He's had pain in his left flank for months, exactly where his kidney is. It's worse at night but painful on and off throughout the day, often like a spasm type pain. He's a very stoic man but has been waking up shouting in pain. Going for a wee intensifies the pain.
It took weeks of phoning daily to get an appointment with the GP who did bloods and urine and apart from slightly low vitamin d and magnesium (recommended OTC supplements), everything was normal.
He was referred for an ultrasound on his kidney which showed nothing at all and they recommended going back to the GP to ask for a CT scan as if it's a small stone or stones for example, it wouldn't necessarily show up on US.
It took another 4 weeks to get a GP appt and they repeated the urine test. Nothing conclusive. Said that they'd expect blood if it's a stone but his level was 8 for blood and under 10 is acceptable. GP said the pain sounds just like a stone but the tests don't match.
He's been referred for a pelvic and abdominal CT but it will be a wait.
He's in so much pain. It's really affecting daily life, appetite, ability to exercise. He wears body armour all day and where it sits over his kidney, is excruciating.
But if an US showed nothing and bloods and urine show nothing, is it even his kidney? The pain doesn't move. GP confirmed it's exactly where his kidney is and US over that area was agony. But nothing visibly wrong, everything looked normal to the US technician.
Any ideas?