THE BEST DIABETOLOGIST DOCTORS NEAR ME Nephrotic syndrome Nephrotic syndrome is a group of symptoms that, together, show that your kidneys are not working as well as they should. These symptoms include: Too much protein in your urine Too little protein in your blood Too much cholesterol in your blood High levels of triglycerides in your blood Swelling in your legs, feet and ankles Everyone needs protein to live. There are many kinds of protein and your body uses protein in many ways, including building bones, muscles and other tissues, and fighting infections. When your kidneys aren’t working well, they let a protein called albumin get through their filters into your urine. Albumin helps your body get rid of extra fluid. When you don’t have enough albumin in your blood, fluid can build up in your body, causing swelling in your legs, feet and ankles.