Kidney Infection ... any treatment supporting home remedies?

[MrsBigDrumsADrumming]

thought I'll pose the question to all you knowledgable MNers...

went to doc yesterday with severe stomach pains, thinking something's wrong with my 3 month old c-section scar... well the good news was ... the scar is fine... the bad news... I've got a kidney and bladder infection! Didn't have the typical signs of pain when p-ing, etc. so didn't suspect that at all, but when the doc pushed into my back I nearly fainted!

Anyhow, I'm now on antibiotics and cranberry juice by the gallon. Are there any other things I can do to aid recovery?

Thank you

[Aimsmum]

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[ItllBeLonelymumThisChristmas]

Have had this before too, prior to needing life saving surgery on my kidney, but for a condition so rare the surgeons didn't recognise it, so don't worry about getting the same as me! But I know how you are feeling right now so I wanted to send my support. Can only say what Aimsmum has said, drink loads and look after yourself for the next few days. Thank God for antibiotics!

[MrsBigDrumsADrumming]

Aimsmum - thanks for that I'll hit boots later and get those tablets. Anything to get rid of it... with 2 kids at home I dont' really want to be laid up iykwim.

What worried me was when the doc said if the pain gets the way it felt when he pushed in I am to go straight to A&E! Now that's calming the nerves... NOT!

IBLTC - sorry to hear you had bad kidney luck! Must have been awful. and thanks for your mental support

[Aimsmum]

Message withdrawn

[ItllBeLonelymumThisChristmas]

Someone else really ought to look after your children for you and go to Boots for you. You shouldn't underestimate the seriousness of the infection. You sounded pretty bad to me.

[MrsBigDrumsADrumming]

well it is pretty bad, but I have this very bad habit... I usually think to myself, if I can still walk without feeling too nauseaus it can't be that bad and keep doing stuff

Though dd (3) now has been told that she can't used mama as 'horsie' as my back is sore and she was really sweet saying 'sorry mama' and kissing it better (aaaaaaaaaaw)

Generally taking it easy today though, no energy, DH is at home, dd has been 'dumped' at cm and ds (4 months) has been sleeping lots so far).

[alibubbles]

MrsBigDrumsADrumming, you have my sympathy, I have had permanent kidney pain this christmas. Infact, my pain is worse since I had my kidney stones removed.

I spent an hour in the CT scanner at the Middlesex last week having different types of CT scans - full bladder, empty bladder, fluorescent dye etc with view to another op.

Hot water bottles, hot baths and de-stressing herbals teas are all good.

I an like you I don't think I have an infection because I have never had any peeing problems, ever, so tend not to think of an infection, but that is what causes the pain.

I am sitting here now thinking, I should go to the docs, but he can't do anything apart from another urine sample, anti b's and pain killers, - tramadol or codeine is what he has given me bucket loads of!

Hope you get better soon, hugs, ((((((())))))

[ItllBeLonelymumThisChristmas]

alibubbles, don't let it rest. I know it is hard to keep going to the GP with no results at the end of it, but I was ill on and off for at least two years, during which time I had the tests you describe, before I suddenly became VERY ill and was admitted to hospital. I had four days of intensive tests and even then they found nothing wrong. Finally, I was cut open all down my front (I have a lovely, over-healed 8 inch scar) so the surgeon could have a good look inside and a growth the size of a grapefruit was removed from my kidney. It was not known for several days afterwards whether it was cancerous or not, but it turned out to be completely benign. However, this is very rare so I don't want to worry you and make you think you will have what I have, but after my experience, if I ever got kidney trouble again, I would not leave the doctors until something was done about it. You must think to yourself, something is causing the pain and it is not good enough for the doctor to say, well we don't know what it is. They need to find out!

[MrsBigDrumsADrumming]

I'll have to wait and see what the urine sample comes back with. The initial test showed protein

The doc seems quite good as he said if I don't feel better in a few days when the antib's are supposed to kick in to come back and he'll reasses the situation. Have to say that since he's prodded me I've been feeling worse for wear, but that's probably because he's 'stirred it up'. Also feeling very lethargic and unmotivated today - even a chocolate fix didn't help . Having even more fluids than usual though so maybe body just wondering what the heck's going on

I had the florescent scan ages ago (at least 15 years!) when I went to see a doc for some other problems and they then asked me how long ago my kidney infection was treated because my right kidney showed 'scarring'... well I never new I had it then, so probably shouldn't be surprised that I have it now and not knowing about it...

It's just so frustrating as I try everything to look after myself (as much as 2 kids allow )...

[Dreams]

i had this but it was serious it was about 3 years ago now! ihad really bad lower stomach pain but i just ignored it and ignored it and thought it would get better. Then one night i was lieing in bed rolling in agony with pain in my stomach and back......all of a sudden i felt sick so i crawled to the bathroom and was sick everywhere. I had no choice but to go to hospital. i turned up and could not even walk. When the doc came to see me he said if i had left it any longer i could have died! i had to have a drip put in straight away and i was in hospital for 1 week.....ill,not eating and weak. i had a kidney infection which they said had started from a urine infection!


so please please make sure you keep on top of this as you will feel 100 times worse if you dont. i hope you feel better soon xx

[MrsBigDrumsADrumming]

thanks Dreams, I'll defo stay on top of it. Very drained and tired today though that's how I usually react to antib's

[maddiemo]

I had one a few weeks ago. There is a thread further down. It is awful.

