Severe lower back pain for over 4 months: Doctor is now suspecting a kidney problem. Advice?
I had a baby in October of ‘08 and I had a cesarean section. From December, I started having lower back pain occasionally. It would last a couple of days to a week at the most and felt like I had just pulled something. I rested, and it went away. I have a big baby and I figured it was just strain on my muscles etc. Well, since then its happened more often and for longer periods. The most recent episode has lasted for about a month now. I initially went to see a chiropractor who did Xrays. He found that I have mild scoliosis and some disk degeneration but hes been treating me for 3 weeks, every day and he is puzzled. He told me to go to my MD and get treatment from her because its something beyond him. He says my pain levels should have gone down by now, and the pain is really becoming more focused on an area that is above where he is seeing probs on the xrays. BTW the pain is now so bad that at times I cant even walk, and it radiates to my hips and down my legs.
So I went to my MD today. I have been running a fever for 4 days, I have blood in my urine. She has ordered a full panel of blood tests, more xrays, and depending on those results she might order an MRI. But her first suspicion is a kidney stone or kidney infection. Im going to take the tests tomorrow and ask for them to be rushed.
Im confused… can a kidney infection left untreated over months just get worse and worse and become so painful that one cant even walk or twist? Im super worried and wondering what I can do in the meantime over the next few days to relieve symptoms beyond pain medication. I have a 7 month old to take care of and not much of a support system so Im worried. Advice? Anyone experienced this?
Hi I had a bleed at 8 and 13 weeks but it resolved on its on. When I had the cesarian section I assume they had a pretty good view of my uterus and cleaned me out very well. I had an excellent OBgyn. But I will mention this possibility to my doctor cos we are exploring all avenues, to be safe. Its kinda scary, really…
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One comment
MishMash on December 31, 2009 at 9:26 am
Did the placenta come out completely intact ?
You may have remnants of placental material left in your uterus from delivery. If that is the case and it has not been treated it would be giving you a raging infection that could spread to your urethra and so on to your bladder and kidneys.
When my second baby was 10 days old I passed a palm size piece of liver looking material. The lab diagnosed it as remnants of the placenta. My GP (who also delivered the baby) put me on antibiotics when I went in to show him the ‘liver’ and when he got the lab test results back he put me on 2 more different types of antibiotics as well.
I also was given a curettage to clean out any remaining placenta in the uterus.
My GP had inspected the placenta and showed it to me at the time of the birth and it appeared intact. However the lab identified it as being near the edge of the placenta itself and stipulated that that portion must have broken off when I was 13 weeks pregnant and had a bleed. The placenta healed itself and the other portion was separate.
I wish you all the best.