Blood in urine, kidney pain

[JumperooSue]

Just look for some friendly advice as I’m at the end of a tether chasing my GP.

About 2 months also I experienced some kidney pain whilst at work, I work in a hospital so tested my sample which was positive for blood (not visible but positive on a dipstick). I called the GP who felt it was a kidney stone also sent me for an ultrasound which was clear. I then called back around two weeks later as I still had blood in my urine and kidney pain, I was asked to drop in a sample which was sent to the lab, it showed no infection but positive for red blood cells and the GP asked that I repeat it again in two weeks for the nurse to test. I took a sample to my surgery and called for the results and was surprised to be told my sample was clear- more surprised as I had tested the same sample myself prior to dropping it and it contained blood. I’ve been testing daily and continually have blood present, my kidney pain comes and goes. I’ve asked for the GP to call me again as I’m not happy that my sample was marked as clear when it wasn’t. I’m late 20s and female with a first degree family history of kidney cancer, which is obviously a worry but I’m trying not to be dramatic! I’m normally a really well person and this is just getting me down. I just wondered if anyone had experienced the same, any comments gratefully received.

Has your GP done a kidney function test? Sorry to hear they are not being very helpful

@BigGreen

Has your GP done a kidney function test? Sorry to hear they are not being very helpful

Thank you for replying! No they haven’t, they’ve sent one urine sample to the lab which came back positive for blood and I had a kidney ultrasound. After the nurse marked the next sample normal (despite it containing blood) the GP didn’t call me! I’m going to ask for a call back Monday as I think it needs further investigation, I think bloods is probably the next thing I should ask for🙂

A few thoughts...it sounds like your GP is working through deciding whether it’s likely to be a urological problem/ renal problem (which would need referral to different specialties) doesn’t it? FWIW, there are some (uncommon) scenarios in which urine can test positive for blood on dipstick but not have blood in it on lab testing. Also, not all blood in urine comes from the urinary tract, especially in women. Ultrasound wouldn’t necessarily show a stone (partly because if the pain is gone, even if there was one there originally, it may not be there any more), but uss would show if there was something causing ongoing obstruction and would most likely show if there was something suspicious for a cancer or something structurally wrong with the kidneys/urinary tract. Does your GP know your family history & what you’re worried about? Hope it all turns out well.

@Greybeardy the first time I called no one asked any history at all, literally no questions, they didn’t even ask for a sample to send away, they just told me it was renal colic/ kidney stones and sent me for an ultrasound. I filled out an online consult which included all my family history the next time and they called me back and ask me to send a sample to the lab, which came back as positive for red blood cells. I was then asked by text to drop another sample down to the surgery which was tested by a nurse in the surgery but not sent to the lab as it was marked as clear although having tested it myself at work prior to dropping it, there was blood present. This has taken nearly ten weeks of chasing and calling, I haven’t ever been seen in person. I’ve tested my urine daily and is positive for blood daily, the kidney pain is intermittent throughout the day but I have a constant dull ache. I don’t have periods due to my contraception so I know it’s not vaginal blood contaminating the sample, and I always perform a clean catch when checking. I’m just at a loss of what to do, I haven’t seen my GP since 2013 as I’m usually a really well person so this is unusual for me. I work in the health care myself so I have an idea of the investigations that should be undertaken but I feel like it’s going on a long time without really getting anywhere. Im just cautious to get an answer and get it sorted🙂

Could you possibly see a private clinic for urine testing? That might help to resolve the mismatch between lab results and your own tests.

Can you contact the GP and get kidney function tests? That would give you some more info about how they were filtering your blood.

I wouldn't let it lie personally. I've just been diagnosed w only 60% kidney function with no reason at all, no risk factors, completely fine ultrasound. Best not to mess with the kidneys.

@BigGreen I have been looking into private care tbh, it’s not something I can easily afford but can’t you put a price on your health, like you say do not mess with the kidneys!

The discrepancy isn’t between my testing and the lab, when I’ve tested it’s always been positive for blood, when a sample was sent to the lab for analysis they also found blood present. Unfortunately it was when I member of staff at the surgery tested the sample themselves they marked the sample as normal and discarded it without sending it for further analysis. I have attached a photo I took of the dipstick from the sample I left at the surgery, the fourth square up from the bottom turns from yellow to green in the presence of blood, I’m assuming the error is testing was purely a unfortunate case of human error but obviously this needs to be sorted. I would just like to be seen face to face, all the back and forth is exhausting!😂

That doesn't sound right at all. I'd put it all in an email to the GP practice manager.

I’ve submitted a online consultation requesting a GP call me next week. The GP I spoke to was good but I feel like she’ll have been reassured by the sample being clear although this was incorrect, she was going to refer me based off that sample so I felt so frustrated by the whole situation!

I don’t want anyone to read this to think I’m GP bashing either, I’ve worked at a surgery myself before and I know how hard they work. It’s just so frustrating that phone consultations seem to be the norm now, I feel like so many people will not access the care they need as they have to jump through hoops for a simple call back. I just feel like as someone who is very well and never bothers the GP the fact I’m asking for help with concerning symptoms, I’d have thought there would be more urgency or at least more investigation!

Op, I always have blood in my urine, I had a cystoscopy and was diagnosed with interstitial cystitis. I had years of pain and kidney infections. Then my gp put my on amitriptiline and it's really helped. I would definitely ask for more tests to be done. Good luck!

Unfortunately dipstick testing does often give a false positive reading.
There’s no real consensus on if/ when to refer if under 40 especially if USS is normal.
Over 40 then if 2 consecutive tests show 3x10 (to the power of 5) then you would be referred.
A genetic link for kidney cancer only accounts for 5% of kidney cancers.
Renal function should be checked on bloods, plus testing for proteinuria if not already done.
As need to exclude glomerulonephritis.

@ohsuzannah thank you that’s really helpful! I have read up a lot on IC, I don’t get the bladder symptoms really more the kidney. What were your symptoms if you don’t mind me asking?

@Moreguac thank you, that’s really good to know about the genetic link for kidney cancer, definitely puts my mind at ease a little, tbh I try not to worry about it being something sinister as I know it’s rare in under 40s and I feel otherwise well. The dipsticks aren’t showing a false positive though as the sample sent to the lab came back positive for blood. A second sample was due to be sent to the lab but was discarded by the surgery. I’m just preplexed as to what it could be and the constant dull ache in my kidneys make me want to rip them out😂

Ask your gp to review all your tests since the blood was found. In my experience each nurse / gp was just looking at the latest result in isolation and deciding to repeat rather than seeing that the blood and protein had been present for months. I ended up with kidney biopsy and diagnosis of glomerulnephritis.

@malikaqi thank you for the reply, I’ve now been referred to urology for further investigation. The GP did say they had a problem with their urine dipsticks recently which may explain the negative results at the GP.

If you don’t mind me asking did you have any pain with your glomerulnephritis?

I originally had urine tested due to abdo pain. Pain resolved but the microscopic blood and protein didn't. I don't remember having any back pain.