Questions: I am a patient with FSGS. Now my creatinine level has reached 5.1. My doctor said that I need dialysis now. I want to know that can dialysis bring my creatinine 5.1 down? Is there any other choice for me?

Answers: I am glad to receive your email. Now I will make you some suggestions according to your condition. Your doctor must have told you that the normal creatinine level ranges from 0.5-1.2 mg/dl. Your creatinine 5.1 is indeed higher that the normal level. In your email, you told me that you are suffering from feet swelling, nausea and vomits. In view of your condition, maybe you need dialysis. But considering that I do not know your specific medical condition, I cannot give you an exact answer.

However, I can tell you that dialysis can bring your creatinine 5.1 down. But it is not the basic method to lower high creatinine level. This is because once you start dialysis, kidneys will lose their ability to do jobs. So if you stop doing dialysis, the creatinine will accumulate in blood at a more fast rate. So your creatinine level will be elevated again.

You must be wondering that how to lower your creatinine 5.1 fundamentally. The first step is to purify your blood. Though dialysis can help remove some toxins, but it is not able to discharge all of the toxins. Blood Pollution therapy is recommended. Some advanced technologies will be applied, such as immune adsorption, plasma exchange, blood perfusion, etc.

Then you are suggested to regulate your immune system because you are attacked by FSGS and your immune system is disturbed by the immune complex. Immunotherapy is suggested to regulate the disordered immune system.

Through these two processes, your kidney function will be improved and creatinine 5.1 will be brought down naturally. If you want to know more about the two therapies, you can send me an email to renal-disease@hotmail.com!