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Blood and protein in urine with back, side and pelvis pain

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emma72706
emma72706

Hi,

I just came back from out of hours last night, I've been thinking I was coming on with an infection however due to me being a high risk I can't just go straight on antibiotics until they're 100% sure it's necessary (I had clostridium difficile twice and antibiotics will risk it coming back again). Anyway, I self catheterise, hence the reason I'm getting so many infections. I woke up my partner in agony, I had pain on my right side and it went from my back, side, tummy then down to my pelvis. Sometimes it was a stinging pain, sometimes it was really painful. But last night, jeez, I was in agony. The Dr tested it straight away and said I had a pretty bad infection (due to me not having any sensation in my urethra I don't get the early symptoms of burning when you pee etc so I normally end up noticing somethings wrong quite late). He said there was blood and protein in my urine but some of the other results were abnormal so he wanted to send it away for a full analysis. He put me on nitrofurantoin (least likely to cause cdiff) and told me to see my gp at the start of the week.

However, tonight I've started getting worsening pain (not as bad as last night though) plus there is actually blood on the toilet paper after I empty my bladder. Should I phone them again and tell them I can actually see blood? What does it mean when there is blood there? Could it be that the infection has already reached my kidneys?

I'm sort of worried bc they were saying I might need to go back into hospital and it's making me really anxious. If they're saying that they must expect me to potentially get worse and all I've done for the last year is spend the majority of it in hospitals. Does anyone have any ideas or similar experiences? Thanks

0 likes, 28 replies

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  • Guest
    Guest emma72706

    Posted

    This is the type of UTI I always get, with the showing of bright red blood on my toilet tissue and also spotting on my pantiliner.  In fact, ten days ago when I saw my GP, the urine test I gave was almost pure blood.  The blood is indicative of a substantial UTI but it can also be a symptom of something else.  It would be my guess that the infection has reached your kidneys (hence the right-side, tummy and pelvic pain).  Also, unless you're given some sort of opioid pain reliever, day two or even three can feel worse than day one.  I finished my generic Macrobid last night and it was just two days before, on last Wednesday, that I stopped seeing blood in my urine.

    Nitrofurantoin is what I'm usually given (it's generic Macrobid) except for my trip to the ER almost three weeks ago.  The ER doctor gave me Cipro (my first time for it) and from what I've learned about the Cipro, I won't accept it again.

    If you're told you need to be hospitalized, don't fight it since it could be that your particular infection needs IV antibiotics rather than oral ones.  It sucks, I know, to be sick, especially when it feels like a particular problem will never end.  However, better to take the proper action than risk permanent injury to your kidneys or be misdiagnosed altogether.

  • Guest
    Guest emma72706

    Posted

    Also, being diagnosed with a UTI is simply being told you have an infection of the urinary tract...*not* where in the urinary tract the infection is.  Your doctor will use your symptoms to diagnose whether you have a bladder infection (can be very painful with the blood and everything but very rarely causes a fever) or a kidney infection (again, can show identical symptoms but almost always causes a...sometimes...high fever; mine can go to 102º-103º in an hour).

    Have you ever had x-rays or ultrasounds to rule out kidney or bladder stones?

    • emma72706
      emma72706 Guest

      Posted

      No I've not had any scans to rule out stones, I'd imagine if I go back up they'll do that. Will that show up on the urine sample that I handed in do you think? Stones are normally calcium I think so maybe they'll check for that, I'm not sure. Have you ever had stones? If so what were your symptoms?

      Ultimately if they tell me I have to go back in I'll go of course, but you're right it's rubbish being sick. My blood isn't as bad as you had it, did they tell you why you were bleeding that bad? Mine is just spotting when wiping.

      Well since I started nitro my temp of 40°c came down, I'm terrible I don't really know what my temp should be but that's quite high, right? It's not at 38.4°c which doesn't seem as bad. I've tried cipro, I can't remember having any problems, but that being said, it is one of the antibiotics that I was on that could have potentially developed cdiff, what sort of problems is it causing for people?

      Sorry for all the questions, it's just reassuring knowing that someone else can relate. Albeit my boyfriend is supportive, he doesn't understand what I'm feeling right now, so when he says "it's going to be okay, you'll feel better soon" I feel my blood boil. (I don't say anything to him just incase you think I sound ungrateful lol, I'm just irritated).

