Kidney stone or IC ?

Posted , 2 users are following.

Hi everyone, I would like to share my story with you if that’s ok. I am 40 and I started to suffer from IC flares four or five years ago. Each time it was more or less the same: needing to urinate literally all the time, a pressure in my low abdomen and sometimes pain in the urethra. And each time of course, I tested negative for bacteria. I had tons of antibiotics (for nothing) at least 2 ultrasound scans of my bladder and a cystocopy and everything was clear. One doctor sent me to a pelvic floor therapist, another said it could be IC and another suspected gallbladder issues. Discovering an IC forum was so amazing for me. All the stories I read seemed to match mine. I came to the conclusion that I suffered from ic, bought loads of aloe Vera and started to accept my condition. However last week, my symptoms start again but this time I also have intense nausea especially after food, I feel faint and I have that weird feeling in my upper legs as if they were jelly. I contacted the doctor who gave me a 3 days course of antibiotics and sends my urine to the labs. He thinks I have a real uti this time and so do I. I start getting better and finish my antibiotics. 2 days later, I nearly pass out at work with the nausea and shaking and I feel like urinating all the time again. The doctor gives me more antibiotics, a 1 week course of macrobid. After 2 days I start feeling a bit better but one morning the nausea restarts and also I have that weird stabbing sensation in my kidney area. I call the doctor thinking my uti is now affecting my kidney. He rings the lab to get the result of my culture and surprise surprise... it is negative for bacteria but this time I am gobsmacked!!!! He tells me that I need to stop the antibiotics and that he suspects kidney stones!! He has now referred me to get a kidney ct scan which he said would not be done before 6 weeks and I have to do a blood test next week. He also tells me not to panic as long as my heart rate and temperature is good. So.... I am really puzzled. I always thought that kidney stones were terribly painful, worse than child birth but I am definitely able to manage the pain. I only get this weird stabbing pain in the kidney area and it is mild. What do you think? Could I have mistaken ic for kidney stones for years?

Thanks in advance

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  • Posted

    I hope you are doing better. Yes, sounds very similar. i had one stone for a couple of months and it finally exited. Then a year later another one. I have been dealing with this one for two years now. CT scans did not show stones, but the doctor used a camera and could see the irritation caused as pieces were passing and is sure its a stone. I can feel them when they are passing and see them. uggg. It is unpleasant. Yes the symptoms you describe are mostly the same as I have experienced. Mine have been painful but it is intermittent and I haven't taken any pain meds. I hope yours have been resolved.

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