my 18 yr old has dark brown urine

07-01-2012, 12:07 PM

My 18 yr old daughter has lyme disease (confirmed about 1 yr ago), babesia, bartonella. She has been sick for a total of over 5 yrs. The symptoms she has are in some ways not common--rather than neurological, her issues are cellular. Her red blood cells are being attacked by the babesia which causes a severe shortage of these oxygen carrying cells, her pancreas is being attacked (she has had pancreatitis 9 times in the last year), she has had gastritis several times--one of the times 6 months ago she had to have nearly 2 pints of blood CLOTS lavaged from her stomach and upon investigation her stomach lining was covered with ulcerations-no h-pylori and no advil use--cause unknown. SHe continuously gets tumors that grow on her right ovary one of which had to surgically removed--it grew 8 cm in 7 days; during her menstrual cycles every month the blood loss is so extreme it is alarming and all blood clots; she has vasculitis and now she has gastritis again with ulcers.
Now she has dark brown urine. I know this can be serious and in her case especially. The worst part is she is 2 months pregnant and despite my educating her on tick borne illnesses possibly passing to the fetus and the fact that we were getting ready to fly to Florida to see one of the foremost Drs. on lyme specializing in babesia--she has put up a wall and says the baby will be fine. she is in denial. The catch 22 here is this: the Dr. is talking about doing a hysterectomy because her severe bleeding is caused by the inner metrial stripe inside the uterus which in turn will turn cancerous--leaving not much of and option--she is devestated by the thought of never having children of her own. The brown urine is bothersome at best. She is pale and looks unwell since the pregnancy. She is 8 weeks. The Dr. in Florida termed her health state as "functionally dying". Does anyone else here have any of these issues that seem quite out of the ordinary and what to do about her understanding what this pregnancy can do to her and child. Thanks

07-01-2012, 04:22 PM

The brown urine needs to be examined for blood and bilirubin. This can be done initially with a dipstick in any office or lab. She needs to be evaluated for autoimmune disease other than Lyme disease. She may be anemic (paleness) complicated by pregnancy, she may be breaking down red blood cells (hemolytic anemia) and having excess pigments from that in her urine, (bilirubin) or having blood in her urine from autoimmune kidney disease. She sounds very sick, and at high risk with the pregnancy, both for her and the fetus. I would not buy the story of her needing a hysterectomy at age 18. The explanation makes no sense to me, and I would put that issue on the back burner for now. Vasculitis is a very serious condition, and I think she needs immediate help from a rheumatologist to look for lupus and not attribute all this to Lyme disease. An obstetrician for high risk pregnancies should be seen too as soon as possible, but her health should be the priority right now to save both of them.

07-01-2012, 06:15 PM

Brown or red urine is actually a common symptom of babesiosis. It's hemoglobin, and it's a sign that the infection is breaking down the red blood cells.

Has she been treated with quinine or something similar? She may need transfusions if this keeps up. Pregnant women need to double their blood volume, she certainly she can't support a pregnancy while an infection destroys her red blood cells.

Nutritional supplementation might act as a stopgap while you figure out a real solution. Iron obviously is vital, she's been losing blood. A and C are also important.

07-07-2012, 06:41 PM

If your daughter is not seeing a Lyme Literate Medical Doctor then she needs to get to one pre having a hysterectomy.

Lyme and co's cause all kinds of havoc in our bodies. It mimics 300 conditions if not more. So you truly don't know what is causing what.

YES it can be harmful to the baby. I miscarried at 6 months.
Lyme and co'infections imbed in the whole body.

Please get her to a LLMD as soon as you can. Other doctors will not know how to treat her, and baby.

I hope she finds the help she needs soon.

Jodie

07-08-2012, 02:28 AM

I ditto Jodie's suggestion!

Jen

my 18 yr old has dark brown urine

Sign Up Today!

Join Our Newsletter

Whoops,

Thank You