Drink plenty of water and rest rest rest. Even when you feel a bit better take it easy.

[MrsBigDrumsADrumming]

thanks maddiemo, found your thread further down. As for the take it easy part... I'll try but somehow it's so not in my nature... I've got the 'affliction' that if I know something needs to be done e.g. around the house I can't relax properly until it's done... ah well body is slowing me up a bit so hopefully mind will follow suit. Will go to bed as soon as kids are in bed as I did last night

[ItllBeLonelymumThisChristmas]

Hope you are feeling better now MrsBigDrumsADrumming. I am feeling anxious for you as you don't seem able to rest, and Dreams' story sounded horrendous. How are you now?

[MrsBigD]

Itlbelonleymum...
thanks for your concern. Still feeling the same so back to the doc tomorrow. Might need stronger antib's or he might send me straight to hospital for iv antib's. Anyhow it hasn't gotten worse and I actually managed to get some rest as DH kept dd and ds occupied in the mornings so I could have more sleep after the 0600 ds feed. . DH can be pretty annoying at times, but he's an angel really

[MrsBigD]

doctors! aaaaaaargh
went back today and my test results showed that I don't have an infection after all... so got prodded left right and center and ... she (different doc to last time) doesn't know what's wrong but doesn't think it's serious because my abdomen etc is all nice and soft. So why did I hit the ceiling a few times when she prodded me I wonder? She then told me to see how it goes and come back in a couple of days if I'm not feeling better!

She's putting it down to muscle fatigue due to my cs. All I can say to that is that I must have muscles in very weird places!

[Lonelymum]

Surely that diagnosis doesn't fit in with the way you have been feeling, ie ill. I'm glad for you if you do not have an infection - you can come off the cranberry juice now! - but if you had been me I would have said to her well how is it muscle strain is making me feel so ill? And something must be amiss for you to feel so much pain when prodded. If the pain is muscular, can you get rid of it or ease it by taking pain killers or putting a hot water bottle against the affected area?

[MrsBigD]

I'd need a bloody big hot water bottle that wraps around. I'm quite certain it's not muscle strain as I haven't done anything out of the ordinary... I actually asked the doc whether it could be clamydia as I've had that yonks ago and remember it was very painful in the abdominal area. Never had the back pain with it though. She said well that could be but she can't take a swap today as sample collection for the day had already been. Instead of asking me back tomorrow to do it I got the 'come back in a couple of days if you're not feeling better'.

Just had a warm bath as that would ease sore muscles, but not feeling better... Well I guess I'll be back in a couple of days and not leaving until they've checked everything.

Just joined that surgery as I was very unhappy with my old one. Ah well the doctors seem to be equally inept but at least they have nice receptionists.

[MrsBigD]

just reread my last post... came across a bit aggressive didn't I... I blame majorly being ticked off with health system. Sorry

[Lonelymum]

Keep going MrsBigD. I know it is a pain (no pun intended) but you have to keep turning up at surgery and complaining for them to take you seriously sometimes. I really don't think it sounds like muscle strain to me although I must admit I had a sore breast before Xmas, went to the doctor who examined me for lumps, found none and suggested muscle strain to me. I could n't think of anything I had done to incur muscle strain, but it did sem worse after I was on the computer (Mumsnet!) so I decided it was that. Gradually it went away. What I mean is, muscle strain should get better and worse according to what you are doing. Your pain sounds more consistent than that and doesn't seem to respond to treatment. Keep us posted about how you get on. Could you be sent for a general abdominal scan? I had one once. Nothing was found but it put my mind at rest. Would clamydia show up in a scan though? Have you any other ideas?

[maddiemo]

Blimey. They are giving you the run around.

Go back tomorrow and take a sample. Still rest if you are feeling no better.

Hope you get an answer soon.

[MrsBigD]

clamydia involves a slightly unpleasant swap to be taken, so I couldn't take a thingyme home and do it myself to hand back in the morning.

As I'm still feeling rubbish I'll be back there first thing tomorrow morning. Well she did say come back in a couple of days.

Don't think and abdominal scan would show much as inflamations and such things don't show up unless they use contrast medium (I think, could be totally wrong of course).

I just thought it shocking that I had to mention clamydia before the doc considered it! Then again, why am I still surprised after having lived in the UK for 13 years?! I always have to laugh when I hear people at home (Germany) complain about the health system there... she should try 'surviving' over here! I'm deffo determined to have a full check-up at various docs when back in Germany next! Will cost me but at least I'll know they're taking good care of me.

Rant over

[MrsBigD]

as recommended I went back today... doctor #3... she took some swabs and asked me whether I'd tried painkillers... DAAAAAAAH! But what good is treating the symptoms if ya don't know what's causing them?! Well at least she's sending stuff in for tests, but until they are back in a week or so I'll be left with nothing to do but take the painkillers she prescribed and light exercise as the back pain is very likely muscle related, but not the abdominal pain...

[MrsBigD]

p.s. feel free to ignore my rantings about my doctors and my health. it just helps to unload