How do you get an appointment with a kidney doctor when you are having problems with your kidneys?

Hi there. You’ll need to be flexible and take what you can get. It’s fortunate that you have an appt (it may still be cancelled if it’s a first evaluation). If you weren’t seen in January or February it doesn’t sound like you are needing dialysis or an emergency visit.

How recent are your labs including specifically serum Creatinine level & GFR?

If your labs are greater than 3-4 months old the nephrologist will need recent labs that you aren’t able to get done now due to lab overload.

A nephrologist is a kidney specialist. They run dialysis centers and have big problems keeping their patients and staff safe as right now every patient receiving chronic hemodialysis in an out patient clinic is at risk.

If it’s kidney stones you will see a urologist. I think they too are shutting down and treating emergencies only.

You can always reschedule if you like.

Park Nicolette is about four miles from Lakeville? At least there is not much traffic, assuming Minnesota is under stay at home.

Doctors are having to double up on duties, I am sure the clinics are not operating normally. I would think this is part of doing your part.

Excuse my ignorance, but is it not possible for you to go to the Lakeville clinic?

Everybody is being treated "like they have the plague." It's the precautionary principle. I expect your appointment has been relocated because the Park Nicollet organisation is separating facilities by specialty, and that's where they've put the renal clinics.

I was with a client who had accidentally taken an overdose yesterday. I needed to call his doctor for urgent advice. It took me nearly an hour on the phone; and while I waited, listening to recorded messages which frankly made me want to scream with frustration, the other thing I learned was that support staff and clinicians alike are being subjected to a great deal of verbal abuse at a time when they are under immense pressure. We are all stressed, the situation is stressful, but taking it out on anyone is just not going to help.

You are in a high risk group, and you should be shielded. It's up to you to decide whether you want to break quarantine and attend your appointment, or sit tight and wait a few weeks more. Can it wait? If not, can you get there?

rollergal - I know what you mean about being treated like you have the plague. I was at the receiving end of it. So, is everyone else. At least, you're not being singled out. Those who work in the hospital are very wary of catching the virus. So, we all need to be extra patient at this time.

I hope you can make it to the 2nd location. At least they didn't cancel you altogether.

rollergal, I live in your area and Park Nicollet is also my clinic. I know how far away Lakeville is and it's probably not your home clinic. What is the reason they want you to go to Lakeville? Is that where the kidney specialist is? Or are they overbooked in Burnsville? What is the problem you are having...kidney stones? Why do you think they are sending you to Lakeville -- because of virus exposure concerns? We can't help you unless you provide more information.

FYI my son works in one of the labs at the Mayo. He just told me today that the Mayo's Infectious Disease team is finding covid-19 in stool and blood so now it appears it can be spread by means other than saliva, which is even more worrisome. They are also saying that there can be permanent lung damage to survivors of the virus. This is why we need to know just how serious your kidney problem is -- you'll be taking a great risk and we need to get a sense if it's worth it.

Many medical appointments are being cancelled, postponed or moved to another clinic within a providers system due to Covid 19. I live in a different state than you and this is what' s happening here. What is the reason you can't go to the other clinic?

You’re in a high risk group. Is this an emergency appointment? Is there a reason that you object to going to the recommended location? Are they saying why they want you to go to that location?

Also, your profile says you are taking care of your husband with Parkinson’s disease. Both of you are at a higher risk than a younger person.

Best wishes to you and your husband.