Nephrotic Syndrome
When To Call a Doctor
Call 911 or other emergency services if you have nephrotic syndrome and you develop:
- Reference Chest pain Opens New Window.
- Severe shortness of breath or Reference difficulty breathing Opens New Window.
- Sudden and severe belly pain or Reference flank pain Opens New Window. Flank pain is felt just below the rib cage and above the waist on one or both sides of the back.
Call your doctor immediately if you have:
- Bloody urine (gross hematuria).
- Sudden, severe swelling in your legs, and pain when you flex your feet.
- Swelling of the scrotum.
- Sudden, severe increase in swelling around the eyes or in the hands, legs, or feet.
- Sudden weight gain, such as 2 lb (0.9 kg) in 24 hours or 5 lb (2.3 kg) in a week.
Watchful waiting
If you think your child or you may have nephrotic syndrome, or if your child or you have the condition and the symptoms are getting worse, don't wait to get treatment. Call your doctor right away.
Who to see
Health professionals who can diagnose nephrotic syndrome include:
- Reference Family medicine physicians Opens New Window.
- Reference Internists Opens New Window.
- Reference Nephrologists Opens New Window, doctors who specialize in kidney disease.
- Reference Pediatricians Opens New Window.
- Reference Pediatric nephrologists Opens New Window, doctors who specialize in kidney disease in children.
- Reference Physician assistants (PA) Opens New Window.
- Reference Nurse practitioners Opens New Window.
Nephrotic syndrome is usually treated by a nephrologist or a pediatric nephrologist, depending on the age of the person affected.
To prepare for your appointment, see the topic Reference Making the Most of Your Appointment.
| By: | Reference Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: Reference May 7, 2012 |
| Medical Review: | Reference Anne C. Poinier, MD - Internal Medicine
Reference Tushar J. Vachharajani, MD, FASN, FACP - Nephrology |
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