10 Causes of HypoAlbumenia

This is not a complete list.  Low albumin can be caused by a multitude of diseases and conditions.

1.  Alcoholism
2.  Liver cirrhosis

3.  Hepatitis B
4.  Hepatitis C
5.  Autoimmune liver disease
6.  Nephrotic syndrome
7.  Heart failure
8.  Renal failure
9.  Ulcerative colitis
10. Renal amyloidosis

Lasix and Hypoproteinemia - low protein

This is from a patient's perspective.

I am an educated allied health science disabled patient... let me explain why I have to take lasix due to my low protein:

The protein I'm low in is Albumin.  This is a plasma protein that helps hold water/fluid inside blood cells and other cells.  Without the Albumin holding water 'in',  the water runs out into the interstitial tissues... This is what they call third-spacing.

Doctors describe this process in terms of "osmotic pressure".  That is the osmotic pressure is upset, and fluid is allowed to run across semipermeable cell membranes, causing edema (fluid accumulation in body tissues).

This is where Lasix comes in.  The Generic name is furosemide.  This medication pulls fluid into the bloodstream and is allowed to be eliminated upon urination.  Exactly how this works is not clear to me.  All I know is, it's supposed to make you pee.

Now, the reason I'm losing my protein is yet unclear.  The results of the protein loss in me is generalized edema and (I believe) this edema also builds up in my intestines.

I believe this because on many occasions, medications taken by mouth including  lasix seem to lose effectiveness.  When this happens, I accumulate exessive fluid - upwards of 40 pounds.. that's almost like pouring 5 gallons of water inside my skin.

Before it gets to this point, I call my doctor who has me admitted into the VA hospital where I am treated.  I explain the treatment in previous blog entries.

The treatment involves IV meds including Albumin as well as Lasix which then doesn't have to be absorbed across the intestinal walls... it works then let me tell you.

I get 60 to 80mg of lasix either 2 or 3 times per day, causing me to urinate up to 2 liters or more for each dose.

I've noticed my first urinations are typical yellow in color, but the second liter is very clear and the color of tap water.

hypoproteinemia - hypoalbuminemia - low protein - treatment - medications - patient - case history - case study

Albumin and Lasix Dosage for Treating Hypoalbuminemia Symptoms Associated with PLE

~DANIEL TAVERNE~

I spent a week in the hospital recently. I came back tuesday, the 7th day of my admission. Each time I go for hypoalbuminemia I get this treatment. Sometimes it's twice a month... sometimes it's only once per month.

First of all, I'm a 43y/o male...my base weight is about 160lbs.

They gave me 50ml of Albumin - infused over an hours time q8hrs...every 8 hours. Each was followed by Lasix IV push...dosage below. My blood pressure was monitered every 4 hours and my I/O was recouded. I'll get this treatment daily untill I reach my base weight.

I was treated for the hypoproteinemia that I spill into my GI tract somehow. The exact cause of this spillage, or what ever is causing my albumin to be low is still unclear after 8 years. My Albumin has been less than 1 for a long, long time.

I get anasarca (generalized edema-fluid retention all over my body. This fluid is very incomfortable - sometimes painful- and I get tired...lacking energy to do many thing I like to do in life.

Well, while in the hospital the dose given was 50ml of albumin (intravenously) 3 times a day, or every 8 hours. Each one of those doses was followed up with 60ml of lasix (IV push)
Occasionally my albumin level seems to spontaneously increase. And, occasionally that happens when I'm in the hospital. I've lost as much as 40 pounds of fluid... that's alot of peeing!

For some reason, though I went into the hospital last seek, my protein has been slow to fall. This has allowed me to be more enthusiastic about life. I began lifting weights again and boy am I getting pumped up.
I'm not sure what my albumin lever is now, but it still isn't so bad. I think it'll gradually decrease though as it always seems too.