Undiagnosed severe left flank pain for months - is this kidney related?

The pain was excruciating Strep B infection in urine . The pain left side flank and stomach radiated over left hip down leg into my groin first urine test showed nothing except blood in urine second urine test showed the bacterial infection strep b I had a tooth pulled that was infected as I wasn't sick before the tooth was pulled it just came on pain sweating first I thought oh no why am I sweating then the pain came

Have some of you checked thta your hip and cartilage is ok? Some of you sound l like you are experiencing the pain I suffered when they failed to diagnose my hip,. They checked evrything else and didnt think to press on my hip as the groin pain was/is horrendous. Some of oyu should just check to be on the safe side

I had this problem in 2000, went 2 years to the doctor.

I had every test in the book but the doctors could never figure out

why, I would stop urinating and had sever left flank pains and gave up on me.

Until one day I changed family doctors and she decided to do a MRI on my

lower back, the only test that wasn't done yet. The MRI showed severe disc

Slippage putting pressure on my L5-S1 nerves. I had surgery 3 months later

and have felt 100 percent better since. The nerve that was being pitched had

connectiono to the bladder and kidney, also the L2-L3 has connection to the

bladder. I hope this helps someone out and urologists don't think to look in the

back first.

Hi Stef

I really feel for you as I have had flank pain on the right side and doctors still don't know what is wrong

It all started in august when I woke up with 

pan excruciati pain on the right side. I had kidney stones throuhout my teenage years and I recognised the pain straight away ! I ended up at the A&E at 6am and went through urine and blood tests, and also had a CT scan. All results came back negative, no infection but 2 unobstructive kidney stones on the left side. Ironic though because they were completely pain free. I came back home with painkillers. Within the following days, the pain persisted but I didn't get worried because when I had kidney stones in the past, I always got this residual pain for a few days. So I carried on with life

however, after a week or so, I kept having sharp pain on my right front abdomen and sensation of compression around my right kidney. I went to my GP, he called the hospital I was discharged of to have further details about my CT scan. He found out that my appendice was normal and that I had a cyst on my right ovary. Back to the hospital, admitted in acute gynaecology where I had more blood and urine tests and an ultrasound (internal, external, the full pack !!). They did confirm the ovarian cyst but they were not the cause of my pain. My symptoms and the location of my pains pointed more towards the kidney and urinary tract. The day after, I had a KUB ultrasound which showed nothing. Everything was normal and still no sight of a kidney stone !! Frustration started...

I then went back to my GP to get an urology referral. I saw the urologist a few weeks later. In th emeantime, the pains were still there, as well as a loss of appetite, occasional vomiting and diarrhoea, fatigue, reduced mobility as I was in agony whenever I moved. I also nearly fainted once and had what seems to be a very bad apnic attack (shaking for nearly 3h !!!).

When I saw the urologist, he prescribed more bllod and urine tests, a CT scan with contrasts and an MRI of my spine (to rule out a neuropathic problem). Everithing went back normal !!! More frustrations...! So he made a referral for a pain management consultant. At this point I was taking Diclofenac (anti inflammatory), buscopan (anti spasmodic) and codeine (painkiller). On top of that the consultant added pregabalin (for nerve pain). The mix seemed to work for a couple of weeks or so, so I was seeing things more positively. However, at some points, when I started feeling better, I gradually reduced the medication as advised by the doctors, one drug at a time. It started well for the first few weeks, and then it went all wrong. After I stopped the last drug,the anti inflammatory, the apin came back within 4 days, full on ! So I started to take the anti inflammatory. 

Since then, I cope with it and codeine occasionally. It is very strange because I can have a good week with little pain and suddenly it just comes back out of the blue, or after some activities (walking fast, standing up for more than 1h, running...). I still can't bear to lay on my right side. 

I can identify some patterns in the frequency and the kind of pain: more sore on the front right flank in the morning, dull ache around my kidney at mid day til the evening when the paim seems to spread on my flank and across my back, like a burning sensation. 

