Guest guest Posted January 12, 2005 Report Share Posted January 12, 2005 But the kidneys themselves control blood pressure, through the renin- angiotensin- aldosterone system. The kidneys themselves make the blood pressure go up more as they are damaged. They are such a part of the system that you couldn't really loop them off? Plus, their job is to filter the blood. If you loop them off how are they going to do their job properly? That's the whole problem... Also IgAn is an immune system problem too- taking a kidney out while it's not really damaged and then putting it back in later would not only be risky (because it's major surgery and your remaining kidney would have to do all the work -and the damage would happen faster), but your immune system would still recognize it (the fairly good kidney) as foreign (even years later) and the IgA would still be depositing in it when you put it back in. In fact in some IgAn patients post transplant, IgAn starts to develop again, albeit slower. Not always, but it does happen. That's why the majority of the efforts are about slowing the disease down to nothing. Ace inhibitors or ARBs control the BP and reduce proteinuria, then later prednisone suppresses the immune system and stops it from attacking the kidneys to a point. But is there ever a complete remission? I don't think so. At the very least you would still have to be monitored for blood/protein. The good part is, it's not that bad compared to some other chronic conditions. For one thing, other than the flank pain that some have posted about, it's not usually painful. And other than being monitored, taking your meds, and sometimes being on a special diet, you can live your life normally. One of the things that surprised me (in a good way) on this group is the number of people who still work with this disease. That's how normal your life can be. That's very encouraging! Best wishes, -beth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 12, 2005 Report Share Posted January 12, 2005 Great response beth. The surgery idea would not work because the kidneys make Renin, a hormone that helps to regulate blood pressure. Also, it is when the blood flows through the kidneys that the waste products are removed and you would never want to attempt anything that would surgically change the flow of blood through them. In a message dated 1/12/2005 12:21:57 PM Eastern Standard Time, " beth " writes: > >But the kidneys themselves control blood pressure, through the renin- angiotensin- aldosterone system. The kidneys themselves make the blood pressure go up more as they are damaged. They are such a part of the system that you couldn't really loop them off? Plus, their job is to filter the blood. If you loop them off how are they going to do their job properly? That's the whole problem... > >Also IgAn is an immune system problem too- taking a kidney out while it's not really damaged and then putting it back in later would not only be risky (because it's major surgery and your remaining kidney would have to do all the work -and the damage would happen faster), but your immune system would still recognize it (the fairly good kidney) as foreign (even years later) and the IgA would still be depositing in it when you put it back in. > >In fact in some IgAn patients post transplant, IgAn starts to develop again, albeit slower. Not always, but it does happen. >That's why the majority of the efforts are about slowing the disease down to nothing. Ace inhibitors or ARBs control the BP and reduce proteinuria, then later prednisone suppresses the immune system and stops it from attacking the kidneys to a point. But is there ever a complete remission? I don't think so. At the very least you would still have to be monitored for blood/protein. > >The good part is, it's not that bad compared to some other chronic conditions. For one thing, other than the flank pain that some have posted about, it's not usually painful. And other than being monitored, taking your meds, and sometimes being on a special diet, you can live your life normally. One of the things that surprised me (in a good way) on this group is the number of people who still work with this disease. That's how normal your life can be. That's very encouraging! > >Best wishes, > > >-beth > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 12, 2005 Report Share Posted January 12, 2005 Great response beth. The surgery idea would not work because the kidneys make Renin, a hormone that helps to regulate blood pressure. Also, it is when the blood flows through the kidneys that the waste products are removed and you would never want to attempt anything that would surgically change the flow of blood through them. In a message dated 1/12/2005 12:21:57 PM Eastern Standard Time, " beth " writes: > >But the kidneys themselves control blood pressure, through the renin- angiotensin- aldosterone system. The kidneys themselves make the blood pressure go up more as they are damaged. They are such a part of the system that you couldn't really loop them off? Plus, their job is to filter the blood. If you loop them off how are they going to do their job properly? That's the whole problem... > >Also IgAn is an immune system problem too- taking a kidney out while it's not really damaged and then putting it back in later would not only be risky (because it's major surgery and your remaining kidney would have to do all the work -and the damage would happen faster), but your immune system would still recognize it (the fairly good kidney) as foreign (even years later) and the IgA would still be depositing in it when you put it back in. > >In fact in some IgAn patients post transplant, IgAn starts to develop again, albeit slower. Not always, but it does happen. >That's why the majority of the efforts are about slowing the disease down to nothing. Ace inhibitors or ARBs control the BP and reduce proteinuria, then later prednisone suppresses the immune system and stops it from attacking the kidneys to a point. But is there ever a complete remission? I don't think so. At the very least you would still have to be monitored for blood/protein. > >The good part is, it's not that bad compared to some other chronic conditions. For one thing, other than the flank pain that some have posted about, it's not usually painful. And other than being monitored, taking your meds, and sometimes being on a special diet, you can live your life normally. One of the things that surprised me (in a good way) on this group is the number of people who still work with this disease. That's how normal your life can be. That's very encouraging! > >Best wishes, > > >-beth > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 12, 2005 Report Share Posted January 12, 2005 Great response beth. The surgery idea would not work because the kidneys make Renin, a hormone that helps to regulate blood pressure. Also, it is when the blood flows through the kidneys that the waste products are removed and you would never want to attempt anything that would surgically change the flow of blood through them. In a message dated 1/12/2005 12:21:57 PM Eastern Standard Time, " beth " writes: > >But the kidneys themselves control blood pressure, through the renin- angiotensin- aldosterone system. The kidneys themselves make the blood pressure go up more as they are damaged. They are such a part of the system that you couldn't really loop them off? Plus, their job is to filter the blood. If you loop them off how are they going to do their job properly? That's the whole problem... > >Also IgAn is an immune system problem too- taking a kidney out while it's not really damaged and then putting it back in later would not only be risky (because it's major surgery and your remaining kidney would have to do all the work -and the damage would happen faster), but your immune system would still recognize it (the fairly good kidney) as foreign (even years later) and the IgA would still be depositing in it when you put it back in. > >In fact in some IgAn patients post transplant, IgAn starts to develop again, albeit slower. Not always, but it does happen. >That's why the majority of the efforts are about slowing the disease down to nothing. Ace inhibitors or ARBs control the BP and reduce proteinuria, then later prednisone suppresses the immune system and stops it from attacking the kidneys to a point. But is there ever a complete remission? I don't think so. At the very least you would still have to be monitored for blood/protein. > >The good part is, it's not that bad compared to some other chronic conditions. For one thing, other than the flank pain that some have posted about, it's not usually painful. And other than being monitored, taking your meds, and sometimes being on a special diet, you can live your life normally. One of the things that surprised me (in a good way) on this group is the number of people who still work with this disease. That's how normal your life can be. That's very encouraging! > >Best wishes, > > >-beth > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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