Kidney Infection or Ovarian Cancer
Q: I'm 27 years old. I have been having pain in my back on my right side. About
two weeks ago, it got so bad I had to go to the hospital and they said I had
a really bad kidney infection. I have also been bleeding in between periods.
I started out spotting and got worse. I bleed only when I wiped after
I used the restroom--blood covered the toilet paper when I wiped, but I have
just been spotting a little since then. I am not bleeding now. It comes and
goes, like the pain in my back.
I have been so tired and don't have the energy to do anything anymore. I get
so bloated that my clothes don't fit right. I have been having the bloating
for a while now but the pain in my back and the bleeding just started two weeks
ago. I just don't know if it's something serious, because it comes and goes.
This morning the pain in my back is getting worse.
Could these be the symptoms of ovarian cancer?
--E.L.
Dr. Donnica: I am so sorry to hear of your recent medical problems.
The good news is that this DOES NOT sound like ovarian cancer or any other kind
of cancer. It seems like your symptoms are all related to the kidney infection.
I assume that you are being treated with antibiotics for this. IF YOUR
SYMPTOMS ARE GETTING WORSE OR NOT IMPROVING, YOU MUST CONTACT YOUR DOCTOR IMMEDIATELY.
It sounds to me like the bleeding you're having is from your urethra, not your
vagina, and that's why you only have it when you urinate. This is consistent
with a kidney infection, as is the back pain. I am very concerned about
the bloating. You may have something called "pyelonephritis"
(when a bladder infection spreads to your kidneys) or "glomerulonephritis"
another kind of kidney infection. Both of these are serious, but treatable
and generally curable.
Best regards,
Donnica L. Moore, MD
President, DrDonnica.com
Created: 10/13/2002 - Donnica Moore, M.D.
