kidney infection?

[PippiL]

can you have a kidney infection without having really bad symptoms?

I'm prone to cystitis so know the uti symptoms well.

I've had a really terrible bad back for the last few weeks. really low down. it's getting worse to the point where I woke last night with it throbbing.

my wee is a bit cloudy and dark, but otherwise I feel mostly fine. no shivers or sickness.

rang docs who said I could do a sample but can't see a doctor!

any experiences or advice here?

I had a kidney infection recently. Mine was low-level aching/pains in my upper abdomen that moved gradually downward, then I developed a sharp pain on one side near my hipbone. This was over more like 5 days than a few weeks though, but perhaps yours is just more low-level than mine? Cloudy wee sounds like it could be a UTI too.

Why can't you see a doctor? I ended up going to a walk-in clinic as the pain was getting unbearable and my GP clinic couldn't give me an appointment that day. I was told that these kind of infections can be serious ? I'd push to see a GP if I were you rather than leaving it to chance. Good luck and get well!

thanks, I think it might be too. no appointments today, so have a sample bottle which I'll have to drop in tom morning.

it's getting worse though. the throbbing is all the time now, with sharpish pain on one side. I live in rural oxfordshire, so no clinics handy.

not sure im going to make it through the night.

Not to alarm you, but how about A&E? That's where I ended up being treated ? the GP thought it was my appendix and packed me off to hospital.

I think you need to get somewhere to be seen by a doctor. You do not want to risk leaving a kidney infection too long - can very, very wrong. Are you drinking plenty?

Sounds like a kidney infection and they need treating immediately or you can end up with kidney damage/scarring. I wouldn't leave it overnight because they can get very serious very quickly and need IV antibiotics. It's dreadful that your GP won't see you as an emergency. And irresponsible. Could you kick up a fuss? If they really won't see you then I agree that A&E is best course of action. Hope you get sorted out.

but wouldnt I have more serious symptoms if it was a kidney infection?!

dh is in london, and I have no childcare. I'm sure there must be a clinic in banbury, but I don't know what time dh us coming home.

I'm drinking loads!

I don't know; I have no medical knowledge and am only going by your symptoms sounding vaguely like mine. It may be something completely different, but back/abdominal pain and cloudy wee sounds a bit like it could be a UTI. And when I had mine I had quite low-level symptoms (mild-to-moderate abdom pain that I thought was indigestion) for a while before it got worse; you may have a low-level infection.

Also, surely you want to get it sorted if you've been in pain for weeks? It's not worth taking risks over your health; I'm sure it's something that only needs simple treatment, but it does need sorting.

Is there anyone you can leave your child(ren) with? Or take him/her/them with you to the clinic? Or at the very least call NHS Direct.

Oh and by the way, I agree that it's irresponsible of your GP practice not to see you as an emergency. Kick up more of a fuss!

OP, have you had medical attention now? How are you doing?

Thanks for checking up on me lady!

I saw the doc yesterday. She didn't think it was my kidneys and I had no wee infection... However...after 2-3 days of drinking loads of water and cranberry, the backache is subsiding. Coincidence?

I honestly think there was a mild infection there. I'm taking cranberry extract now just in case.

Doctor was very dismissive, and told me to go walking or swimming for backache. Fobbed me off with some naproxen, which I haven't bothered taking. I was feeling quite shakey, and had flushed cheeks. Feeling much better today though.

Hi Pippi, good to hear from you and glad you're feeling better!

The doctor sounds nice . What's naproxen, a painkiller?

In your shoes I would also suspect that there was a mild, slow-acting, low-level UTI. Is it worth seeing another doctor for a second opinion? I'm really not trying to scaremonger, but if there's any chance that it was a UTI it might be worth getting it ruled out.