October 27, 2009
Aches and Pains
Question from Marydel, Delaware, USA:
My 15-year-old son has been feeling ill for a couple of days. He has had a backache and has been complaining of a metallic taste in his mouth. His ketones have been negative to trace. His blood sugars fluctuate due to him not always correcting blood sugars and overeating. His last A1c, two months ago, was 7.9, but I am concerned about kidney problems. What are some sure tell signs of kidney problems?
Answer:
I doubt he has kidney problems from your description. Interestingly, at the early stage, the only way to tell there are problems is a urine test. There are no symptoms. By the time of late disease, there may be protein in the urine and edema (usually swollen feet). Severe kidney disease makes one ill.
LD
[Editor’s comment: Your son should be having routine kidney function testing by his pediatric endocrinologist. Make sure you discuss this with him/her. As for his current symptoms, you should discuss these with your pediatrician or family doctor.
BH]
