Duplex kidney.

[CheeseAndOnionIcecream]

Apologies for posting on here,I posted it on the health section a week ago but had no response! Hoping more people will see it here.

My granddaughter (14 next month) has been diagnosed with a duplex kidney,basically a third smaller kidney attached to one of her existing ones. She is not well at the moment with another kidney infection (her second in 3 months) and is currently waiting to hear from the hospital for an MRI scan so further treatment can be arranged. Has anyone had experience of this condition,either in themselves or someone close to them? I understand that it is quite rare.

We don’t have experience of it but we did have a baby who was prone to uti so it was discussed as a possibility before the scans etc. My understanding was that if he did have an additional kidney one may be removed. So maybe that’s what will happen?

My brother has a duplex kidney. Most of the time he is completely fine but every couple of years he end up in hospital with kidney stones. He is supposed to watch what he eats and drinks but is only just approaching 30 now so hasn’t really been doing that. They told him he will be a kidney stone making machine so this will just keep happening but he seems fine with dealing with the infrequent flare ups. It’s never been suggested that he has it removed.

My friends child has 4 kidneys! Causes them no issue and is just monitored

From my research,I understand that having a third kidney doesn't necessarily cause problems,but can cause kidney infections in some people. Until she has the MRI scan,we won't know what the long term treatment will be. Having the extra one removed is one possibility that has been suggested,if it continues to cause problems. It was only discovered because she had a kidney infection back in the middle of July. Her blood pressure was routinely checked and was discovered to be quite high,so she was sent for an ultrasound scan of her kidneys,as kidney problems can cause BP to be raised.

DaisyDreaming Wow! 4 kidneys! I'd heard of having an extra one,but never two.

I have this - diagnosed at about 11 after years of infections- In my late teens the infections became less frequent- I then had a bad attack in my mid 30’s and was on low dose antibiotics for 6 months.

Now in my 50’s and have had no issues for many years

I think kidney issues are fairly common but many people don’t know they have an issue- a friend of mine was asked after an operation when she had her kidney removed- when she replied that she hadn’t she was informed that she only had one: she was in her 60’s at the time

I have a duplex kidney system on one side so 3 in total. I have no real issues from it now I am used to dealing with it, but have to be careful to drink enough and not get dehydrated.

The one thing I didn’t know for years was that bubble baths are really bad for giving UTIs and since I have stopped having the bubbles that has really reduced the frequency.

Good luck and happy to answer any questions you have.

@CheeseAndOnionIcecream I have just remembered that I was told that I may have an operation when I was 16 if things didn’t improve, but in my case they did

I have a duplex kidney, discovered when I was very ill aged about 2 1/2. I'm now 51, and generally it hasn't been an issue. I am more prone to kidney infections, and I do find that stress can cause them. In one particularly stressful job, I had 15 kidney infections over the course of a year, and ended up on tricyclical antidepressants, which also act as a low level painkiller. Since changing jobs about 16 years ago, I've not had a problem again.

Thank you everyone who has responded. It has been most helpful and given me hope that the outcome may be positive. We are just glad that it has been discovered relatively early as I've heard some people can have years of repeated infections before it is found to be the cause.

Hectorcat Thanks for the advice regarding bubble baths! I know my Dgd has showers rather than baths so it shouldn't be a problem!