Hi.

First time posting here, although I've been a 'lurker' for quite some time. This is gonna be a long post, but I'd be most grateful if I could get some feedback. I'm a 22 year old male, don’t drink or smoke, and in good health (I hope).

It all started in June of this year. It was a Saturday and I woke up with this strange feeling in my lower abdomen on the left side. The best way I could describe it is that it felt like a stitch. It was constant, meaning it stayed with me the entire day. It was pretty painful, but my appetite and motivation were still very much intact. Then when I woke up on Sunday morning, lo and behold, it was gone!

Now, since then really, I have little 'aches' (that's the best way I can describe them) that occasionally strike me in the same place, on the right side of my abdomen, too, (although mostly in my left) in my lower back (again, on both sides), down to my groin (mostly left side), my inner thigh (both sides equally) and sometimes in my side, just above the hips. I've also found, particularly when it first surfaced in June, that my left testicle sometimes aches. But the feelings aren’t constant like they were that 'odd' day in June. They only last for a few seconds, then disappear. In fact, sometimes I don't even have any feelings for a month, then they come back for a split second, then go again.

Also, sometimes when I would urinate first thing in the morning I would get a slight (and ever so slight) burning sensation in my left groin. I don't really get that anymore.

Of course, the duration of it all has set my mind racing. I've always been pretty paranoid in regards to health, so naturally I think that Kidney Cancer is the culprit.

I went to the Doctor last week (Friday) and he did a urine test (testing for blood, I presume) and found nothing. He also had a feel around my abdomen and again, found nothing. He suspects a small kidney stone is the cause, and has sent me off for a scan. I'm waiting for the appointment to arrive through the post.

What d'you think it could be?

P.S. If you've arrived here, thanks for reading

Hi there. I'm not a doc, but I do know quite a bit about kidneys. IMHO, I think that the last thing you should worry about would be kidney cancer. It sounds much more like an infection, or a stone, or a combination of the two. These are the two most common causes of pain such as you have and are the most treatable of kidney problems. Typically, most other things that seriously affect the kidney (IGA nephropathy, diabetic nephropathy, etc) do not involve pain of any sort.

There really is no need to borrow trouble - so wait for the test and the best of luck to you. Keep us posted.

Cora

Thanks for replying, Coravh. I've been a little crafty, as I also posted this in the General Health forum just to make sure it gets read.

Weird really. Why really bad pain one day in June, then not so bad ever since? Shouldn't it be the other way round? Grrrrrr

This is annoying. I hope that scan appointment comes soon, my mind is travelling at the speed of eight-hundred miles an hour and leaving me well behind.

could be prostate or a nother problem

Thanks for replying, Coravh. I've been a little crafty, as I also posted this in the General Health forum just to make sure it gets read.

Weird really. Why really bad pain one day in June, then not so bad ever since? Shouldn't it be the other way round? Grrrrrr

This is annoying. I hope that scan appointment comes soon, my mind is travelling at the speed of eight-hundred miles an hour and leaving me well behind.

Think of the stone as like being a rock in your shoe. If it's in the wrong place it hurts, and if it moves to a slightly different location the pain goes away. You may also have passed the stone as well.

Cora

Just a quick update. I had an Ultrasound on Thursday. On the appointment letter it said that the whole of my Urinary Tract was to be scanned. I had to go in with a full bladder. By the time I got there I was bursting! The lady did my bladder first, then allowed me to go and empty it before moving on. I'm telling you, the relief was almost sensual.

When I got there, because I was so worried, I kind of put the lady on the spot (forgot what the people are called who do it. Sorry) and asked her if she saw something sinister would I find out that day. She responded that she wouldn't tell me herself, but that she would send the report to my GP quicker than if she saw nothing.

Well, afterwards, she said herself that she couldn't see anything abnormal. I asked specifically about kidney stones, and she said there was no sign of any. Anyway, its Wednesday now and my own GP hasn't got back to me. Apparently, my surgery has a special time allocated for talking to your GP on the phone (I think it’s about 12 in the afternoon), so I think I might give her a ring tomorrow. That will be exactly a week after my scan.

I'm pretty sure that if anything really nasty (like a tumour) was residing somewhere in my Urinary Tract I would have been called by now. I mean, I thought that Ulrasounds were very good at diagnosing any kidney or bladder tumours.

Coravh, what do you think?

I had the tumour the size of a softball in my gut and the ultrasound never picked up on it but the same ultrasound from two 1.5 mm stones. If there is no "actual" blockage it may not show on u/s.

I don't understand what you're saying. Do you mean that from the same US they picked stones but no tumour in your gut? Sorry to sound ignorant, but what actually is the gut? Is it slang for something else? I've always wondered.

Anyway, I'm sure they would have picked up a kidney tumour, seeing as the US was specifically for my Urinary Tract. I've read that Ultrasounds are quite reliable. I mean, correct me if I'm wrong, but aren’t all Ultrasounds specifically for something. I.E. one for pregnancy, one for the Urinary Tract and so forth.

I don't understand what you're saying. Do you mean that from the same US they picked stones but no tumour in your gut? Sorry to sound ignorant, but what actually is the gut? Is it slang for something else? I've always wondered.

Anyway, I'm sure they would have picked up a kidney tumour, seeing as the US was specifically for my Urinary Tract. I've read that Ultrasounds are quite reliable. I mean, correct me if I'm wrong, but aren’t all Ultrasounds specifically for something. I.E. one for pregnancy, one for the Urinary Tract and so forth.

the gut is slang for stomach or somewhere in that area
i had a stone and the ultra sound did not see it.However i cant have the contrast or dye they put into your to light up things

I don't understand what you're saying. Do you mean that from the same US they picked stones but no tumour in your gut? Sorry to sound ignorant, but what actually is the gut? Is it slang for something else? I've always wondered.

Anyway, I'm sure they would have picked up a kidney tumour, seeing as the US was specifically for my Urinary Tract. I've read that Ultrasounds are quite reliable. I mean, correct me if I'm wrong, but aren’t all Ultrasounds specifically for something. I.E. one for pregnancy, one for the Urinary Tract and so forth.

US are not just for one thing it is just for one area. The tumor I had was next to the kidney and should have showed up as an unindetified organ it was so large but it did not. The doc says that the tumor wass lymph tissue and not all the sounds waves may pass through. You can have a tumor on thekidney and the US will not pick it up. Your best bet is an MRI with contrast if NHS will pay for it.

Can I just ask, what were your symptoms, if any? I'm sorry, but I've read a lot of personal stories on the Internet about people with tumours in their kidneys. The vast majority of them say that they were diagnosed via an Ultrasound. I'm sorry to hear what happened to you, but just because it happened to you, it doesn't mean that I've followed behind. I've read on the Internet that sometimes they may not be able to see a tumour, but they can clearly see that there's something not right with your kidney. Ultrasound's are very reliable.

I don't think I've got kidney cancer. Everything is against it for a start. I'm 22, I don't drink and I don't smoke. Obviously those are just risk factors and not everyone who has them has cancer. Plus, my symptoms have almost dwindled into nothingness.

It’s all because of when I was 15; I had a benign brain tumour removed. Ever since then, I've had, and continue to have, health anxiety, and my body has never felt the same.

The only sympton I had was increased heart rate and a slightly elevated blood pressure.

I think the truth and kindness are one in here.People sharing there stories
Good and bad.I also had a ultra sound that didnt show my stone.Because i couldnt use contrast or dyes.I had to wait it out.The stone came out( thank GOD0 however it took 4 weeks