Skin hurts to touch....

[massagedoula]

This has never happened to me before but all day my whole left side hurts so bad that even light finger pressure sends me into shivers. It hurts all in my right side by my groin and around my side into my lower back and glute area, sort of around the kidney in the back right side but also in the front too.

What is this? Is this from IC? Should I be worried?

As far as flare symptoms go (frequency, urgency, burning) I only feel a teensy weensy bit more "irritated" than normal. What could this be? I am scared now.....

[Kathi]

I think a call to your doctor is in order. Please let us know how you make out. Kathi

[kelly McC]

I would call your doctor hope your feeling better soon
Kelly

[tigger_gal]

I would call your doctor too, and see whats going on.. I have days where I feel the same way but, I have fibro and myofascail pain, so I know what it is. keep us posted.

[massagedoula]

Can't call the doctor. I go to a big university hospital and the doctor won't all back unless it is a huge emergency situation. Even the time I had blood in my stool for 3 days after a urodynamics test she still didn't call me. I have spoken to her many times about this but to no avail. I have an appt 1/3/06, so I have to wait until then to talk to her about this.

I researched it and found it was called "flank pain". Then I searched "flank pain" on the boards and found a few posts from people with IC who have this. Is this common? It is a little better today but still is very sore to touch.

[Babs RN]

Emily,
I have frequent flank pain. I have found that rest, pain meds, warm bath or shower, and heating pads help me the most. I have also had multiple kidney stones with alot of those symptoms, something you might want to keep an eye out for.


Hugs,
Barb :grouphug:

[ICLori]

You know, Barb, that's exactly what I was thinking too - either a kidney stone or a kidney infection, although I would think the bladder symptoms would be a bit worse with a kidney infection.

For some reason it seems like there are a lot of us IC'ers who also get kidney stones, I wonder why?

Please, if it continues through to tomorrow or gets worse, especially if the pain is bad enough you start to sweat, or throw up, or if you start running a fever, go to an emergency room and have them check for infections or stones.

Otherwise, it is possible it's just really bad IC pain that is referred to the flank more than the bladder. I don't know why the nerves get confused like that but I guess they do sometimes. They know something hurts but they don't know where so they tell your brain it's your flank instead of your bladder!

I sure hope you will feel better soon. Of course you will want to drink a lot of water and maybe use heat or cold to help with the pain. But this calls for a doctor's visit, a trip to the ER, I am sure of it.

Blessings, Lori

[diane57]

It could also be you're about to get the flu - when I'm getting a flu or bad cold I have lower back and flank pain - no idea why, but a fever is not far behind usually. Hope you feel better soon!

[massagedoula]

It had to have been from the bladder. I have never had referred flank pain before. It is getting better today but still very sore. I am mildly flaring (flares have been mild since on Elmiron---knock wood) but still don't know why. Stress from having the inlaws stay at my house for 3 weeks? Starting a vitamin D suppliment? I don't know. No big dietary no-no's....this is a mystery. I don't like flank pain. It is scary. I didn't know that IC pain could refer so far....and my skin was so tender, I screamed when my husband touched my back by mistake.

[ICNDonna]

If you're not significantly better this morning, I honestly think you need to see a doctor. If your own doctor is not available, then emergency room or an urgent care center are options. Please don't let it go.

Donna

[massagedoula]

Thanks for your concern but I know that it is a new symptom of IC. It is getting better each day. It was a crazy flare-related neuralgia, I guess. I will bring it up to my doctor at my next appt, but it is nothing that I am going to try to seek care for (which is difficult with my local ER---all they would do is give me pain meds and send me home, and my PCP is on vacation). Today is is not so sensitive to touch, but it is still feeling "off". I searched on the boards and internet and it is mentioned in a few places as a symptom of IC. I guess I just never knew that it existed before.

[massagedoula]

Sheepishly I return to the boards after a day at the doctors.

OK! You all were right, I should have gone. It was an ovarian cyst rupture. Never ever had one of those before. And it was not even related to my IC except that I had to get a bimanual exam and a vaginal ultrasound and now my IC is flaring. I have to go tomorrow and get ANOTHER vaginal ultrasound...you know the kind...the evil water torture.....

[poetgirl]

Sorry to hear about all that! :( I hope you feel more like yourself soon so that you can enjoy the holidays!

:grouphug: