At my wits end with kidney pain - don't know what to do anymore.

[ShalomToYouJackie]

I'm 13+5 weeks pregnant, I've had blood in my urine on and off for 6-7 weeks now. GP tested for infection and it was negative. A few weeks later I had a dull ache in my lower back on the right hand side which got increasingly worse until I couldn't stand. I was throwing up from the pain and went to a+e. Pain suddenly completely stopped. My urine and bloods came back fine. They suspected kidney stones but an ultrasound scan didn't pick any up. Same thing happened a week later and they sent me home and said everything was fine and to drink water and and take paracetamol.

Last week I started weeing blood again but this time there were small blood clots in my urine too. I also constantly felt like I needed a wee. I spoke to my GP who did another urine sample which again came back negative for infection. They called the urology department at my hospital and I was seen the next day. Blood and urine came back clear again. Had another US of kidneys which showed no stones and that my kidney was draining fine and looked fine. Told to drink water and take paracetamol and they'll do a CT scan in June after the baby has been born. They give me antiobiotics just incase it was an infection which I've been taking.


I've now had worsening pain for nearly 48 hours in the same area and again am at the point where I can hardly walk, I'm retching from the pain. Paracetamol and hot water bottle are doing nothing. I'm drinking about 3 litres or more of water a day. It's really unbearable and I don't know what to do, I keep just getting told I'm fine and to drink water. What would you do in this situation?

[ShalomToYouJackie]

That had paragraphs when I typed it - sorry!

[JoJoSM2]

I’d just go to A&E. It sounds v bad.

[stairgates]

Have you tried a lemon and olive oil.flush, dont know how safe it is in pregnancy ut it kind of softens and slides the gristle out, might be worth a google.

[enelcielo]

I'd go to A&E too.

I had a horrendous kidney infection years ago, that ate away at my kidney and reduced its function. I could barely walk and was seized up in pain.

It could be that if you have an infection, it's not responding to the particular type of antibiotic you've been prescribed.

[ShalomToYouJackie]

Thank you, in A+E now and been taken to majors. Just hope they don't send me away with crap advice again

[ClarkGriswoldsChristmastree19]

@ShalomToYouJackie I am not pregnant but the exact same symptoms happened to me a couple of weeks ago! Horrific, worrying and told it was most likely Kidney Stones. I'm not so sure! Get well soon, and keep on at them to get answers, it's not right whatever it is! I'm sure A&E will take care of you!

[NotTheToothFairy22]

That sounds horrible OP, I really hope A&E figure it out for you. I've had ongoing kidney pain but no known cause either even though I've had a few urine tests come back with issues even though at those times I've not had any UTI symptoms! You would think with you being pregnant they'd have a bit more sympathy and try to get to the bottom of it for you. Is your A&E very busy?

[Fittata]

Urine tests aren't great at picking up infections. My consultant told me they probably only catch about 50%. Hope they give you different antibiotics and this sorts it out.

[Weenurse]

Sounds like a stone, some stones don’t show up on ultrasound.
Good luck

[coronafiona]

Just a suggestion - it couldn't be muscular back pain could it? That happened to me and after all the same investigations eventually I went to a chiropractor who helped

[Haggisfish]

Poor you op. I had leaky kidneys in pg in terms of glucose. Yours sound horrendous. Hope you get some relief

[ShalomToYouJackie]

Thank you everyone :) my A+E is heaving, apparently much busier than usual. One of the nurses reckons people are turning up to get minor things dealt with before the stricter lockdown!

I was seen by a lovely Dr straight away, I've been given more paracetamol but he is getting me a pregnancy safe stronger painkiller. I had my bladder contents measured then went to the loo and had it measured again and only passed 30ml so now I get a catheter whilst I wait for the Dr to come back. He really listened to me and said he doesn't think it is a stone or UTI and thinks perhaps a blood clot is stuck somewhere which is causing the occasional blood or small clot in urine.

Very glad I made this thread or I wouldn't have come.

[ShalomToYouJackie]

@coronafiona I did consider that it was my back rather than kidney and DP thought the same but because of the blood in my urine and not being able to wee very much I do think it's more likely to be my kidney. I'll see what they say tonight and if they can't find a cause I'll definitely contact a chiropractor.

[Weenurse]

Could be clot colic, which feels like a kidney stone as it does the same thing by blocking the ureter.
Having the clots in the first place and not being able to pee is something else.
How much was left in your bladder?

[jess3817]

How are you today - hope you're okay?

[ShalomToYouJackie]

@weenurse that's good to know thank you, I'll look it up. There was still 267ml left

[ShalomToYouJackie]

@jess3817 thank you for asking, I had an Ultrasound scan done by a registrar which showed my right kidney was a bit dilated although the Dr looked at it and said he thought it was normal. I was in until 3am and then sent home and came back at 9am for an appointment with urology again at the surgical admissions unit.


A medical student has just taken very detailed notes of everything that's going on and is going to pass it on to a Dr and I'll see what they say. The student did say they might be hesitant to do anything due to being pregnant but I'm wondering what the risks are to the baby of whatever it is they want to do vs the risk to me if this is left for another 6 months (I know that sounds really selfish but I am in agony! )

[jess3817]

Hope they manage to find out what's wrong and are able to help reduce the pain you're in. X

[ClarkGriswoldsChristmastree19]

How are you feeling now @ShalomToYouJackie ? Did they manage to decide ona plan going forward?

[ClarkGriswoldsChristmastree19]

*on a

[WorkingItOutAsIGo]

Are you sure it’s not an ectopic pregnancy?

[ShalomToYouJackie]

@WorkingItOutAsIGo Very sure, I'm 14 weeks today and have had my 12 week scan and a private scan too

[ShalomToYouJackie]

@ClarkGriswoldsChristmastree19 @jess3817 Thank you both - I was seen by a urologist yesterday afternoon who says she doesn't think it's kidney stones as my kidney function is showing up fine in blood tests and she actually think it's gallstones. Doesn't explain the blood in my urine though.

I've got a ultrasound scan tomorrow morning of my gallbladder then to see a consultant after to discuss. Pain is still there but has moved to my side now, I can't walk properly. I wasn't given any painkillers so still relying on paracetamol. I have co-codamol in the house but not sure if it's safe in pregnancy. It doesn't say anything on the leaflet just not to take if breastfeeding.

Really glad I went back to a+e and hope they get to the bottom of it as I'm in agony :(

[Menomosso]

Sounds awful, as if pregnancy wasn’t scary enough to start with. I know you shouldn’t take advice from internet randoms but my GP has given me the ok to take co-codamol in pregnancy as I suffer from migraines. It’s at the end of pregnancy that you shouldn’t take it as it causes breathing problems during birth.

[Ismellphantoms]

Have you got your appendix and has it been checked? My bladder wouldn't empty and I had a catheter that drained 1.5 litres of urine before surgery. The staff were very excited to see so much. In pregnancy the appendix can be in the wrong place because it's moved by the growing uterus.