for diabetes?


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