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View Full Version : How long should I wait?(this is a bit long)



TennesseeTink
02-26-2009, 05:03 PM
Okay so here's my tale...

3 weeks ago I went to a local doctor about a soreness in my neck that I've had since November. Since I hadn't had a physical in many years(just annuals with my OBGYN) and my family history is riddled with heart conditions, he suggested that I come back the following week for a complete physical and also as a follow-up to the blood work that he did(iron, B12, etc). Turns out I'm slightly anemic, which I already knew because I've never been able to donate blood. Everything else was fine. My urinalysis however showed microscopic blood. He asked me to come back in a few days to do another urinalysis just to be sure, and sure enough the blood was still there. He wanted me to go to a urologist but said that if I didn't want to, I should at the very least go to the ER and have a CT scan. That urgency spurred me to go ahead and make an appointment with the urologist.

So this past Monday, I went to urologist and, SURPRISE, the blood was still there(microscopic blood, mind you, I couldn't see it). He asked if I was having any pain, which I wasn't. He did an exam and said he wanted to do CT scan and cystoscopy. Side note - He also said my bladder was tilted and he could put it in a sling for me. Anyone who's ever given birth knows what a tilted bladder can do to you so I think I'll take him up on that one. Although I keep picturing my bladder in a little hammock and it makes me giggle.

Well, Monday night I started having pain in my sides. Each day it got a little worse. Not constant pain but worrisome nonetheless. Today was my CT scan and cystoscopy. After CT and before prep for other, I told the doctor about this pain. He said if it was my bladder it would not have been hurting on my sides so he went to check out the CT. Both procedures came back clean. He saw nothing wrong, no tumors or stones. He said he wants me to come back in a MONTH to check my blood for cancer cells. Then we might send me to a kidney doctor.

Now here's my dilemma...if I continue to have pain AND it's intensifying on a regular basis, should I really wait a MONTH? I'm tempted to go ahead and see a nephrologist NOW. I know there are several members of the healthcare field on Intercot, and while I'm not seeking medical advice, per say, or diagnosis of any kind, I would really appreciate some educated advice. The pain is not dibilitating but at it's worse it does make me walk hunched over. It is pretty worrisome. :confused:

Also has anyone else gone though this? I'm told that some people do have microscopic blood in their urine for no particular reason. It's the pain that makes me think there's something else going on. Some personal stories could set my mind at ease as well.

Thanks in advance for all input.:)

NotaGeek
02-26-2009, 05:11 PM
IMO, if it's bothering you enough to post here for advice from "strangers" I would definitely make an appointment to see a different doctor. There is no reason you should feel pain ... pain generally means the body is trying to tell you something. If you doctor is willing to let it go a month while the pain intensifies it sounds like you might need a different doctor's opinion. Good luck! :pixie:

SBETigg
02-26-2009, 05:48 PM
Jenn, get it checked out. If nothing comes of it, so much the better, but you will feel better to know what's going on. You're obviously worried and it sounds like you may have reason to worry-- but it may not even be related to the urine issue, and it may be something simple and not a big concern. Still, don't mess with your health.

LauraleeH
02-26-2009, 06:52 PM
You're walking with a hunch and you're supposed to wait a month? Absolutely not...I would get in asap.

I agree with the poster above...you don't mess with your health.

justlisa
02-26-2009, 09:23 PM
I work in a Urology office and if someone's pain is getting progressively worse, we never make them wait for an appt. Call your doctor's office and at least speak with a nurse, if not the doctor and ask to be referred to the nephrologist now rather in a month. Also ask for your records to be transferred for this appt. Better to start the scheduling process now rather than wait a month and be told their first available is in another month. (Some specialty offices have very full schedules.) If the nephrology appt. is still not soon enough, maybe your doctor would make a call to the nephrologist and ask for a sooner, more urgent appt. Hope you get some relief soon!

kakn7294
02-27-2009, 08:23 AM
If your pain is at the point where it's causing you significant enough discomfort that you can't walk upright, don't hesitate to go see the nephrologist. If you can't get in there, definately go back to see your own doctor or go to the emergency room.

VWL Mom
02-27-2009, 08:42 AM
If you are in pain I agree that you should not wait. I would suggest getting copies of all the test results to take with you for the new doctor.

Stitchahula
02-27-2009, 11:26 AM
I have to agree with what everyone else is saying. Call the doctor now rather than later. Bodies don't cause you pain for no reason. It could be something very minor and not related but better to get it checked and ease your mind.

TennesseeTink
02-27-2009, 04:23 PM
So I called and spoke with a nurse this morning, explaining my pain and requesting a referral to the nephrologist. I haven't heard back yet.

Last night I hardly slept because I was hurting so bad that there was no such thing as a comfortable position. But today, other than a couple of sharp pains in my back that last just a couple seconds, I was primarily just a little sore and tender. This is why sometimes I think I'm just being an alarmist. If it was constant pain, I wouldn't have hesitated to call. But it just comes and goes. But I did call so now all I can do is just wait to hear back.

Thanks, everyone, for confirming what my instincts were already telling me. I guess I was just afraid that I was overreacting.

Yvette
02-28-2009, 10:08 AM
Sounds like a stone to me, which can cause blood in the urine and the intermittant pain. If it continues I would call again.

TennesseeTink
02-28-2009, 10:49 AM
I was thinking the same thing but they checked for stones on the CT scan and didn't find any. My sister and daughter both joked that I'm an episode of House, a medical mystery. LOL

I'm pretty sure it's not serious.(hoping anyway) I just want to know already!! The nurse never called me back yesterday.:( My backup plan if they brush me off is to go back to my family doctor and ask for a nephrology referral from him instead.

