Kidney issues - questions and concerns...

I've been dealing with some issues with my left kidney—back when I had an ultrasound about six months ago, they found what looked like a few small cysts, though my blood work and urine tests all came back totally normal at the time.
But during today's scan, the image showed these dark circles or pockets of fluid, apparently because a duct is blocked.
Basically, the kidney isn't processing things correctly, so fluid is just building up inside.
Every time I drink a bit more liquid—like last night, when I had 2L of beer—I get this lingering pain in that kidney.
They're saying it might be blocked due to a kidney stone, but nothing is set in stone yet.
I'm heading in for X-rays and a few more tests soon, but in the meantime, I was wondering if anyone knows of any alternative remedies, maybe something like a specific tea?

I've heard people mention ginger and cranberry.

Does anyone have any other advice?
Maybe some kind of compress?

Joshua Jones10 said:I've been dealing with some issues with my left kidney—back when I had an ultrasound about six months ago, they found what looked like a few small cysts, though my blood work and urine tests all came back totally normal at the time.
But during today's scan, the image showed these dark circles or pockets of fluid, apparently because a duct is blocked.
Basically, the kidney isn't processing things correctly, so fluid is just building up inside.
Every time I drink a bit more liquid—like last night, when I had 2L of beer—I get this lingering pain in that kidney.
They're saying it might be blocked due to a kidney stone, but nothing is set in stone yet.
I'm heading in for X-rays and a few more tests soon, but in the meantime, I was wondering if anyone knows of any alternative remedies, maybe something like a specific tea?

I've heard people mention ginger and cranberry.

Does anyone have any other advice?
Maybe some kind of compress?

Start immediately on Breussov’s kidney tea. If you need the recipe, I have the book; just send me a private message. Alternatively, you should simply purchase the book itself. It is an incredibly valuable resource to have in your home for all sorts of different ailments.

I’ve been dealing with this constant urge to pee—honestly, it feels like every five minutes. I went to see my doctor, and he ordered some blood work and a urinalysis to figure out what's going on...
My bloodwork actually looked pretty solid, though my red blood cell count was just a tiny bit higher than the standard range; everything else was totally fine. On top of the basics, they checked my creatinine, urea, and a few other things, and all those levels fell right within the normal limits. My doctor made this funny comment, though—he said that just like you don't want bad blood, you don't necessarily want "too much" good blood 😁, implying it might be too thick or something like that... whatever that means...

As for the urine results, in that bottom section (I think it's labeled "structure" or something), it showed a leukocyte count of 1-2 and mentioned a lot of calcium oxalate... He told me everything looked perfectly fine. When I pushed him on the oxalate thing, asking if that was a problem, he just brushed it off, saying it’s normal and that there has to be *something* in urine. Then he told me to come back and redo the urinalysis in about ten days...

When I went back for the follow-up, the results showed 0.1 protein in my urine. That same bottom section still had 1-2 leukocytes, a little mucus, some bacteria, and once again, it noted a high amount of calcium oxalate...

After looking at all of that, he just repeated that everything was okay and suggested I come back in another ten days to check my blood creatinine levels again.

So, who’s the crazy one here? Who’s confused, and who’s actually making sense?😁

Just to add some context, I had an abdominal and kidney ultrasound done about three months ago, and according to the conclusions on that report, everything looked completely normal.

Anonymous said:I’ve been dealing with this constant urge to pee—honestly, it feels like every five minutes. I went to see my doctor, and he ordered some blood work and a urinalysis to figure out what's going on...
My bloodwork actually looked pretty solid, though my red blood cell count was just a tiny bit higher than the standard range; everything else was totally fine. On top of the basics, they checked my creatinine, urea, and a few other things, and all those levels fell right within the normal limits. My doctor made this funny comment, though—he said that just like you don't want bad blood, you don't necessarily want "too much" good blood 😁, implying it might be too thick or something like that... whatever that means...

As for the urine results, in that bottom section (I think it's labeled "structure" or something), it showed a leukocyte count of 1-2 and mentioned a lot of calcium oxalate... He told me everything looked perfectly fine. When I pushed him on the oxalate thing, asking if that was a problem, he just brushed it off, saying it’s normal and that there has to be *something* in urine. Then he told me to come back and redo the urinalysis in about ten days...

When I went back for the follow-up, the results showed 0.1 protein in my urine. That same bottom section still had 1-2 leukocytes, a little mucus, some bacteria, and once again, it noted a high amount of calcium oxalate...

After looking at all of that, he just repeated that everything was okay and suggested I come back in another ten days to check my blood creatinine levels again.

So, who’s the crazy one here? Who’s confused, and who’s actually making sense?😁

Just to add some context, I had an abdominal and kidney ultrasound done about three months ago, and according to the conclusions on that report, everything looked completely normal.

