Written on
November 28, 2009 – 12:44 pm | by jeremysears1963
Here’s how my month has gone, just to give you the background on what’s going on with my urinary tract…
11/6 I started experiencing UTI symptoms, which I thought was odd since I haven’t had one in more than 4 years, but whatever. Drank lots of water, cranberry juice, etc., and hoped it would clear up on its own as they always did when I got them often as a teenager.
11/9 Over just a couple of hours, I experienced the onset of throbbing pain in my kidneys (both sides of mid-back, just below my ribs), although my UTI symptoms had largely subsided. Again, I continued with lots of fluids, rest, and cranberry juice. Pain rated at about a 6 out of 10.
11/11 Pain had gradually gotten worse, I could no longer get comfortable in any position, tossed and turned, couldn’t sleep, felt like I need to go to the doctor’s something awful, but thought "Let’s wait and see another day." No more pain with urination, but still an abnormal frequency. Pain rated at about an 8 out of 10. Worst symptom at this point was the urge to move around. Sit up, lay down, roll over, roll back, get up, walk around, double over, etc. I couldn’t sit still at all, but was beyond exhausted from not sleeping due to this tossing and turning.
11/12 Pain’s somewhat better in the morning (a 6/10), but greatly worsened after my first bottle of water. Back up to an 8. Symptoms from previous night remain, but at this point can clearly feel my pulse in both kidneys. No fever (98.6* exactly), but at this point started to get occasional chills.
11/13 2 AM. In unbearable pain, I headed to the ER (due to losing insurance I cannot go see my GP). Still no fever (98.7*), but a supposedly large amount of blood was found in my urine (which appeared clear and faint yellow to my untrained eye–I am now reading that the fancy name for this is microscopic hematuria) Dx UTI/possible kidney infection, with the helpful input of a nurse that said she personally thought I might have kidney stones. Dr. said it was possible, but would rather just treat for bladder/kidney infection unless I really *wanted* a CT scan to see if I had stones. Treatments for both are the same, unless the stones are too big to pass on their own anyway, she said. Due to lack of insurance, I declined the expensive CT and followed her medical advice. Sent home with Rx’s for Pyridium, Bactrim, and Darvocet. Continued fluids, rest, vitamin C, and took meds as prescribed. Darvocet did a phenomenal job of knocking out the pain from the get-go. The Pyridium (as expected) turned my urine a bright orange color which faded after I finished the Rx on 11/16.
11/16 Stopped taking Darvocet and kidney pain was down to a 4/10. No more throbbing, no more urge to move around, no more frequent urination.
11/20 Finished Bactrim as prescribed. No more symptoms. I figured I was good to go.
11/23 Began urinating (painlessly) a pink/slightly peachy color that evening. No cloudiness/foul odor. Just color. I have kept the hydration at a max. No other symptoms.
Today 11/26 Urine is same color today. No kidney pain, but mild lower abdominal pain (4/10) and extreme lower back pain (5/10) which may well be musculoskeletal (I deal with lower back spasms on a regular basis). I just feel it may be worth mentioning, although it’s well below my kidneys, down where my back and buttocks meet.
I am unsure as to whether or not I should head back to the ER. I understand that this may mean there is blood in my urine, and am torn.
A) My infection could be back, and with a vengeance (even though I have no pain) causing there to be even more blood in my urine than before. Or at least for the blood to be visible. Or…
B) It could be kidney stones causing blood in my urine, which wouldn’t warrant another pricey ER visit.
C) Or, it could be another cause entirely. There were no blood tests or anything done on me. They just took a urine sample and diagnosed me pretty quickly.
Advice? I would like to avoid racking up another bill right now, but I have a family to take care of and don’t want to wind up worse off or even hospitalized because I wanted to try to save a few bucks. When should I go? Now? If I start having pain? If I develop a fever? Thanks for your help in advance!
Thanks. The pain clearing up with the use of the Bactrim makes me think that the pain was caused by an infection. There was also bacteria in my urine, which I forgot to mention. I understand that kidney infections and even good ol’ cystitis can be exacerbated and even brought on by blockages caused by kidney stones, so I was thinking maybe the problem is both? IDK. I’ll play it by ear… After dinner I may head back in then, since there are no signs of this going away.
Uh, Tim G., I am not diabetic, there was no protein spilling into my urine, and that was a totally pointless search you linked to. It has nothing to do with my question. What a bummer you actually were given 2 points for a total lack of thought in that answer.
you should just go back and get a free blood test to see if anything is wrong..
Ella F | Nov 26, 2009
I am almost sure you have kidney stones. You can go for an Ultrasound examination of the kidney’s which is much less expensive than a CT scan. I don’t think you had an infection of the kidney’s in the first place. Lack of fever, No pain on micturation all are against an infection.
I think you have to get an Ultrasound done and if they find a stone in the ureter causing a block and your kidney showing hydronephrosis you should have some treatment to remove the stone. Either manual removal or lithotrypsy. You may lose the function in one of the kidneys if it is really causing a block in the ureter. Go back to ER.
Jack | Nov 26, 2009
http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=diabete s+kidney&fr=ush-ans&ygmasrchbtn= Web+Search&pvid=Om4xgkoGkumQD2MCSwoG XQ3tR41akEsOfPsADoeH
tim g | Nov 26, 2009
Tags: the family stone
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
Stacy Lynn | Nov 14, 2009