TennesseeTink
03-03-2009, 07:51 PM
I've had a couple of inquiries about what's going on with these darn doctors. I never heard back on Friday so you can imagine my frustration all weekend. So early Monday afternoon I called the urologist's office and just asked to move up my appointment. Turns out he's going to be out of town for most of this week and all of next week so the earliest they could get me in was the 17th. As soon as I hung up with her, I called my family doctor thinking maybe he could refer me to a nephrologist. They had me come in right away. He did an exam of where I was hurting and said it could possibly be my ribs so he had me get X-rayed and of course it turned out to be nothing.

I had only been home from that appointment for just a few minutes when I got a call from the urology surgery center where I had my procedures last week. They were just calling to check on me. So I told her about my pain and not being able to get in to see the doctor. Five minutes later the urologist's office called to see about making an appointment with one of the other partners. While she was going through my file, she found the urologist's note from FRIDAY referring me to the nephrologist. :mad: Would they have ever noticed this on their own? Guess we'll never know. So that was almost 5pm yesterday. Looks like I'll have to call again tomorrow morning to see if the appointment has been made yet.

I'm just so ready for this to be over and move on. I'm starting to think that I'm just losing it. Anyway I'll keep ya'll posted. Thanks, everyone, for all your well wishes. It truly does make me feel better to know ya'll are thinking of me and to hear other people's stories. It makes me feel not so crazy!:D

DisneyDog
03-04-2009, 02:22 PM
You are not crazy. It's up to you to follow up on these things, even if you have to nag the office staff. Don't feel bad about it either. It's your health.

Cinderelley
03-08-2009, 04:45 AM
Just because the CT scan didn't show a stone, it doesn't mean it's not there. I've heard ER doctors here discussing stones that are "between frames" on the CT scan. They look at other clues like hydronephrosis which tell them it is there.

If you're still having the pain, I would definitely follow up with your primary care doctor again. It may not be related to your genitourinary system at all.

TennesseeTink
03-08-2009, 10:45 AM
Now, see, that would have been a good piece of information for my doctor to have told me...as opposed to "Well, there's nothing on the scan:shrug:". Because, let's face it, as painful as they are, I'd rather have a stone than some of the other options that have been going through my head. Thanks for letting me know that.

I'm going to the nephrologist on the 17th so we'll see what's up.

MNNHFLTX
03-08-2009, 01:35 PM
I don't know how I missed your earlier posts, Jenn. Anyway, I just wanted to add that you should make sure that you're drinking enough water to help keep your urinary system flushed. Dehydration contributes to stone formation, if that's what is causing your pain. Also, don't hesitate to go to the emergency room if your pain increases and become severe. If they suspect stones, you will be seen by a nephrologist very quickly then, I can assure you!

It is possible that the blood in your urine and the pain you are experiencing have two different causes. I have Benign Familial Hematuria, which is just a fancy way of saying that I always have microscopic blood in my urine, which is hereditary (my mother and my sisters also have/had this issue). And there are many other conditions that can cause pain in the lateral rib area--gallstones, slipped rib syndrome and arthritis are three I can think of right off. The fact that you are experiencing pain on both sides may mean that it's something muscular. Better safe than sorry, so it's good you're having it checked out, but don't stress yourself out too much until you see that nephrologist.

Hull-onian
03-08-2009, 07:38 PM
I have had blood in the urine too. I went to my regular GP and he ordered a urine test. Okay, I did it. The office phoned me and they made an appointment with a wonderful Urologist and he said to me, "Don't worry about it." I've had no pain, luckily. So the test was done a second time, same result. But I feel okay. We hope that you get better real soon.

TennesseeTink
03-12-2009, 01:05 PM
So yesterday I finally went to the ER. I started feeling very nauseous on Monday, and I am a HUGE baby when it comes to nausea. And, frankly, I'm just sick and tired of hurting. They ran blood tests and my BUN(blood urea nitrogen) level was high. Apparently not high enough to see a nephrologist right then however. They prescribed anti-spasm meds and some 5mg painkillers and told me to keep my nephrologist appointment on the 17th. Atleast I feel better knowing there's nothing in there about to burst. And they did atleast give me something to take the edge off.

Thanks, everyone, for all your input. It's been great having somewhere to vent and get support.

Cinderelley
03-13-2009, 03:58 AM
Glad to hear you finally got someone to listen to you.

TennesseeTink
03-30-2009, 07:46 PM
Okay...so after 5 doctors, one trip to the ER, a CT scan, multiple x-rays and blood tests, a cystoscopy, and an ultrasound, FINALLY a diagnosis. I have a cyst on each ovary, a fibroid in my uterus, and hydronephrosis(which means something is blocking a ureter causing the pain in my kidneys). So it's back to the urologist to find out what's causing the blockage. They say the fibroid is too small to be the culprit.

Seriously, what are the chances of all of this at once? My sister said my warranty must have run out when I turned 35. LOL Honestly I do feel somewhat vindicated. All of these doctors were so convinced that it was nothing or gas or basically someone else's problem. Some of them were even downright rude. One thing's for sure, I'm in the market for a new gyno and general practitioner. No way this should have taken 5 weeks to find.:mad:

SBETigg
03-30-2009, 09:16 PM
Wow, Jenn! So glad you finally got a diagnosis. You've got a lot going on there. Best wishes for getting a great new gyno and practitioner and for feeling all better soon. I can only imagine how frustrating this has been for you!

DisneyDog
04-01-2009, 03:09 PM
Wow, that is a lot to deal with, and a lot to have happen all at once. I'm glad you have a diagnosis! I once had an ovarian cyst, and it was very painful. My family doctor told me it was a groin pull and sent me to physical therapy...which made the situation worse. She finally sent me to an orthopedic surgeon and HE diagnosed the problem. This went on for months, so I understand how you feel. I hope you get everything taken care of quickly!!