Really scared...Need advice badly...please help

Hey John,
      There are so many things that can cause urinary symptoms, and at 19, bladder cancer is a highly unlikley possibility. But I do find some things confusing in your story.

• First, a UTI cannot be diagnosed or ruled out by a blood test or dipstick urinalysis. The only reliable test to diagnose or rule out UTI is a urine culture. A culture is especially important with persistent symptoms because the organism and its sensitivity to antibiotics can be determined to help determine the best choice of antibiotics. If symptoms persist on antibiotics a culture tells you if there's a need to change. If symtpoms recur, a culture tells you if it's the same organism. A negative culture tells the doctor if the treatment worked. A blood test would be the least reliable way to diagnose UTI because bladder infections rarely affect the blood work, and abnormal blood work doesn't tell you where an infection is. Kidney infections are more likely to affect the blood work, but generally cause fever and flank pain.
• Second, healthy 19 year old men don't get UTIs. Well, I'll never say never - but if any young male patient of mine truly had a UTI, I would feel it absolutely essential to do a thorough evaluation of his urinary tract to find out why. An ultrasound is a fine start. In fact, an ultrasound is an excellent way to find out if you do fully empty your bladder. Was that checked? If these symptoms don't clear up, and if you really are having recurrent infection you probably should have a voiding cystourethrogram (VCUG) to make sure you don't have bladder reflux into your kidneys (although such problems usually show up as UTIs in infancy) and maybe even a cystoscopy to look at the bladder.
  If this is not really infection related, there are lots of other tests a urologist can do to evaluate voiding problems to see if they can find a cause... and I'm not talking about serious things for you to worry about. I'm talking about finding answers to help you.
• Third, I have to ask (and you need not feel obligated to answer except to yourself), Any possibility you could have an STD? Have you been checked?
• Fourth, I have to ask about your bowel habits (and again, I'm asking for you benefit. You don't have to answer). The bladder sits against the rectum. Since you mention lower abdominal pain and bloating, maybe there's a connection. I've had a few little boys evaluated by the pediatric urologist for things like penile pain and voiding problems who turned out to have constipation as the cause for their symptoms.

Let me just say that cancer is the most frightening possibility, so I understand why you're concerned about it, and you're wise not to ignore the possibility even though it is most unlikley. But UTI is also an unlikley possibility unless it is proven to be the diagnosis by culture - and it really drive me nuts when my colleagues jump on the easy diagnosis when it doesn't make sense. Forgive my rant if you were correctly diagnosed with UTI and I somehow missed it. The bottom line is that you need your doctor or urologist to be willing to spend the time with you and sort this out rather than doing a quick test and sending you on your way with a prescription. You deserve an answer and hopefully a solution even if the problem isn't something serious like cancer.

When someone says that they have back pain and problems urinating I always think of a kidney infection. I am not a medical professional, but I do feel like if you are not getting an answer that you can live with, or if the answers your are getting don't seem to fit your symptoms, get another opinion. Wendy is right about the water too. Also, I suggest cranberry, or pomegrante juice. I think they have to do a blood test for kidney function to get the results, a urinalisis will not show a kidney infection, just that there is an infection.

In another post, I was ranting about how men don't go often enough to get things checked out. I am glad to hear that you are 19, and on top of this. Don't except an answer unless it makes sense to you. If you are in pain, complain until you get the answers you need. Men spend more time shopping for electronics, cars, and toys, then taking care of their health. Maybe your generation will change that sterotype.....

Good Luck,
Karen

Thanks for the reply Wendy,

I should've been more specific. I have lower back pain the morning. My urine is slow but it doesnt hurt.

My urologist did another round of tests and found that I did not have a UTI but my symptoms persist.

The same thing happened with my Nephrologist. After taking medication the bacteria count was low so figured I was cured. But my symptoms continued and I went to my GP and she did a dipstick and I had a UTI again.

I dont know its just so confusing. I just wish I could pee normally again.

No one should ever take for granted their ability to urinate without problems.

Hi John,

The chance that your symptoms are caused by bladder cancer is extremely small.You stated yourself that you have a UTI, that is probably the cause of these weird feelings. Another course of antibiotics?

From what you I got the idea that you aren't drinking enough (clean) water. I know it sounds illogical to drink if it hurts to pee, but not drinking will only make things worse, you need to flush your bladder as well as your whole system and coffee or coke doesn't count.

What has your doctor advised, and are you getting another urine test/culture, more antibiotics, another follow up?

Ultrasound is not the ideal way to diagnose a tumor in the bladder, but it is possible sometimes.

Best of luck with things,
Wendy

Hi guys,

Basically for the past 3 months my urine patters have changed. I've been having these strange symptoms which are driving me nuts. It all started off with frequence urination. My GP sent me to a nephrologist who did blood work and an ultrasound. The blood work showed I had a UTI and the scan was negative. He gave me medication and sent me off. My symptoms never stopped and I tested positive again for a UTI.

Now I've been sent to a urologist who has me scheduled for another ultrasound and my tests were negative.

Basically I have severe pain and difficulty urinating in the morning. I have lower abdominal bloating and pain. It seems like my bladder is never empty. The strangest symptom of all is that I DO NOT HAVE URINARY URGENCY. I can go HOURS without feeling the need to pee and when I do every little comes out.

Could I have bladder cancer eventhough the ultrasound and urine\blood tests were negative? I am 19.