    • Guest
      Guest emma72706

      Posted

      I'm in the United States, so we measure our temps by Farenheit (98.6 is normal body temp).  However, I googled 40ºc into f and that seems to convert to 104ºf which IS quite high for an adult!  Our 98.6f is 37ºc which tells me why you're feeling a bit better:  you had a fever and it's now quite a bit lower.

      No, I've never had any tests for stones but I'm sure that will be included when (not if) I eventually see a Urologist.  I'm given to understand that an Ultrasound and a CT Scan are the first tests for imaging stones.  If none show but are still suspected, then a small tube with a lighted camera on the end is inserted into the urethra. There's more to the process but it allows the doctor to examine the bladder/bladder lining. Quite similar to check for kidney stones, I'd imagine since, after all, there's just one opening to the urinary tract.

      As to why so much blood shows for me (this last one was by far the worst), it's just the nature of a UTI. The worse the infection, the more blood can appear.  I also had TREMENDOUS burning and pain this time while urinating (I was surprised I didn't hear the water underneath me sizzling and steaming since I felt like I was peeing hot coals).

      OH!  One other cause of UTI's I just read about is "toilet water splashback".  Since reading that, I do my business on the pot, wipe, stand up and pull up my underpants and only then do I flush (although I have felt toilet bowl water on my bottom at times when having a BM ).

      In researching stones, I think "crystals" or microscopic bits of stones can be seen in a urine sample under a microscope.  This might be one of the tests that will be done on the urine sample your doctor sent away.  

    • emma72706
      emma72706 Guest

      Posted

      Thanks for all the information, you've been very informative ☺

      My temp has been going up and down but I'm just so sleepy, I've woke up again and I'm wanting to go back to sleep lol.

      I know exactly why I have an infection, I've not had one for months and 2 weeks ago I had to come off my meds so this brought back my diarrhoea. (I was having colonic transit studies), having diarrhoea and self catheterising is tricky to make sure you're completely clean so most likely bugs have got into my urinary tract that way. Darn it.

      I'm still having the pain, but I've decided if things aren't a decent bit better tomorrow I'm going back up to the hospital, there is no point in letting things getting out of hand when going on intravenous drugs might nip in it in the bud earlier.

      I hope you get your appointment soon, have they said how long you may be waiting to see a specialist? When speaking to my urologist he said there was a few reasons why people can get chronic utis, one being that there is a "kink" somewhere in your urinary tract giving bacteria great little hiding spots to avoid being flushed out your system, giving them the opportunity to grow without being disturbed. I'm lucky that I don't have any sensation for the burning etc when you pass water but I remember what it felt like. It was like passing shards of glass, so I do feel awful for you that you have to experience this so often. Fingers crossed you get a great Dr that'll get this sorted for you 💜

    • Guest
      Guest emma72706

      Posted

      Of course you're sleepy and tired...you're sick!  When I'm sick I go to sleep everytime I get still for 15 seconds (thank goodness for recliners) and I certainly don't try to do much beyond walk to the bathroom and fix the small amounts of food I feel like eating (especially if antibiotics tend to upset your stomach as they do mine).

      Did your doctor do the standard check for appendicitis because of your right-side pain?  Besides the usual poke-and-prod they will bend your right leg at the knee and "fold" it as close to your body as it will go. The pain is supposed to be excrutiating. My doctor wanted to do that to me two UTI's ago but I no longer can since a year ago in April, 2015, I ruptured my right hamstring muscle and I'm not so very "flexible" anymore and the leg itself screams.

      When my GP says it's time for the Urologist, there won't be any wait time. He works for a clinic with several locations and have specialists for nearly every field (plus, in the U.S., if you have good insurance you move right up the line as needed; I'm blessed).

      I simply canNOT imagine having to cathaterise. I'm sure it becomes routine, but still.

      Are you feeling any better today?

    • emma72706
      emma72706 Guest

      Posted

      That's great Sandra. Sounds like you have a fantastic gp. Even though we have free health care here I have private health insurance (I still use the nhs for certain parts of my medical problems) so I'm quite lucky too to have that available to me.

      When I went to out of hours he never felt around my stomach, he just took my temp, gave me tablets and told me to go to my gp. So she'll probably do it tomorrow. I have a fever again of 39°c :-( I'm sleeping downstairs tonight as it's a cooler room plus I have the fan on but I'm just not cooling down. It's so frustrating.

