I’m not sure if this is something I can ask on here but I’m not sure where to go…
I’m a 44 year old female, I’m currently under the care of a renal specialist and after several tests I’ve been told I need to go on 12 months of antibiotics! I’m considering a second opinion!
I’ve had many years of gynae issues with many UTIs. I had a hysterectomy in Aug 2017 which resolved the underlying problem of adenomyosis. I had quite a lot of UTI’s when I was a child, it was looked into and nothing came of it! I had an u/s which showed enlarged left kidney, further tests showed a puj with chronic infection and inflammation and renal scarring. A renogram showed 30% function in the left kidney. The specialist went in under GA yesterday, he found the blockage now clear but noted my bladder was twice the size it should be, nothing further was said about the bladder or any link noted between the kidney and bladder. The urologist said he was confused by all the results and thinks 12 months of antibiotics will help! I’m not happy with this as a quick google search links an enlarged bladder to problems with kidney function! Any advice/help would be very much appreciated. I feel extremely tired most of the time and have symptoms of UTIs permanently so this is really affecting my quality of life. Thanks in advance
Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of fluid will help your kidneys function properly. Chronic kidney disease is a major public health concern. Different foods can affect the function of your kidneys. Monitor blood pressure. Monitor weight and eat a healthy diet. If the problem is severe then consult a good and also for the coverage for the treatment take advice for plans like aetna medigap plan F.
An enlarged bladder may be harder to empty which along with the obstruction may have been why you had recurrent UTIs. Here’s information on enlarged bladder.
Doing whatever is necessary to prevent UTIs is important as recurrent UTIs can cause kidney damage. That is likely why your doctor is suggesting a lengthy course of antibiotics. However, if you don’t know whether to trust your doctor’s advice, you might want to seek a second opinion.
Finally, since you know your one kidney is not functioning fully, it’s important to get regular blood tests of your kidney function and to follow recommendations regarding maintaining a healthy weight, blood pressure, blood sugar, and fluid intake. Here’s information from Kidney School on Kidneys: How They Work, How They Fail, What You Can Do.