Kidney problems? Or something else?

Kidney and urinary tract
1

Hello everyone. New here so bare with me. 24 y/o female, fairly active (3 - 4 workouts per week, no prior serious medical problems). 

About two months ago, I experienced a sharp, burning sensation in my front right portion of my abdomen, a little below the ribs but above the hipbone. I was also experiencing some discolored discharge and went to my OBGYN immediately. The first doctor took a urine sample. Upon the initial dip test, she told me my urine was full of bacteria and blood and they'd sent it to the lab for a culture. She didn't put me on antibiotics in the mean time.

When my results came back, she said they were negative. I let it slide, thinking maybe it was nothing.

Roughly a week later, I was sitting down eating breakfast and got an intense, sharp pain along my lower/middle right flank portion of my back. From lower back to almost upper. It was so intense I tried moving around for comfort but nothing relieved it. Eventually the pain went away but was replaced with a dull ache in the lower right back, off and on. 

I was dissatisfied with my first answer from my OBGYN, so I went to another doctor. She tested my urine as well and put me on a 3-day course of Bactrim. The dull ache persisted and got worse as I was on this antibiotic. I went back AGAIN, telling her I was still in pain, but this time, more severe and almost nonstop.

They tested my urine for a third time and it came back with such a high bacteria count that their machine couldn't even read it. She put me on a 7-day course of Cipro. 

Througout my course with Cipro, the pain went away for a few days, and would come back. Not severe but uncomfortable and enough to get on my nerves. They tested my urine a final time to see if the Cipro had cleared up the bacteria and the results came back fine. I finished the Cipro about a week ago, and the dull pain has came back within the past two days or so, accompanied with a slight burning sensation when using the restroom.

I have never once ran a fever during the course of this, no increased urination, nothing any different besides that dull ache. 

What could this possibly be? I keep going back to the doctor but nothing seems to be getting done! I don't have all this money for copays to be told the same thing over and over again, and my urologist is on a 3 month waiting period. 

Thanks for any tips or advice in advance. 

2

I've had many Who've Posted Similar Stories as My Own ... BUT YOURS IS IDENTICAL!!!

Lucky for You, it won't last 6.5 Years as mine did... You Have A Dropping Kidney! Nephroptosis to be exact... Google: "Nephroptosis- Finally a Diagnosis" and read the Blog + Comments... (Giving you the Search Info is faster than trying to comment with a Link lol)

3

No, I don't think so. It's not specifically when I stand or sit; it's constant. No problems with blood pressure, no trauma to my kidneys, nothing that would warrant my kidneys dropping. And that wouldn't explain the burning in my bladder region. The kidney symptoms didn't start until after the second doctor diagnosed me with a severe UTI and I started taking the Bactrim. 

4

Sounds like you had a severe infection from the start, so cant understand you lst lab result, but if you did have one from start  as your initial dip test showed you were a while before you got a effective course of anti bs, although they cleared the bacteria  is it possible if left you with some inflammation soreness of the kidney. l had simular delayed anti b treatment and then got intersticial cystitus, but its usual with intersticial cystitus as with bacterial cystitus to have frequency, so think yours does sound def kidney prob, l,m sure someone with kidney probs might relate and advice you, but sounds to me like you need a kidney scan, which your gp should be able to arrange before seeing the urologist, incidentally my probs were delayed with diagnoses due to being thought gyny and thats who l  saw with no diagnoses, not till l saw urologist and had scope.  l know your one of many who post about severe symptoms and getting neg bloods or sample results or having to wait months for specialists, or longer for some to get diagnoses, l,ll say no more about that, or it would be a rant.  Either keep on at your gp to try push appt as urgent, more so if pain gets worse, or if your in a position to do it pay for private consultation with urologist, that at least should get you a scan or scope sooner. good luck

5

Mine was non-stop as well. I never found relief... I went to bed November 2008 feeling fine, Woke up the next morning and I was Never the Same. Pain was like a Bowling Ball of Fire in my Ribs ... No Trauma ... Blood Pressure wasn't Increased until 3 Years Into It. Even then it only Increased to what was considered 'Normal' by Physicians but High for me. I was told Kidney Infection or Kidney Stones for 5 Years ... and CIPRO was prescribed consistently yet I always showed Bacteria *But they never knew Where it was coming From NOR Did they Try...

I am a Living Medical Nightmare and I Promise You, this will end up being your Accurate Diagnosis. I Pray it comes before the damage this condition does to your Nerves, Spine, Ribs, Hair and Nails won't grow, Skin becomes Dry and Scaly, Urinary Symptoms become MUCH MUCH WORSE and more Painful, Nausea, Brain Fog etc... It Destroys every ounce of your body in phases. It's Horrendous if undiagnosed Quickly ... but the corrective surgery is Very Simple.

