Is this normal pain for a kidney infection or is it sepsis?

[askttd]

Hi all

over the past few days (since Monday) I’ve had pain in my kidney area (sides and back) and have been drinking less, had bad chills from about 4pm where my body is shivering loads for about 3 hours despite wearing a tracksuit, dressing gown, blanket and a duvet with the heating on.
went to urgent care yesterday on the advice of the GP and their they said I had a UTI and kidney infection and gave me antibiotics.

However, what worried me was that when they checked my temp it was 38.9 (no paracetamol taken) and my HR was 138 (think I was nervous which I hope added to that, but my resting heart rate is usually relatively high, around 80). At urgent care they didn’t do any blood tests to rule out urosepsis and now I’m worried I might have that.
My shivers have gotten better last night (only happened for around an hour) but I can’t sleep on my sides or stomach because of the pain. It’s very painful lying on my back and sitting up, I tried to work from home today but the pain is too unbearable.

I know most here aren’t qualified to give medical advice. I have contacted my GP just waiting for a callback. But I just wanted to get the opinions of those who had had kidney infections whether this was normal? Or from those who have had urosepsis and if it seems more like that?

thanks.

Op if you feel ill just go to the hospital. I had urosepsis as a teenager (I didn't realise how unwell I'd gotten and the walk in centre thought I had back pain) 2 days after that I had a seizure and was rushed to hospital having to have antibiotics intravenously (which is very painful! It's burns inside). Not worth the risk as it can do permanent damage to your organs.

Kidney pain is horrendous. If it’s getting worse you need to go back not only to rule out sepsis but maybe you need additional treatment.
At home all you can do is set an alarm to take the antibiotics right on time, hot water bottles against your lower back and drink all the water you can.

It sounds like you are having rigors( uncontrollable shaking due to high temp but feeling cold)
It's a serious symptom and if you don't feel better I think you should seek medical help now. You gave probably got an ascending infection/ urosepsis/ kidney infection or pyelonephritis.
What abx are you on?

Did they do a urine sample?

No. 37.5 is low grade.

Have you taken your blood pressure?

This!

Only tests/ obs are going to answer this so go back to a GP/ medical professional and say you are worried about sepsis. A few years back I had sepsis from a UTI then kidney infection which sounded just like this (rigors) in early stages. I saw 2 GPs over 6 days who both missed it and prescribed wrong meds. Got worse and worse until I couldn't get down the stairs unaided, temp of 40, vomiting etc. Ended up going via A&E and being in hospital for 2 weeks (fine now). Not saying this to worry you but if in doubt it really is worth going back and being clear about what your concerns are. Had I known about sepsis at the time I would have tried to advocate for myself more. I hope you're on the mend soon.

I don't know what established categories you are referring to but this is an example of a Modified Early Warning Score chart.

With a HR of 138 BPM and a temperature of 38.9°c, the OP would have scored at least a 5, so would have medical review if the chart had been used.

@Lougle The NEWS2 score is used in the NHS

https://www.england.nhs.uk/ourwork/clinical-policy/sepsis/nationalearlywarningscore/

We use NEWS not sure if it's NEWS2 it scores ar temp 38 and above. That's a fast HR did the GP note it? GPs do obs but they don't use NEWS.
Anyway OP How are you ?? Have you gone back to the Dr or urgent care?? What abx are you on?

Sounds like every kidney infection I've had. High temp, shivering, pain in back and sides, vomiting, pain when weeing. Why do you think it's sepsis and not just an infection? I'd let the antibiotics work unless you get worse.

How are you feeling now OP?

It does sound right, they bloody hurt, but you know your own body - if you suspect sepsis, don't leave it, get it checked. Always better safe than sorry. 💐

I had many many kidney infections during my 20’s and I’d say your symptoms are typical. However if you’ve got the right antibiotics I’d have hoped you’d be feeling much better within 12 hours. It’s a rotten thing to suffer with, hope you’re feeling better soon. Have you taken pain killers too? It didn’t occur to me that you could take with antibiotics for several years…doh!

My frequent kidney infections stopped when I stopped taking the pill in my 30’s. It wasn’t till i was discussing HRT recently with a new GP that they piped up that “well the contraceptive pill is well known to cause UTI’s in some women…” I’m very cross no one thought to mention it might have been the cause!

I've been hospitalised twice with sepsis from kidney infections and I've gone downhill very fast. In my case, the first time it's because the first level antibiotics (trimethoprim) didn't have any effect, so I got worse over the next 48 hours and ended up in the high dependency unit and was in hospital for a week. Second time was very early stages so caught it before it became severe but only because I immediately recognised the symptoms and my son called an ambulance and I needed iv antibiotics because my infection levels were too high for oral antibiotics to have touched the sides

My bp was through the floor first time - can't remember 2nd time, but it was very scary.

If you feel unwell, please go to a&e. Kidney infections can take a nasty turn very quickly, and whilst it may not be sepsis, it certainly sounds like you may need a different antibiotic regime

What antibiotics were you given op?

Problem is an abx like Trimethoprim only treats bladder infections not rising kidney infection.

Well quite. But at the time that was my gp's primary go to for any UTI. I won't take it now as I absolutely do not want to go through that again!

I had a kidney infection (but was pregnant) and was kept in hospital on IV drip for three days.

The pain was like nothing else! Had a temperature and was vomiting and wetting myself. It was horrendous.

You are shivering and shaking because you have a fever. Wrapping yourself up won’t help your fever. You need to pretty much strip off and take paracetamol to control it. You have a fever because you have an infection

you have a high heart rate because you have an infection

all these are normal infection markers

drink a lot of clear fluids around 3l a day (tea/coffee don’t count)

take the antibiotics as prescribed, they can take up to 48hrs to start working

at this stage it doesn’t sound like sepsis but if you’re worried take yourself to urgent care or ED

I felt shocking when I had a kidney infection. Fever, shaking, sick. I ended up in hospital. But despite how awful I felt I didn't have sepsis. Definitely get it checked if you're worried though.

Does your heart rate settle when your temperature comes down? Because if not, definitely head to A&E. Tachycardia with pyrexia is not uncommon, but tachycardia when apyrexial is a very worrying sign.

Thanks for all the replies. I made my way to A&E yesterday and after doing blood (and other) tests, I was told I do indeed have sepsis and have been admitted to hospital for treatment. However, I think I caught it in perfect time as my consultant said they will treat me with multiple intravenous ABs with the hope of me being able to go home in the next couple of days.
If anyone sees this post and has similar symptoms or symptoms they think may be sepsis, even if you’re unsure I’d urge you to go and get it checked out immediately as you could be saving your life.
One of my infection markers was 140 where the ‘normal’ would be considered anything under 5. If I would have waited 48 hrs (which would have been tonight) I worry to think how ill I may have become.

So glad to hear you went in. Thanks for updating the thread for all the people who’ll find it in the future googling similar symptoms. I hope you start to feel better quickly!

Thank goodness you went to A&E.

Was going to say I've had two kidney infections. The first caused dreadful vomiting, couldn't keep anything down.

The second one caused awful stabbing pains. Due to previous experience I went straight to urgent care (BH) and got antibiotics.

Neither one caused extreme pain once I started antibiotics and neither caused a fever or shivering. I did have a fast heart rate but my heart rate is usually in the high 90s and around 117 when unwell.

If you hadn't gone to A&E I was going to say you should go. I'm glad you went and are getting the right treatment now. I hope you feel better soon.