However, lately, I started to have occasional stabbing pain on the kidney area. This is extremely painful and worrying.

i will see the urologist in afew weeks and I am hoping he will do a more thorough investigation. So far, as the scans and tests show nothing, his strategy is to try different medications to ease the pain.

I am so frustrated  and confused by this mystery illness. It has been more than 3 months and has impacted on my professional and personal life. I can't keep going like this !

I hope you will have your diagnosis soon. If there anyone who is in the situation similar to mine and Stef, but had a diagnosis, please let us know.

I know its been over a year but Im just joining this site. So did you ever find out what is the deal? Having a lot of flank paine myself...

I am 24 years old and having the same pain as you but it's my right side I've seen every doctor and no one can figure it out they think it's muscular but I've pt to see if that helps and it didn't I have been going through this for over a year now and I also have had kidney stones in past and they just put me on antibiotics and it didn't help....so I know what your going through and it sucks my job doesn't understand and I'm on my feet 11 hours a day with the pain.

Hi,

I am dealing with the exact same condition at the exact same age and have had literally everything you described as well as seen the same professionals. Did you ever get it figured out. I'd love some guidance. I'm really struggling

I have the same issue going on. After getting an ultrasound I was told I have MEDULLARY SPONGE KIDNEY. has anyone else been diagnosed with this? I am supposed to see a nephrologist next.

I have been ill now for 4 years , I have lost so much weight I am clinically anorexic , I both myself and my husband have had to give up work ( he takes care of me and our two disabled children) I am hoping someone somewhere can help me as I am loosing the will to live . I have pain in right side under ribs it was intermitant but as of now is constant , I have nausea most days with heartburnsometimes  low grade fever .i have  extreme fatigue and can sleep for days without food or water wake for toilet breaks and fall asleep , I have terrible blisters on my face which weep clear fluid , also my glands have been swollen for the entire period of my illness , I get terrible night sweats and have to sleep on a towel . My blood tests all normal , normal ultrasound , normal endo ,  the pain is bad and the morphine is not working very well anymore . My doctor is useless ,I have just changed docs and have been sent for a ct scan I am praying that they find something anything as I don't think I can go on for much longer , I live on my sofa , I don't go out and most days cannot even get up to get dressed , I am 42 today ,it's my birthday I spent it throwing up and crying with pain ( feeling sorry for myself) it's been so long this illness is killing me the only abnormality found so far has been low ferritin and I had pancreatis but iserum levels normalised after a few days so I was sent home . If anyone out there knows of similar or has been through this hell I would love to hear from you , I have large sometimes oily stools which block my toilet even though I eat tiny amounts . 

So sorry t

So sorry to read about your problem, your symptoms are exactly the same as mind, even the dizziness (standing or sitting) and frequent unrination... drove me crazy.  I lost so much time of work, following lots of tests and courses of antibiotics, a CT, Internal and ultrasound scan I was diagnosed with a 0.8mm kidney stone stuck in my urethra.  It took two operations and they finally got it... Had successful operation back in Nov16 and once recovered about a month, was more or less back to normal.  I have in the past week started getting the symptoms back again, really quite concerned so will be going back to docs... what really helped me with the pain is Naproxin suppositories 100mg, they were brilliant, can only take 1 in 24hrs because they are really strong and can only take them short term but they really work well.  I read about them on a recommendation from a similar US site to this when I was going out of mind with pain.  My doctor was really happy to help and prescribed them, but I did have to ask.  Good luck, hope you get to the bottom of it, and get sorted.  Get well soon.  X 

Hiya,

How have you gone on I have the same symptoms, almost exactly what I don't inderstand is they found blood in your sample which suggests stones. Remember even the finest piece of grit can be excruciating. I myself am awaiting CT scan results, and anxiety has kicked in..

Hope all is all good?

Regards

CWB

I went to the physiotherapy and am praying for you