I have consistently picked up Trace blood on my Multistix Urine dipstick tests the last 2-3 days. Last Monday (7.9), I went out of pocket and got my Creatinine tested directly through LabCorp (it was 1.2). On Friday, I went to Rheumy and had full labs (they are finished per Labcorp website, returned to doctor, so I will get results tomorrow). Test include microscopic urinalysis (to look for blood casts), CRP, and CMP.

On a side note, rheumy has in house lab that already processed blood counts (normal but white is high due to pred), and my sed rate was 20 (it was 12 last month).

When I was diagnosed in May via ANCA 3, PR3, and aleovar hemmorage, I also had trace blood in urine, but normal kidney blood labs and a negative kidney biopsy. Hospital nephrologist concluded I didn't have kidney involvement. I don't understand how I can not have kidney involvement despite having the blood in the urine. Blood in urine went away with heavy steroids, but it is now back.

What has me most concerned is the fact that I just finished 4 weeks of RTX, and I am still on 50MG of Pred. If I'm having having a kidney flare, does this mean the drugs are not working? Am I one of the unlucky few that RTX is not a miracle drug? Should my rheumy went with cytoxan initially to induce remission (they avoided CTX because of the lack of kidney involvement and my lungs cleared up so much of Pred alone).

Do I just wait for the labs tomorrow and if the kidney numbers are still normal then pump the brakes on freaking out? I read GPA can wipe out the kidneys in a matter of days.

How should I handle this? Obviously, I explain the situation to my doctor, but again, if the kidney labs are in normal range (even though .95 to 1.2 is a significant jump in Creatinine), what do I do if the rheumy blows me off? I'm not confident in her GPA expertise.

Oh, if this were only a month later: I have an appointment with Dr. Villa Forte of the Cleveland Clinic on the 14th of August....

Thanks for all of the forthcoming advice. I know I'm only 2 months into this so I need to grow a spine (and quick), but 4 months ago I could have never imagined this would be my new life.

All the best to everyone in this community....