How do you know when a kidney infection has gotten into your blood stream? HELP!

[ibtracy]

Hi all. I posted earlier this week to vent about my kidney infection that my gyno ignored after my rectocele repair surgery and finally after 2 antibiotics I'm on Levaquin now but even after 3 days still don't feel like I'm getting any better. My symptoms include my face is all puffed up, swollen glands, horrid uncontrollable kidney pain, swollen fingers and hands, can't sleep between pain and feeling sick all the time. Yesterday I had diarreah (sp?) vomiting and a migraine to top the list. I tI'm wondering how you know when the infection has gotten so bad that it's entered my blood stream. My symptoms includehink my body is just SHOT! Since December I've had 4 surgeries, an incision infection that was really horrible, implant incision broke open cause I did too much to soon and now a migraine and this 3 week long kidney infection that after 3 days of Levaquin still don't feel like I'm getting any better. I tried calling the doctor and my culture results aren't back yet and all they would give me for pain is 3 days of Toradol, and compared to all that I've been on in the past is like candy - I just don't know how much more I can take.

Back to my question, how do you know if it's gotten into your blood stream? Does it have to be confirmed via blood work or what? I've never been this sick with a bladder/kidney infection in my entire life and believe me I've had 100's of infections before. :help: :toilet: :( I'm just scared I guess.

I'm trying to find a new caring, compassionate doctor because the ones I have now appear to be giving up on me. My MD that was at one time more than happy to take care of my pain has dropped my oxycontin dosage that was working with some sort of breakthrough from 80 mg to 40 mg - in 1/2 right away and has no intention of treating my pain after he weans me off the oxycontin.

I'm stressed, scared and don't know where to turn. I'm just tired of feeling so sick, this has gone on for almost a month now..... :cussing:

[ICNDonna]

First of all, you need to get some rest. It can take several days for an antibiotic to be effective, then more time for healing to take place. As soon as the culture results are back, your doctor will know for sure which antibiotic will be most effective; until they get the results, the one you are on is one which helps with many different germs, which is why it is used frequently for infections during the wait for culture results.

If you have a fever you need to be in touch with your doctor --- or if your temperature goes up, call your doctor. Right now there may not be anything more to do to help you.

I can't stress it strongly enough that you need to get some rest. Overdoing will simply make your recovery period even longer and increase your pain.

Sending gentle hugs,
Donna

[Portia17]

Tracy

If it was me and they don't call you back, I would go to the emergency room cause once my pain was more than usual and I was vomitting and the e.r. was better than my urologist. He said I had high white count and they did a culture and it was from my bladder.

He told me to change urologists and I did.

Please if they don't help you today go to the e.r. They will help you

[icnmgrjill]

I agree! Go to the ER if you're feeling this badly!

Jill

[dyno]

I also was going to suggest going to the ER. They may have to give you some IV antibiotics or something. This sounds serious.

[Sarojini]

I also suggest going to the ER. I think I've told you this, but when I was 19 I had a kidney infection go into my bloodstream, and I became septic and almost died. I had a fever that would spike to 104 degrees or more, I'd have horrible night sweats that would drench everything in sight, and I couldn't keep food or even the antibiotic pills the doctor gave me down. Also, some of your other symptoms sound like what I had when this happened (swollen face, hands and feet, etc).

Please go to the ER -- they will do a special blood culture to check, and they will likely hospitalize you for IV antibiotics and fluids. Have someone take you... I actually walked to my college medical center emergency department in this condition, and I literally do not remember getting there or seeing my doctor... my memory begins when I was in a hospital bed being stuck up with all kinds of things. No one knows how I made it there to this day.

I was in for a week, on ampicillin and gentamycin BOTH via IV. I had to have a shunt put in one of my veins on the other arm so that they could easily draw blood daily to check my gentamycin levels, as this antibiotic is very powerful and can be very toxic if not maintained at a level that is safe. I also had to have an ultrasound on my kidneys, because they were afraid they were swollen, or that some bacteria had walled itself off into cysts on the kidneys. YUCHHHHHH. After I got out, I still had to take oral antibiotics for two weeks.

GO TO THE ER if you suspect this is happening. It can kill you. :(

[Portia17]

Isn't that what the pope had?

[ICNDonna]

Have you seen your doctor since you started the swelling? Have they called you yet to tell you about the culture? Do you have any fever?

If your doctor hasn't called you back, you most definitely need to go to ER.

Donna

[Katrina]

:grouphug::pray:

[Dixiefireball]

Tracy you know i've been threw this and almost been put into i.c.u because of this "IF" you can't hold things down then your not keeping your medicine down!! My doctor said if i'm running a fever of a 104.0 or higher (my normal temp is 99.9 ) so they don't worry about my fever until it gets higher then normal people.

but if your throwing up fever and hurting that way you need to take your butt to the E.R most likely they will admit you i'm not trying to scare you but if that infection gets into your blood stream your in big big trouble and need treatment right away. Please don't deley get your butt to the e.r don't worry about calling your uro the e.r can do that for you. PLEASE I CAN'T STRESS THIS ENOUGH GET YOUR BUTT TO THE E.R NOW!!
Please don't wait i know how you are you are worried about everything else around you instead of your self but right now its time to take care of YOU!! call your mom get jon to take you and stay with you threw the e.r visit. the e.r will get you on an i.v anti. then they can give you something for your pain to help you get threw this.

sending you a big gaint hug and lots of prayers dear.
Rhonda

[Betsie]

The Pope died from complications from a long dxd and declining condition. Parkinsons. As he became weaker, his organs shut down, which is the process of dying...and yes he did have a UTI, but nothing that anyone here should be comparing it to. It is a very noraml function of the kidneys, bladder, heart, etc. to stop working...so, no that is not what he died from.