Given that you're showing protein and bacteria in your urine, you're likely looking at an infection in your bladder or urethra. My advice would be to get a urine culture. That will pinpoint the exact strain of bacteria you're dealing with and indicate which antibiotic will actually clear it. Frequent urination is a classic sign of inflammation, often accompanied by burning during or at the end of urination. While your kidneys seem to be functioning fine based on what you've said, if there is indeed a bacterial infection, you need to resolve it before it migrates to the kidneys. A urine culture is the most reliable way to confirm that.

Jerry Booth10 said:Given that you're showing protein and bacteria in your urine, you're likely looking at an infection in your bladder or urethra. My advice would be to get a urine culture. That will pinpoint the exact strain of bacteria you're dealing with and indicate which antibiotic will actually clear it. Frequent urination is a classic sign of inflammation, often accompanied by burning during or at the end of urination. While your kidneys seem to be functioning fine based on what you've said, if there is indeed a bacterial infection, you need to resolve it before it migrates to the kidneys. A urine culture is the most reliable way to confirm that.

I went through this too—did a urine test once and had protein show up just like yours. But then I went back the very next day for another analysis and it was completely gone...

What's actually bothering me more is this Calcium Oxalate thing; my results show it's pretty high...
And this frequent bathroom trips thing has been going on for quite a while now. It isn't constant, just happens every now and then, and I've never actually felt any burning sensation...

If it were an actual infection, I'd assume there would be higher white blood cell counts...
But my doctor keeps insisting everything is totally fine, so I'm honestly at a loss for what to do. I guess I'll just wait and see what happens when I get my blood creatinine levels checked again...

By the way, does a urine culture involve having a catheter inserted?😁

Anonymous said:I went through this too—did a urine test once and had protein show up just like yours. But then I went back the very next day for another analysis and it was completely gone...

What's actually bothering me more is this Calcium Oxalate thing; my results show it's pretty high...
And this frequent bathroom trips thing has been going on for quite a while now. It isn't constant, just happens every now and then, and I've never actually felt any burning sensation...

If it were an actual infection, I'd assume there would be higher white blood cell counts...
But my doctor keeps insisting everything is totally fine, so I'm honestly at a loss for what to do. I guess I'll just wait and see what happens when I get my blood creatinine levels checked again...

By the way, does a urine culture involve having a catheter inserted?😁

No, a urine culture is done by simply urinating into a container, but it has to be a sterile one. You can pick those up at any local pharmacy; they absolutely have to be sterile so you don't end up picking up random bacteria from everyday surfaces or objects. It's not a complicated process and won't cost you much. Just ask your primary care physician for a referral for a urine culture, grab a sterile cup, and take it to wherever your doctor directs you—not every local clinic has an on-site lab capable of performing a culture.

Jerry Booth10 said:No, a urine culture is done by simply urinating into a container, but it has to be a sterile one. You can pick those up at any local pharmacy; they absolutely have to be sterile so you don't end up picking up random bacteria from everyday surfaces or objects. It's not a complicated process and won't cost you much. Just ask your primary care physician for a referral for a urine culture, grab a sterile cup, and take it to wherever your doctor directs you—not every local clinic has an on-site lab capable of performing a culture.

Well, I've done all these tests using those sterile containers before...

The real issue is that whenever I ask my doctor about anything, his response is always that everything looks normal and there's nothing to worry about. 😁
He basically gives me a reflex answer saying I'm fine, regardless of those results I posted above...
Whatever, I'll just wait and see what they say after this blood work comes back, and then I'll decide my next move...
Thanks for the help anyway. 👍

Regarding the Ca-Oxa... I suppose it might be some sort of sediment or crystals in the kidneys or urinary tract rather than actual stones, so it probably isn't an immediate danger, though I guess the presence of protein in the urine could potentially point toward some early-stage kidney issues or perhaps some other underlying concerns.

boldfox8 said:Regarding the Ca-Oxa... I suppose it might be some sort of sediment or crystals in the kidneys or urinary tract rather than actual stones, so it probably isn't an immediate danger, though I guess the presence of protein in the urine could potentially point toward some early-stage kidney issues or perhaps some other underlying concerns.

Hey, can kidney problems actually cause you to have to pee all the time?

Of course I can help... frequent urination is often one of the earliest signs of an infection in the kidneys, the ureters, or perhaps the bladder.

I see you mentioned you're waiting on your blood work results, so if you feel comfortable sharing them here on the forum, maybe we could all offer some thoughts.

boldfox8 said:Of course I can help... frequent urination is often one of the earliest signs of an infection in the kidneys, the ureters, or perhaps the bladder.

I see you mentioned you're waiting on your blood work results, so if you feel comfortable sharing them here on the forum, maybe we could all offer some thoughts.

