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Original poster

Kidneys / back pain / alcohol

15 replies

eeehbyegum · 08/03/2020 17:09

Can someone please advise that has been through this or has a medical background... I’ve had recurrent UTI’s, probably every 3-5 weeks. I treat with cystitis sachets, but lately they’ve not helped. One of the last UTI’s I had went, but I was left with awful back pain, so went to the doctor assuming it had gone to my kidneys.

Dr tested urine, bloods, felt my back, declared nothing wrong with me. But there is!

The back pain continued, either side of my lower back / spine, and my frequency of urinating was at every 20-45 mins whilst awake and every 3-4 hrs at night. I ended up taking some left over antibiotics and I had relief in a couple of days. Now it’s back - no UTI burning etc, but back pain. I’ve drunk half a bottle of wine and my lower back is screaming. What is this? Kidney damage? What should I ask the dr to test for? I get very down when I go and they find nothing, it’s like I feel judged for being a hypochondriac. The pain is real, and whilst manageable, I’m worried it’s symptomatic of something more serious.

I drink 10-20 units a week of alcohol, so not excessive, but not nothing.

Having sex kicks off a uti for me. Bit today it’s kicked off back pain, no sex for days, and only from 1-2 glasses of wine. Any ideas? Thank you

OP posts:

HulksPurplePanties · 08/03/2020 17:12

Are your lower discs herniated? That would cause radiating pain to either side. It's called sciatica.

Original poster

eeehbyegum · 08/03/2020 17:15

I don’t think so as it’s a pain that can come and go over a period. It feels inside too. It’s flared today with wine. Would discs do that?

OP posts:

Original poster

eeehbyegum · 08/03/2020 17:16

Also I’ve had sciatica in pregnancy and it’s not the same pain. It’s a very dull ache inside me. Not sharp or movement debilitating

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HulksPurplePanties · 08/03/2020 17:18

Sciatica can be quite intermittent. Mine is always worse when I drink because I sleep deeper and tend to spend more time on one side, rather then move. But sciatica comes and goes. I can be fine for months and then it's horrid again.

Original poster

eeehbyegum · 08/03/2020 17:22

So it’s come on today as a dull constant ache in my lower back, not after sleeping. I’m not sure that would be similar to sciatica. My experience of sciatica is that is a sharp nerve pain which prevents you moving. This isn’t the same. It’s a dull chronic pain - feels hot. If that makes sense!

OP posts:

MissKittyFantastico84 · 08/03/2020 17:24

I just wanted to comment as I have related experience. I have Chronic Kidney Disease with Stage 4 renal failure. You WOULD NOT feel pain from 'kidney damage' - and if your bloods and urine were fine, it is very unlikely to be any kind of renal failure/acute issue.

Can't tell you what it is, but hopefully that alleviates that concern.

Go back and push your GP, but renal issues are easy to pick up in bloods, so I don't think you need to panic. Also, your kidneys are A LOT higher up in your rib cage than you think.

Hope you get an answer soon.

Original poster

eeehbyegum · 08/03/2020 17:29

@MissKittyFantastico84 thank you for replying. I’m so sorry you have renal failure.

My pain is either side of my spine, in the lower back, bottom of my rib cage if that makes sense.

I see body diagrams online and the pain is in the kidney area shown, so sorry if I misunderstood

OP posts:

Original poster

eeehbyegum · 08/03/2020 17:33

My pain is here - like this picture.

OP posts:

MissKittyFantastico84 · 08/03/2020 17:37

To me, your pain would suggest a potential kidney infection, especially given your UTI. Make a noise with your GP! Ask to see another if needed... I know how upset you must feel, but I'm sure you'll be fine.

All the best.

Original poster

eeehbyegum · 08/03/2020 17:42

@MissKittyFantastico84 thank you - dr says no though! Was exactly my assumption.
I assume blood tests and urine tests are conclusive. I can’t go back again. Will buy some antibiotics online instead. I hope you have a healthy ending to your diagnosis x

OP posts:

whoknows2017 · 08/03/2020 18:08

Don't buy antibiotics online - that is the worst things that you can do. You need to go back to your Doctors and explore other causes.

I had this and kept going back for antibiotics for what I thought was a UTI...

In addition to the flank pain, I was also breathless walking up the stairs and had trouble performing even simple tasks like changing a pillowcase. I couldn't walk around a Supermarket without having to sit down half way through.

I put up with this for about two months, chewing antibiotics etc and then finally gave in and called 111 as one night the pain was just too severe and I was throwing up everywhere.

Was whisked off to A&E and then ICU - ended up having to have a kidney removed...

Transpires that I had developed sepsis and my body was slowly shutting down as the kidney had got infected from kidney stones . Unfortunately the kidney couldn't be saved but I was..... (a big thank you to the NHS)

Please please go back to your Doctors and discuss it with them... maybe you need to be referred to see a Urologist or something...

StopMakingATitOfUrselfNPissOff · 08/03/2020 19:12

Sounds like a kidney infection to me. Sometimes UTIs don't show up on dipping. Go back to the doctor, DO NOT buy antibiotics online.
I had recurrent UTIs that antibiotics didn't seem to shift totally, I ended up in hospital with a kidney infection. Since those IV antibiotics I haven't had a UTI since. Sometimes they are just really bloody persistent!

SignOnTheWindow · 08/03/2020 19:40

I have had exactly this about 3 times in my life. Urine tests found no evidence of a kidney infection or kidney stone. The third time I got the pain, I had blood in the urine on day one and by the time I saw the GP on day 3 they could find no blood.

They ran more tests and my kidney function (GFR) was much lower than it should have been. I was sent for a scan and an ultrasound of bladder and kidneys. Nothing showed up. After a few weeks my GFR had climbed back up to normal, if slightly lower than expected, levels and the GP concluded that it must have been acute glomerulonephritis.

Apparently it's not supposed to hurt and no one could explain the pain in my kidneys. But it was very, very real!

Ask for a blood test to check all is as it should be.

Bobismyfriend · 08/03/2020 22:01

I have been having very similar pain. Mine tends to flare up at night. The gp thought kidney stones or something like that. I had a scan and it's actually gallstones. The sonographer said they can cause pain in weird places which you wouldn't expect. Do you have trouble eating and feel full easily or sick after eating?

Shel8487 · 10/03/2021 11:06

Hi @eeehbyegum I am going through the exact same thing! I had hot and cold sweats with mine and very dizzy. Doctor put me on antibiotics just incase then doing a urine sample sent to hosp and told me to stop them today as there is bacteria present but not enough to indicate infection and it wasnt growing in the lab. So confused my pain is exactly like yours they told me probably just pulled a muscle but my body aches were like flu last week and I was dizzy freezing cold etc. How are you feeling today?

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