Tracy I do agree you should be seen in am ER, I am sure you realize that having had so much surgery etc. It is your decision, but I think everyone is going to give you the same advice.

[gwynnie]

hope u are feeling better..

[Judith56]

Okay, I get them in my blood stream several times a year. The key symptoms are uncontrollable violent shaking chills, high fever, vomiting, intense pain. My doctor has always told me that once I get the shaking chills to call and get admitted as that is the classic sign. Once you get to the hospital they will do bloodwork, if it has gotten into the bloodstream your white count will be very high, and they will do blood cultures, though those do not always come back positive even if it has gotten into the bloodstream. At any rate if you continue to get sicker and your doctor wont listen then go to the ER. Hope you feel better soon. Judith

[TexasHoney]

:grouphug: Tracy, I hope you the medical treatment you need and start feeling better soon.

Take Care and Best Wishes
TexasHoney

[Portia17]

Does anyone know what ever happened to Tracy? Have not seen her posts as she was very sick?

I am concerned about her

[Dixiefireball]

No i haven't heard from her at all which is not normal. I thought about calling her but every time i call her no one ever picks up the phone. She may had been admitted to the hosp. Lord knows from the sounds of things she needed to be to take care of this infection bless her heart :grouphug: if i hear anything i will sure let ya'll know i may try to call her later tonight to see if i can get an answer.

[SheriG]

Please go to the ER. They take blood cultures if you have a fever, and that will reveal whether or not the infection has gone into your blood stream. It sounds like you are very sick, and scared and in pain...offering a soft hug, hoping that you will feel better soon!

[DebbieD]

You will know. Your right flank pain will let you know. Fever, Chills, Burnning Sometime Double Over.. If it hurts that bad Please go to the ER. You could ask for IVP, or Cysto, Under General. If fills Like a Bockage.

DebbieD

[ibtracy]

Hi and thanks so much for everyone's concerns. It feels so wonderful to be loved, thanks so much. I did call my doc when I began swelling and sweating and they didn't seem to concerned. I just kinda muttled through on my own. I almost called an ambulance one day because the pain was out of control and my docs wouldn't do anything about it. Then the Levaquin they put me on starting killing the "good bacteria" in my intestines, didn't know there was such a thing so they've stopped my Levaquin intake because my urine is better, not perfect but better but I tell ya what I've never been so tired in my entire life. Since the infection, it has started this huge flare in my bladder and my urine specimine showed yesterday a vast amount of blood in my urine so my bladder is bleeding again.

I'm sorry I didn't get online after posting my thread, when the kids were in school and my husband I made myself sleep but then when they were home no one seemed to understand that I needed rest so I was cooking, cleaning, doing laundry, dishes, etc. My youngest daughter is home today sick with the flu and since my rectocele surgery and last weeks diagnosis of severe kidney infection, swelling, etc I seem to be catching everything around. I think my body is just shot. My immune system is just very compromised right now. I've made a self promise that I HAVE TO REST THIS WEEK AND GIVE MY BODY A CHANCE TO RECOUPERATE, whether anyone around here understands or not.

Again, thanks so much for everyone's concern. Just knowing that so many of you were so worried makes me feel so good. I'm slowly getting bettter and hope to be online more and more now.

I woke up this morning with uncontrollable bladder pain and my MD was really mean to me yesterday when we talked about continuing my pain control. He said after this refill he will quit prescribing me pain control because we're not eliminating the problem just masking it. What he doesn't understand is the only way to eliminate the pain all together is to have my bladder removed and at the age of 33 I'm no where near the point of having my bladder removed - just not an option. So I'm on a search for a more knowledgable, caring urologist or even a pain doctor. It's not that I "want" to be on all these medications but without them I'm simply worthless to my children and husband. I lay around and cry because of the pain. That's why I've been trying to keep myself busy hoping it would take my mind off the pain, but I think all I did was make myself completely exhausted and now I'm paying horribly for it. It just never seems to end. My MD said his license is on the line if he continues to prescribe the Oxycontin/Percocet combo that was working so he's been dropping my dosage down in 1/2 each refill. It's horrible to be in pain and try to be as normal as I can. :headbang:

He's now referring me to some pain doctor that does therapy via injections????? I'm assuming this will be similar to nerve blocks - I don't know anymore. It seems as tho at this point we've tried everything, incluidng instillations but I swell up around the catheter and then I can't get it out so after several months of those, we've discontinued that course of therapy.

I'm especially frustrated right now that my pain isn't being adequately controlled and I'm in so much pain today and so tired/fatigued/wore out, etc. I have to remember :idea: one day at a time and not get to overwhelmed.

Does anyone get tired of hearing people say, well you don't look like you're in pain, or you don't appear to be sick....grrrrrrrr! :cussing: I only wish at that point I could show them the inside of my bladder and somehow switch bodies for about 10 minutes and let them experience what I do on a daily basis and then and only then they might give up on the idea that I'm a pill seeker.

Stressed, tired and in pain,
Tracy K.

PS
Thanks again to all of you that cared so much for me. It's nice to be loved and cared for and even tho they all refused to run the bloodwork, I really believe that the infection was entering my bloodstream. I've never swelled up like that EVER, it scared me bad! You're all such angels for caring, many thanks :angel: !

[patricia1]

Tracy I am so happy that you are starting to feel better somewhat. I will keep you in my prayers. :grouphug: