Protein Power

Starting last week I have been increasing my protein intake in hopes that I begin to compensate for the continuing loss of protein from my faulty kidneys. Although I am taking in about 60 grams of protein a day (which is about 10 grams more than a person my size would need), much of it goes wasted. As a result, the protein in my body is quite low (about 70% of normal) due to this damage. I'm not sure if there is a relation, or is if it is just coincidence, but my edema continues to improve. I am now averaging 20mg of Lasix a week (compared to 160mg a day) prior to my second transplant.

Of course, removing all of that fluid has been like removing the plug from a tub of water, and all that is left is skin and bone! Although I have succeeded in getting back my muscle mass, I have lost nearly all fat from my body since I first got sick (about 10-12 pounds, or 9% of my body weight). I am lean and trim, but I could use some meat on my bones. I know that some people would be jealous of this achievement, but trust me, a little padding can be useful -- especially in this chilly New England weather, where the cold, freezing wind goes right through you. When I tell people I've been "chilled to the bone", I mean that literally!

Yesterday's visit to the cardiologist was interesting. As I mentioned a few days ago, my labs showed an increase in cholesterol, which was bizarre since my other numbers looked pretty good. In these tests, it showed a high amount of LDL (the bad cholesterol) , which I've never had before. So he believes that perhaps that those results were a fluke, and he wants me to take the tests again. I'm planning on doing this early next week.

While I was there at the hospital, I paid a visit to the staff nutritionist in hopes that she may be able to find a diet for me which allows me to increase my caloric intake, yet remain on a low-sodium diet. Not easy! After a half-hour of scratching our heads on a strategy, she recommended that I focus on calorie-packed foods such as nuts and yogurt, and that it was okay to increase my protein intake even further to better assist in rebuilding the protein in my body. Since my kidney and liver functions are okay, she gave me the permission to increase my protein intake from 60 grams to 80+ grams a day, and to increase my daily calorie consumption to 2600 calories. This doesn't sound difficult, but it really is with my special diet. And besides, I will have to be constantly eating throughout the day to make this target. Ugh.