Well, I have to go back in about 10 days to get my creatinine levels checked again...
On the blood work I had done 15 days ago, the only thing slightly off was my red blood cell count being a bit over the limit; everything else fell right within the normal range, including my creatinine levels. So, I'm honestly surprised they didn't
ask me to do another urinalysis to see if protein shows up again instead of blood, but hey, it is what it is...
I'll wait to see what the doctor says after this next round of tests, then I'll let everyone know how things turned out. 🙂

Hi there,
I’ve been browsing the forum a bit, but I can't seem to find any mention of this specific illness anywhere.
We all know about TB, and we definitely know about pulmonary TB—but honestly, I had no idea until less than a year ago that renal TB even existed.
I just went in for an exam, and I should be getting my results back soon.
My doctor ordered the tests because there's blood in my urine, and we aren't quite sure what's causing it yet.
He mentioned he wanted to rule out anything suspicious just to be safe.
So, that's one of the symptoms... Has anyone here actually dealt with renal TB? Could someone maybe explain a bit more about what this involves, specifically regarding the symptoms...

Urinary tract tuberculosis symptoms aren't exactly textbook—they can be pretty vague and hard to pin down. You might deal with signs of a chronic infection, like feeling generally run down, running a fever, getting tired easily, or waking up drenched in sweat at night. A kidney infection itself often doesn't show any obvious symptoms, though you might notice you're heading to the bathroom more often or feel a burning sensation when you go. Blood in the urine is also pretty common. On a lab report, you'll typically see pus without bacteria, along with red blood cells and usually some protein. The real confirmation comes from a positive culture for tuberculosis bacilli. If the kidneys are significantly damaged, you could start seeing signs of renal failure, such as elevated urea levels and electrolyte imbalances typical of uremia. It’s also common to see anemia and an increased ESR rate.
I'm not sure what specific symptoms you're dealing with, other than the hematuria, which could definitely be one of them.

I'm just going to copy one of my previous posts here, so I don't have to type everything out all over again...

So, basically, I’ve been dealing with pain in my lower abdomen, specifically on the right side, for 4 years now. And yes, you read that correctly—4 YEARS.
The pain flares up whenever I push myself physically.
To give you an idea of what I mean by "physical effort"...
I spent 8 years working in the service industry—heavy trays, constant movement, that kind of thing.
Honestly, I wasn't just crying; I was screaming from the pain while on shift. Thank God I had a decent boss who actually understood my suffering, so I could head home when I hit my limit, or if I didn't want to leave yet, at least duck into a storage room to curl up and cry in peace.
Maybe I'm being a bit mild with the description, but "screaming" is honestly the most polite way I can put it.

I can't run, I can't walk for long periods, I can't even do a big grocery run at a supermarket like Walmart, or roll, or just walk more than maybe 50 yards at a time without the pain hitting me immediately.
In my head, I know I *can* do those things, but I just know exactly what's coming next...
It's safe to say I've become severely limited in what I can do.
I usually drive to work, but my car broke down seven days ago, so I had to walk to my job for five days straight.
It might sound dramatic, but believe me, it feels like you're in a coma when you know the pain is coming while you're stuck at work and there's nothing you can do about it.

Kidneys, Pap smears, blood work, urine tests, gallbladder, liver, spleen, appendix, endoscopies, dynamic scintigraphy, ultrasounds...
And so many other tests, none of which ever managed to find anything.

Should I mention that I've tried taking seven different types of pills meant for spinal pain or kidney issues? I've lost count of how many standard painkillers I've gone through. The most ironic part is that nothing helps. NOTHING. When the pain starts, I can only retreat into my own little world and pray to God it stops soon (imagine how that feels while I'm working), and the pain never lasts "just" half an hour...

Every once in a while—but frequent enough—it starts while I'm sleeping. The pain wakes me up, and I'm just moaning in bed for hours, then I get up in the morning chronically sleep-deprived, still in pain, getting ready for work and praying it will let up.

Nobody knows what's wrong with me. I'm only 24, yet I feel like my life is slowly winding down because this has completely buried me, both mentally and physically.

I've lost hope—hope that I'll ever be okay again.

I would give anything just to be able to work, to be able to run, and to have the only pain I feel be muscle fiber soreness from a workout.
For someone who has always been an athlete, I shouldn't even be allowed to move anymore.
To me, that feels like pure murder.
If you really want to destroy a person, take away the thing they love most.

That's what happens to me almost every single day, and I'm starting to yearn for an end to it all.

The tests are expensive—every single one.
And I can't even pick up extra shifts to cover it (I have a decent salary, but it barely covers my basic living expenses, let alone medical bills and specialists).

I just wanted to say that you aren't alone in this.
I drifted a little off topic...