6

I'm no medical or kidney expert, but sounds to me like the doctors have just been guessing and merely dabbling in diagnositics. Why don't you insist on having thorough and proper diagnostics done? For example start with a renal ultrasound? I'd have thought that ought to either rule-in or rule-out kidneys as the cause and depending on the result, take things from there.

7

I Agree With Sleepyzz!! A Renal Ultrasound Can also Detect Excessive Movement *leading to Kinked Ureters - Stretched Renal Veins - Compromised Kidney Function (All Causes Of "Runners Cramp" Type Flank Pain) As Long As You Change Position During the Ultrasound or X-Ray... Laying Down then again Standing Up and Post Void (empty Bladder). I had an Enlarged Renal Artery 4 Years Prior To My Accurate Diagnosis via Sonogram but the Dr Never Followed Up With Further Tests soo I ended up with Scoliosis, Psoriasis overt 78% of my body and Severe Nerve Damage.

You Know Your Body - if the Diagnosis Does Not Fit the Symptoms KEEP PUSHING Before Allowing Anyone to Start Removing Organs (my #1 Advice)

8

This is what I'm thinking too. I'm starting to get this feeling that my GP has no idea what she's talking about and just guessing. 

I went back again yesterday and what did they do again? Another urine sample. The urine sample came back fine, as it did a few days ago when I went, so I have no idea why they thought maybe the fifth sample would make a difference. Then she did a bunch of poking and prodding my back and front, made me do some stretches etc. I don't feel any soreness or tenderness to the touch in or around my kidneys and still no signs of a fever.

She then thought maybe it was a muscle strain...and prescribed me Flexeril. Even though I told her, I know what a muscle strain feels like, this doesn't feel like anything in my muscles. Moving doesn't hurt nor does stretching and I haven't done anything streneous in weeks due to my intial UTI. I had opted to chill out for a while until my UTI cleared up, so I have absolutley no idea how I could've strained or pulled a muscle. The flexeril isn't doing anything. She told me call her back if it isn't helping. Yeah. Right. I think it would've made more sense to do a blood test or ultrasound. It would be a lot easier then this stupid guessing game she's doing, and would give me some peace of mind. Either way I'm gonna find a new doc. 

9

We do have to keep in mind that medicine isn't always an exact science,  and it's sometimes guessworks and trial and error that eventually finds the right answers.   Their guesswork isn't always so well-informed about all our symptoms as we are,  so communicating our story to them in full isn't too easy.  Obviously the more facts they have,  the less their need for guesswork,  so I'd say all that  bunch of poking and prodding you got was not only a good approach,  but also a lot cheaper than an ultrasound. 

I don't know where you are or what the setup is so I don't know who would be responsible for paying for an ultrasound,  but cost might have been a factor in deciding whether it should just be a poke & prod, or an ultrasound,  or both.    If you're going to go to another doctor, were you able to get a proper medical poke & prod report to take with you?    

Gone seem to be the days when we could just go to one doctor and simply trust and do everything they say without question.   They don't know everything and it's better if we can do some research and some self-diagnosis before choosing and presenting our case to a new  doctor. 

10

I just went to my doctor this past Thursday and told him right away that I think I have a Kidney infection because of the severity of the pain and the location.  He did a Urine Analysis righ away and found blood in my urine. I have a Kidney Stone. I was given Cipro and a mild pain reliever and told to drink lots of water. The pain has gotten a little better.  I was told  to go to the ER if I start to vomit or run a fever. You should definitly see another doctor or go strait to the Emergency Room.  I don't have health insurance so I know how difficult it is to find a good doctor. However, it will only get worse if not treated. Hope you feel better. 

11

I'm just stumped as to how after I finished my course of Cipro, how my urine sample came back normal but I am still having symptoms that only get worse by the day. I've started to become nauseous after each meal and the burning while using the restroom has resurfaced, too. 

I have fairly good insurance and I would take blood work, or an ultrasound, or anything besides these urine samples to ease my mind. After doing a urinalysis multiple times without a positive payoff, I would think the next step would be taken. Something just feels off. I'm normally very healthy and my body just doesn't feel right. 

12

I'm not saying this in a mean way but, what are you waiting for? You're still in pain and your symptoms have come back.  Go to your local Emergency Room.  They will do one of the following: CT Scan, MRI, Ultrasound or abdominal X-Ray. This allows the doctors to find the stone or stones, their location and size. If I had health insurance I would have gone strait to the ER. I don't though. My boyfriend is the one helping me and unfortunately, he works all the time and will probably give me crap if I ask him to take me to the ER. Don't wait around.