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Kidney Cancer Fear

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Schwarzerhund
Schwarzerhund

Hello all: Here's what's going in with me.  I'm a 49-year-old male, relatively healthy (though on lisinopril for high blood pressure and statins to control cholesterol for over two years) male. Several weeks ago, I began feeling a nagging pain in my right flank -- nothing unbearable, more irritating than anything.  At times, like today, the discomfort moved to my pupr right quadrant, below my ribcage.

A week or so after this started, I went to see my primary care physician -- I should point out that I'm pretty good about keeping up with my health and have a complete physical every February. He examined me and did an in-house dipstick urinalysis, which showed the presence of occult blood (+1).  He send my sample out and it came back the same, while everything else was within range, including red blood cells, which I still don't quite understand -- wouldn't the presence of blood also make for a positive RBC?  With these results, he said that the urinalysis was "non-conclusive."

Anyway, he doesn't think it's anything viral or bacterial (the urine test showed no signs of infection) and his preliminary diagnosis was kidney stones..but he also brought up the (remote possibility) of kidney cancer, due to the presence of hematuria and my right-side flank pain. He referred me to a urologist and I will likely see him next week.

So, of course, with all this time to poke around the internet, I've convinced myself that the latter is the more likely diagnosis.  I keep waiting for the intense pain and other symptoms of a passing kidney stone..everyone I know who has had one seems to have a similar experience, and it's not the experience I'm having.  Everything online seems to say the same thing:  hematuria coupled with abdominal/flank pain can be renal cancer.  It seems all of the other causes of hematuria (infections, kidney stones, etc.) are not likely because of my symptoms and the results of my urinalysis. 

And I also keep seeing that once renal cancer symptoms begin, you're likely a bit far along in the process.  It seems the ones that are caught early are the ones that are caught by accident, when you're asymptomatic. One thing I'm "hopeful" about is this:  I believe I may have the early stages of gout, which can lead to kidney stones.  But again, it seems unlikely, since I'm not having the typical kidney stone symptoms.

If that is the diagnosis, could it be happening this quickly?  Would anything have showed up in my blood work last February?  It seems so out of nowhere. I'm just really worried and am likely making myself sick over this -- I haven't been sleeping, or staying asleep, over the last few days thinking about this.  And it actually seems like the pain is getting a bit worse.  Can anyone weigh in with any advice or a personal experience?  Thanks in advance!

0 likes, 4 replies

4 Replies

  • michaela18769
    michaela18769 Schwarzerhund

    Posted

    Hi Btsnyder. First of all I think your DR is abit naught for suggesting kidney cancer. There are a million other things it could be. I myself have been suffering with chronic kidney pain and heamturia for the last 8 years (i'm 26) SOmetimes i have gross heamturia where you can see it mainly it microscopic. I always have ++++ blood on a dipstick urine test. 

    I was recntly diagnoised with LPHS or loin pain heamturia syndrome. after an 8 year battle of them not having a clue or care what was causing the blood or horrednous pain. Ive had a battery of test from ultrasounds to blood work to about 15 CT scans xrays, xrays with contrast, standing/lying xrays MRI you name it. The only thing I have never had is a biopsy. 

    I honestly would not fret just yet. hope this puts your mind at ease x

  • DiddyC
    DiddyC Schwarzerhund

    Posted

    Let me give you a different angle, I have MSK medullary sponge kidney disease, I have blood in the urine most all the time, and flank pain that gets bad enough at times it puts me to bed. It takes a ultrasound to find this result. Check into this disease, explore all Avenues. There are many causes that doctors don't even understand that cause your symptoms. Keep your head up!!!!
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