Thread: A bit worried about my mom

About a month ago or so my mom started having some dull pain around the lower area of her back and then she noticed blood in the urine. The blood in the urine went away while the pain percisted and then about a week ago she noticed blood in the urine again. Mainly in the morning.

Prior to these symptyoms she had a urine infection which was treated with a 5 day antibiotics.

She went to the doctor of course who performed an ultrasound on the bladder which came out fine. They did detect red blood cells in the urine sample. Then she went to the emergency because she didn't want to wait for further tests and there they took a blood sample which basically showed that everything was fine. They didn't even see red blood cells in the urine. But she still had dull pain and blood in the urine in the morning. Nothing seemed to be wrong according to the blood test at all. Kidneys were working fine.

Then they performed a CT-scan of the belly and as far as I can tell from the report they didn't find anything on that either. It said however that, and I will try to translate this from swedish, there was a "descrete heterogeniousity on mainly the left kidney at the contrast charge". I asked the doctor what that meant, if it means they've found a spot or something, but he said no, nothing like that. If I understood him correctly it means that the kidney was "glowing" in slightly different contrast and he said that happens often and that it might come out normal on another scan. It didn't seem to be anything to worry about. They didn't see a tumour on that scan.

So mom will go on another CT-scan of the kidneys and to the urologist.

Of course, the first thing to pop up in ones mind is cancer which is worrying the hell out of me, but isn't it more likely that this might be an inflammation of the kidneys after the urine infection she had? It seems to be pretty usual with these inflammations. I have read that to really confirm an inflammation for sure you have to do a kidney biopsy? How great are the chances that the doctors would miss a symptom giving tumour on a CT-scan? :/

Her condition hasn't wersened or anything, it's pretty much static.

Unfortunately you are going to have to wait for the further tests to determine what is going on for sure there are a few simple things she can try in case she does have a bit of infection left. First is drink lots of water, and it neeRAB to be water not coffee tea soda etc. Second avoid caffeine, this can sometimes cause irritation and pain in the bladder and even some minor bleeding. Third try drinking some cranberry juice every day, sugar free or no sugar added is best. Cranberry juice does something to the cells in the urinary tract that prevents bacteria from sticking and can help prevent an infection. Health food stores in the US sell capsules if she absolutely hates the juice. Personally in think the juice works better, but if you can't get it down any other way try the capsules.

Good luck, I hope everything turns out OK.

Tigg.

in addition to inflammation and cancer, another possibility might be a kidney cyst. sometimes such a cyst can rupture and bleed (hemorrhagic cyst). they frequently resolve on their own.

hopefully the further workup that is planned will show no significant problems.

Thank you for your reply.

Mom forgot to tell me that she also had her belly checked with Ultra sound and they said bladder and kidneys looked good on the Ultra sound. So now she has had both a CT-scan performed as well as Ultra sound. I must admit I feel a bit more calm because I read that those two methoRAB corabined are very effective in detecting cancer.

She started having these symptoms togheter with the urine infection. I read that the infection could go up to the kidneys and that it doesn't always have to show in the blood sample. One would think though that it would show up on the x-ray but maybe that is what the "descrete heterogeniousity on mainly the left kidney at the contrast charge" meant. That the inflammation didn't make them glow up as they should.