I've been dealing with major issues with my right kidney for years now.
It’s one of those things where it just feels freezing cold all the time, so I constantly have to keep a shirt tied around my waist just to feel somewhat normal.
Things are starting to take a turn for the worse, so I finally went ahead and scheduled an ultrasound.

Does anyone have any actual advice, or maybe some kind of natural remedy to help ease the discomfort?
What actually works in terms of herbs, diet, or teas when it comes to kidney health?

But please, don't just give me the textbook stuff you found on Google,
I want to know what you guys have actually tried yourselves.

Thanks

Is it making you feel chilled? What on earth have you been waiting for when it comes to getting checked out... :S

First, you need to understand what we're dealing with here... regarding teas: peppermint tea and chamomile...

fadedmarlin402 said:Is it making you feel chilled? What on earth have you been waiting for when it comes to getting checked out... :S

First, you need to understand what we're dealing with here... regarding teas: peppermint tea and chamomile...

Yeah, I’m freezing constantly.
I actually tried to schedule an appointment, but the hospitals here always give me the runaround, saying the wait times are massive and I need a formal diagnosis just to see a specialist. Meanwhile, my doctors kept telling me everything was perfectly fine—so naturally, no diagnosis was coming. Well, not until now, when I finally told my doctor to just make something up so I could actually get seen.

But what could it actually be? I mean, is feeling this cold a normal symptom when your kidneys aren't performing quite right? Because honestly, I feel this chill all the time now, even when I'm not dealing with any swelling. Just... all the time.

Had my checkup today and the doctor noted that my left kidney looks larger—specifically the lower pole seems bulky and shifted medially, almost like it's merging with the central echo complex. The right one looks totally fine, though; normal size, shape, and structure, with everything looking standard around the central complex. She mentioned the possibility of a horseshoe kidney, but since I’m pregnant, she didn't want to press on my abdomen to check for a connection. Plus, my scan from two years ago didn't mention anything like this—it just said both kidneys were normal in size and structure. Functionality is fine, though.
Honestly, the doctor seemed genuinely worried about me today, which actually scared me more than the kidney itself—especially since I'm not feeling any pain or discomfort. I'm five months pregnant, so I'm wondering what this could mean and if there are any risks for the baby? Could it just be swelling due to the pregnancy, or maybe related to those antibiotics I took two weeks ago for ureaplasma?
I'm pretty confused, so if anyone knows what this might imply, please let me know.
I have a renal color Doppler scheduled for next week, and then I guess we'll see where they send me from there.

Terry Davis40 said:Had my checkup today and the doctor noted that my left kidney looks larger—specifically the lower pole seems bulky and shifted medially, almost like it's merging with the central echo complex. The right one looks totally fine, though; normal size, shape, and structure, with everything looking standard around the central complex. She mentioned the possibility of a horseshoe kidney, but since I’m pregnant, she didn't want to press on my abdomen to check for a connection. Plus, my scan from two years ago didn't mention anything like this—it just said both kidneys were normal in size and structure. Functionality is fine, though.
Honestly, the doctor seemed genuinely worried about me today, which actually scared me more than the kidney itself—especially since I'm not feeling any pain or discomfort. I'm five months pregnant, so I'm wondering what this could mean and if there are any risks for the baby? Could it just be swelling due to the pregnancy, or maybe related to those antibiotics I took two weeks ago for ureaplasma?
I'm pretty confused, so if anyone knows what this might imply, please let me know.
I have a renal color Doppler scheduled for next week, and then I guess we'll see where they send me from there.

Urinary tract infections are incredibly common during pregnancy. As the uterus expands, it can press against the bladder and ureters in various spots, making it harder for urine to flow through those tubes as quickly or freely as it normally would. The longer urine sits in those tubes before hitting the bladder, the higher the chance bacteria will settle in and latch onto the lining before being flushed out. Plus, pregnant women face a higher risk of an infection spreading up to the kidneys, which is what I suspect might be happening in your case.
Since you're already in your fifth month, taking antibiotics should be perfectly fine, but first and foremost, you need to get a urinalysis and a urine culture done to identify exactly which bacteria triggered the UTI.

Don't spiral into worry, but do take this seriously. Follow up with a doctor who will see this through to the end. In the meantime, try increasing your intake of cranberry juice or uva ursi tea—just don't mix them, pick one or the other.
In the end, everything is going to turn out alright, and I sincerely👍 wish
you the best.

Thanks for getting back to me. 🙂

I had my urine tested and did a culture—it came back sterile.
So, I guess I don't really get why she made such a huge deal out of it. 🤷
As for the cervical swab, the doctor concluded I have ureaplasma, so she prescribed antibiotics for both me and my partner. I finished a 10-day course of erythromycin along with Clindamycin cream.

I'm peeing regularly—a bit more often than usual since the placenta is low—but other than that, I honestly don't have any issues at all. 🤷