Kidney infection

[KTMom91]

I haven't felt well for quite a while, but not bad enough to actually go to the doctor. Wednesday night/Thursday morning I fell again, and knew there was something really wrong. I was supposed to work Thursday, so I'm cancelling the job and emailing everybody at 4 am, because there's no way I'll be able to work. My entire left side was hurting, from my bellybutton to my spine, and I couldn't get comfortable enough to sleep. When I took my temp and it was 102, it was time to go to Urgent Care.

I ended up with a shot of Toradol and another of some antibiotic that felt like the nurse was using liquid fire. Never did get the name of that one. Filled the prescription for Cipro, went home. Friday is a blur. Hubby called Urgent Care last night and the doctor said I should be feeling better by now, but if not, the best time to go to the ER was between 3 - 5 am. I don't want to go to the ER.

My back still hurts, I'm still hot or cold (subject to change without notice) and sweating, but I took a shower today! It felt so good! Hadn't had one since Wednesday morning. Also hadn't eaten since Wednesday night, after we went to see the Extreme Makeover house. I had Cheerios and bananas.

I'm confused, though, about how I could end up with a kidney infection with no signs of a bladder infection. I know the signs of a bladder infection. Aren't they all tied together in there? In my efforts to avoid the ER, I'll be calling my doctor first thing Monday, and hoping she didn't take the day off for MLK Day.

 

[cadydid]

Bladder infections affect different people different ways.. I don't get the burning, but I get the frequency.

If you like or at least can stomach cranberry juice, that is great at flushing the kidneys.

I hope you get to feeling better.

 

[amazeofgrace]

yes cranberry juice and lots of water! Feel better soon!

 

[susiestar]

I am not sure how it all works, but I know that the kidneys process stuff and send it TO the bladder, so that if there was a bacteria in your system, the kidneys might have "caught" it and kept it there and so it did not travel to the bladder. This is what they explained when Jess had a kidney infection at about age 3 or 4. She hadn't had ANY signs of bladder infection at ALL.

I know sometimes the bacteria travel up from the bladder to the kidney, but not always. anyway, go to Urgent Care if you need it or to the ER. You might have a kidney stone helping the infection along. There are things they can DO to help break up kidney stones.

Just don't wait too long. I almost waited too long with the infection in my leg.

I hope you feel better soon!

 

[susiestar]

Oh, instead of cranberry juice, most health food stores have cranberry extract or you can get it in gelcaps at most pharmacies. the sugar/sweetener in cranberry juice is harder on your system than the cranberry juice is good for the system. So the concentrated extract or the gelcaps are more effective. My mom learned that the HARD way (frequent Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)'s are a symptom of a larger autoimmune problem she has).

Hugs!

 

[Lothlorien]

I had a kidney infection after being catheterized during a surgery. I had horrible pain in my upper abdomen and docs thought it was my gallbladder until they did the ultrasound. I had no symptoms of a bladder infection. I rarely get fevers and I didn't have one then, but I was in a lot of pain. It took about a day and a half for me to feel better. They did give me pain medications....I think it was Percocet.

Kidney infections can cause all kinds of bizzare things, including psychosis (albeit temporary if caught). Make sure family is aware of that, in case you start acting funny.

 

[flutterbee]

I had kidney infections monthly or more for about 2 years. First one almost went septic because I didn't realize what it was; I thought I had the flu. I never had a bladder infection with any of them.

Finally passed a kidney stone and no more bladder infections.

Seriously, if you're not feeling better you should go to the ER. It can become septic and you can die from this.

 

[everywoman]

I have had two kidney infections as an adult. The first was the week I went away to college and I don't remember much about the first week of school. The 2nd was 1 month after difficult child was born and I ended up in the hospital for a week with about 10 anitbiotics going into me. I had gone back to work for final exams (the first of June) and had stepped out in the hall to ask someone if they had a sweater because I was cold (in South Carolina it was probably above 90). They sent me to the school nurse, my temp was 105---she called my husband, someone drove me to the dr. and he set me in a room alone for an hour to "decide" if I needed to go to the hospital. The dr. knew me well enough to know I would refuse to go if he told me I had to so he waited until I was delirious to come back and ask. It took a week before I was well enough to go home and a month before I was back to normal.

 

[Hound dog]

Mary, I have kidney disease. Believe me when I say you do not have to have a bladder infection to get a kidney infection. And your symptoms are screaming the possiblity of a major kidney infection, if not a stone. (personally, have them check for both)

If your running a high temp with chills ect, this is one heckova infection. You need to see a doctor yesterday! Infections and stone cause damage (unrepairable) to the nephons in the kidneys. These are vital little buggers that filter your blood. You do not need any more damaged than absolutely necessary.

Nor do you need this infection to go septic, which it can in a flash. Believe me, acute renal failure is no fun. You can die from it.

Get thee to a doctor asap! Do not make me come and drag you there. Skip calling doctor on monday. Get to the ER! You need antibiotics.

(((hugs)))

 

[Marguerite]

I have had kidney infections that were bladder infections gone "upstream" andalso kidney infections that were NOT via the bladder.

Back when husband & I were planning our wedding (and honeymoon) I had my smallpox vaccination (it WAS a long time ago!) and although I did look after the vaccination site properly, it got infected. The infection in the vaccination then went systemic and lodged in my kidney (which was still recovering form past bladder-sourced infections). I was very sick, my wedding dress had to be taken in a lot the week before the wedding.

I'm with Lisa - get yourself checked out. This could be a stone, or something else nasty. The sooner you know, the sooner they can fix it.

Marg

 

[ML]

I'm coming in late on this. I hope you're feeling better today.

 

[Wiped Out]

Hope you are feeling better. I only had one kidney infection ever and it was because I stopped taking my antibiotics for a bladder infection. It landed me in the hospital. Please take care of you. Hugs.

 

[Hound dog]

I hope you got into see a doctor and are feeling a bit better, or at least have some pain medications and antiboitics.

(((hugs)))