      Yeah it took me quite a while to come to terms with self catheterising, it happened last year, I was 23 at the time and I felt awful that I had to do it. But I'm used to it now, like you said it just becomes routine. I don't think the nitrofurantoin is working as much as I thought, the pain is coming back pretty bad again and has now meant that I'm vomiting. My pain medication is at least helping with the back/side pain so at least that's something x

    • Guest
      Guest emma72706

      Posted

      If you've progressed to vomiting with an antibiotic I'd advise you to get to a doctor NOW.  This could mean one of several things.  If this is the first time you've had the [generic] Macrobid (sorry, I can't remember if you said that before or not) it could be that you're allergic to it or it's having an adverse affect on your system.  Also, the vomiting plus another rising fever could mean your infection is spreading and could become sepsis and THAT is VERY serious.

      Please go back to the doctor as soon as possible!

    • Jan999
      Jan999 emma72706

      Posted

      emma if you still have a temperature and you're able to take some soluble aspirin because that's good for bringing a high temperature down. Take care
    • emma72706
      emma72706 Guest

      Posted

      Hi Sandra,

      I've phoned the Dr a couple of hours ago, she's going to come out and see me and take it from there. She said she was concerned that I was on antibiotics bc of the previous cdiff and said if it was her I had seen she would have put me straight into hospital for preventative measures. So I have a funny feeling that's were ill end up today.

      Fever is pretty much consistent at 39.8°c and vomiting is getting worse. Luckily I have anti sickness tablets that give me a bit of relief so I can sleep for a bit. I think it's most certainly a kidney infection. Ive taken these antibiotics before and I was fine, so I think the additional symptoms are due to the infection. I would imagine they'll put me on a drip for the kidney infection plus a drip for the cdiff to avoid it coming back.

      I tell you, the NHS are going to start asking me to pay rent in this place with the amount of times I've been admitted this past year lol.

      Thanks for keeping in touch, I've been feeling a lot more reassured talking to you since you've experienced the same. I'll let you know what the Dr says x

    • emma72706
      emma72706 Jan999

      Posted

      Hey Matron,

      I'm taking anti sickness tablets as the last antibiotic I took I just threw it up. My Dr called me back and told me just to stay in my house and she'll come out and see me. She said that she was concerned about me being on antibiotics again due to the previous cdiff and that she'd feel better me being in hospital to be on a drip for the kidney infection plus a drip for the cdiff (to make sure it doesn't come back).

      My temp has been at 39.8°c for most of the night so it doesn't look like it's coming down. I've not tried aspirin but I've texted my partner to bring it in just incase I don't get admitted. I'll let you know what the Dr says x

    • Jan999
      Jan999 emma72706

      Posted

      You have a lovely, caring doctor emma and she knows you really well and hopefully get you feeling much better very soon. Keep in touch x
    • emma72706
      emma72706

      Posted

      Hi Sandra.

      Dr came put, temp was 38.7°c, low bp and still having sickness. She gave me tablets for that and hydration sachets to try keep me hydrated. She said she was worried about me staying at home especially if it is a kidney infection (which she's pretty sure it is) but we're still waiting on lab results. She said she is going to phone to get me admitted and she'll phone me tomorrow morning to see how I am and if she's managed to get anything sorted as of yet. She's a fantastic Dr so I'm pretty settled that I'll get seen to properly. I'm just getting fed up now, symptoms are getting worse and I'm barely sleeping from pain and sickness. I've taken a sleeping tablet tonight though to hopefully help that. Dr said that if get any worse during the night I've to go straight to the emergency room and she'll do her thing from her end. Thought I'd just let you know x

    • Guest
      Guest emma72706

      Posted

      I'm impressed with your doctor!  I don't know if a doctor not related by blood would make a house call even if threatened with deadly force here in the US.

      Be careful of regular aspirin on a sick stomach.  Aspirin is best for a fever, I totally agree with Matron on that, but it's pretty caustic on the stomach and a sick stomach at that.  Do you have anything available equal to Tylenol (Acetaminophen or non-aspirin pain reliever)?  I think countries other than the United States might call it Panadol?

    • Guest
      Guest emma72706

      Posted

      Very good doctor you have.  My doctors have always admitted me for IV antibiotics when they diagnose a kidney infection.  Even the night about three weeks ago when I ended up at the ER, I received a large shot of antibiotic in addition to the oral tablets to "jump start" the healing process.

      I hope you get ahead of this thing quickly and get fully back on your feet.

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