I recently found out that I have a small left kidney. (they couldn't find my kidney when I was having an ultrasound) I had an IVP and found that the kidney is particially working but to what degree they couldn't tell me without more tests. My right kidney has enlarged to compensate.

My doctor didn't recommend getting the tests and told me that it wasn't that bad and didn't tell me to change my lifestyle etc. I realise that I can live with only one kidney just fine, but I wondered if I should be doing anything differently to look after the remaining good kidney?

Thanks in advance :)

Nope, nothing you need to do. This condition is actually not all that uncommon, and you were probably born with it. It's usually discovered accidentally, when you have a scan for some other reason.

To reassure you, not only do I have the same condition, but my right kidney, which is the larger one, has a narrowed artery leading to it. I've had that condition for well over 25 years, and my kidney function is still 100%.

It's not a bad idea to have a baseline creatinine clearance test (which tests your total kidney function), as it's non-invasive (except for a blood draw). You do have to collect your urine for 24 hours, which can be inconvenient, but it's not a big deal. The test to determine how well EACH kidney is functioning is invasive and, as your doctor pointed out, just not worth doing, especially if your total kidney function is fine.

Ruth

Thanks for your reply Ruth :)