Nephrotic syndrome, or how my son was saved by science-based medicine

Most parents despair when their child wets the bed. I, on the other hand, am quietly relieved.

I'm not a specialist medical blogger like Orac, but I'll stick my oar in anyway. My son suffers from minimal change nephrotic syndrome, and has done since he was 2 (he's 8 now). It's a scary condition to have, especially if it's not caught early on. In his case, he was quite far gone when it was diagnosed, and we (my partner and I) stayed in hospital with him for two weeks while he was treated.

He swelled up, and this is probably the most accurate way to describe it, like a water balloon. Literally, his body was full of water which he could no longer pass. At one point his penis was grossly distended with water, the consequences of which could almost have been funny if it hadn't been so serious.

Nephrotic syndrome, as I understand it, is an immune reaction disorder. Pretty much every time in the last 6 years that my son's caught a cold, he's had a relapse of nephrotic syndrome. In layman's terms, his kidneys become inflamed, and can no longer effectively pass waste and water.

He stops urinating, and when he does it usually includes protein. The excess water stays in the body, leaking through the blood vessels, placing more of a strain on his body and exacerbating the condition. This is what I mean when I say his bedwetting is a relief - it means his kidneys are doing their job and flushing out the excess water.

When he first went into hospital, he was immediately put on a high dose of prednisolone, a steroid, which kickstarted his kidneys and, eventually, allowed him to start improving. He's had maybe a dozen relapses since, which have variously been treated with steroids to bring him into remission, and cyclophosphamide and cyclosporin to keep the illness under control.

Things are looking up though, as the last two relapses he's had, he's gone back into remission within a week, without having to go back onto a course of steroids. The doctors have always stressed that most children grow out of minimal change syndrome, but this is the first actual sign of that.

I hasten to add, he's still on cyclosporin, keeping the disease under control.

This is a personal reason why I believe science-based medicine is so important. My son would not be here were it not for the treatment he received, and continues to receive.

If we had ever taken the advice of homeopaths and the like, we would have been preparing to bury him years ago.

For minimal change disease, steroids are in order.
But if you’re into a safer and more natural approach, we recommend  Kidney Dr , a 100% herbal treatment for natural kidney support to help maintain healthy renal functioning.

Safer? Good luck with that one.

MY SON TUTU IS 6 YEARS NOW.WHILE HE WAS 14 MONTHS,he was affected by nephrotic syndrome.that disease is continueing now also.from that time onwards due to the advice of a nephrologist v r giving prednisolone.sometimes there will be swellings on his body.now with this i started to give homeo medicine from 1 year onwards.if i continue with homeo,will it be cured ?

In a word, no. There's no known root cause for nephrotic, nor any cure. Don't let that put you off going to a homeopath, though.They'll still be happy to take your money.

Hello
Unfortunately, I don't think anyone can answer your question about a cure for nephrotic syndrome.  Homeopathic medicine can help people overcome many conditions, but there is no guarantee of cure.  The chances are greater if you consult with an experienced homeopathic practitioner and utilize any other methods of healing that are available, such as nutrition, supplements, or other methods.  Often, when cure is not possible, one still can minimize the effects of their disease and use as few medications as possible.
Thanks for your question and good luck to you and your son.
Dr Conner 

Even the followup posters have no idea what's going on.

My brother contracted Nephrotic syndrome when he was about 6 he is now 18.

He also drinks a cup of Georges Aloe Vera Juice every couple days. My parents learned of this from a doctor who had used it.

With this and astragalus root he has had to take prednisone for a less than a year total in the 12 years he has had this disease. He only takes prednisone when he has a relapse until he is healthy again.

The Aloe Vera juice is so good that is doesn't prevent him having relapses? And he still needs steroids (ie. scientific medicine) to bring him back into remission? Three cheers for the woo!

As I said, my son's still here thanks to science-based medicine, for which I am grateful. I sincerely hope no-one ever tries to do the same thing with "alternative" medicine.

If anyone reading feels the need to correct me on the definition and description of nephrotic syndrome, I'd be grateful.