Prolonged persistent pain in right side of back/kidney - anyone else?

amybanthorpe · January 2015

Good evening fellow mums-to-be, just a query!

So since last Thursday I've had a really persistent deep ache in the right side of my back at around waist height. I initially thought it could be some kind of muscular/ligament pain, but over the weekend and all through today, the pain has become more intense, moved around to my side below my rib cage and the whole area is so tender. Paracetamol does not touch it, I even went up to the Out of Hours service at the local hospital Sunday night as the pain became so unbearable - urine test came back as fine, no temperature but was prescribed codeine to take away the pain. I called my midwife to ask her advice first thing this morning, she said codeine would be fine to take but wanted me to get checked out by GP. The GP has sent off urine, but has given no indication of what might be causing pain - but he agreed that the pain was definitely in kidney area.Taking prescribed codeine all day but it really has not touched the pain - it feels like I have been kicked repeatedly in my side, there is no let up & nothing I can do to alleviate the pain.

Has anyone experienced anything similar while pregnant or at any other time? Not looking for medical advice, just puzzled & wondering whether anyone has had the same pain diagnosed.

20 weeks pregnant & been feeling little one wriggle all day by the way, so no concern for baby at this time

taboullio84 · January 2015

My Dr. Suggested squeezed lemon in water to clean out my system... Maybe try that

Bednarova · January 2015

Did anyone do an ultrasound to rule out kidney or gall stones?

Keep in contact with your GP and MW. I hope they find the answer and you get relief soon!

leenziepops · January 2015

Something doesn't sound right. Definitely keep getting checks or get a 2nd opinion for different/further testing.

devyns2nd · January 2015

Kidney stones usually red flag in a urine culture so it may be your gallbladder. I'd go to the er and ask for an ultrasound if it's hurting so bad you need pain killers.

Also can we just use this as an example of a legit question/problem?

Not to be insensitive op. I hate that your hurting. Kidney pain is awful. I've heard gallbladder pain is too.

iheartpancake · January 2015

I have had three kidney stone episodes since becoming pregnant and what you've described is pretty much what happened with me, only mine was acute. First time, went into the hospital because my pain came on all the sudden and I had no clue what it was. Urine came back with a little blood and no bacteria. They did an ultrasound on my kidney and saw nothing. (It's very difficult to see the stones on an ultrasound, but testing while you're pregnant is limited). They gave me tylenol (comparable to paracetamol) while I was there and the pain totally stopped. The stone apparently moved.

About a week later, it came back all of the sudden, and worse. Went to the bigger hospital in town and they kept me overnight for observation. Horrible! They had me on an iv with diloted (sp?), an antibiotic, extra zofran and were throwing some oxycodone in there towards the end, too. They actually did an mri at that hospital and could see the stone was about to pass and I had two more in my kidney just waiting. Also, urine came back clean, no blood or bacteria somehow.

Third time, I dealt with it at home. Took the oxycodone prescription and antibiotic they sent me home with and just suffered through it.

I know I still have at least one more stone in there and I am hoping to God it stays put until June when I can have it zapped! My suggestion would be to ask for some sort of scan on both your kidney and gall bladder. If you can't get into your gp for a few days, ask if they can prescribe an antibiotic to take until your appointment. I don't know much about how they treat a gall bladder during pregnancy, but you do not want to let whatever is going on get infected or get to the point of unbearable pain. I cannot describe to you the pain! I was completely unable to function and could not sit still or get comfortable. There was zero sleep. Unfortunately, all they can do is pain management or over here in the US, two surgical options that I won't describe because they gross me out even thinking about them. Even if they don't see anything in the urine, request a scan!!

Sorry for the novel! Sheesh I get started and can't stop! I hope you figure out what's going on and it's nothing big! Maybe it's just a kidney infection and can be treated with antibiotics? Good luck!!

kimmarkus108 · January 2015

I am actually going for an ultrasound tomorrow for right flank pain. Well it started as such about a week and half ago and now it's on both sides. My dr wants to check for stones. Hopefully they find out what is going on cause I can't really sleep. I can not get comfortable at all. Hope you feel better and find out the cause of your pain.

junch817 · January 2015

Could be hydronephrosis. Check out the link @pickles26‌ posted. I had Hydronephrosis and I talked about it in detail in that link, as well as @gingerbabe‌. Hope the pain goes away and all is well!

lfaithlove · January 2015

I experienced something really similar with my first pregnancy. It was around 25 weeks for me, I think, and I eventually went to the hospital over it and had a whole bunch of tests done as well as an ultrasound. Everything came back seemingly normal although they did show me on the ultrasound that my right kidney was producing far less urine, possibly caused by baby squishing it. But they said there was no way that could cause the pain I was experiencing... Sooooo they prescribed me Tylenol and sent me home feeling like a wimp for going to the ER over a back ache. Haha. I hope you get more clarity and understanding than I did. I am fairly in tune with my body and felt certain that it was a kidney pain, not musculoskeletal as they eventually ruled it to be. I'll also add that I had never ever been to the hospital for anything before, so the pain was pretty wicked to get me to go in. I'm normally pretty tough.

I know this isn't the most helpful post ever but JSYK I had a healthy pregnancy and a perfect baby with no complications! Hope you figure something out and that it's no big deal!

gingerbabe · January 2015

Yes!! It sound like Hydronephrosis of pregnancy. Or a kidney stone. Or hydronephrosis caused by a kidney stone. When I got an ultrasound done on my kidneys my pain was almost completely gone (it was done 4 days after the pain began) and I was diagnosed with mild hydronephrosis on both sides. I have had this flare up twice now. The pain was not as bad the second time. From what I understood from my midwife the pain comes from the kidney being swollen from fluid build up. So, depending on how bad it is swollen is how bad it hurts. Maybe ask your midwife for an ultrasound of your kidneys if the pain remains or comes again, just so that you can know what is going on exactly.

amybanthorpe · January 2015

Thankyou so much for all your helpful replies, I'm sad that others have had to go through this pain but also a little relieved to hear some feasible options for what could be causing mine.

We are so in tune with our bodies (even more so when we are pregnant) & it's frustrating for me that doctors would think I would drive 45 minutes to the local hospital on a Sunday evening just for a bit of back pain/mild UTI - I've had both before and this is a completely different level of hurt! Like lfaithlove I have never taken myself up to hospital for anything else & count myself as a quite a tough cookie.

My plan is to call my midwife this morning, kick up more of a fuss & have all my symptoms written down to tell her as it's so easy to leave something out/play down down the pain when speaking to professionals. I love that I have a bit of medical ammunition to throw at her & the GP too - 'Could it possibly be hydronephrosis/kidney stones/gall bladder issues?' Hopefully I will get some relief from this pain!

Thanks ladies, I really appreciate you sharing your experiences with me

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