Any known risks from vesicoureteral reflux/reimplantation

[Im4given]

I was diagnosed and treated for vesicoureteral reflux nearly 30 years ago. I have always suffered from bladder, urinary tract and kidney issues. An ultrasound 6 years ago showed that I still have reflux. The urologist suggested a medication to relieve the problem with frequent urination. To me that did not make sense, as reflux has always been an issue. Lately I have had some issues voiding. I had a week of back pain, severe abdominal pain and vomiting on 2 occasions.I have not had a fever. I have noticed that, as odd, as it sounds (I have searched high and low and am not satisfied w/ the findings) that my urine is green in color. I wear pantyliners because of the slight incontinence, so any of the overflow is green. It is not from a change in diet or dyes as suggested elsewhere. I have tried a few different liners to see if it was a chemical reaction due to high acidity. (The urologist said the acidity level was much higher than it should ever be) Could there be a potential problem with the implants themselves? Are there any known risks? My surgery was about 28 years ago.

[Dr Santos]

Hi,

It is important to know what were the circumstances that lead to your diagnosis when you were young and what kind of surgery was done. The most common procedure to correct VUR is to sever the ureter from the bladder and then reattach it at a different angle so that urine can not back up to the bladder. It is strongly recommended that all patients with a history of reflux should be monitored for life. Even if the reflux was resolved by surgery, the risk of kidney malfunction, hypertension, and pregnancy-related problems still exists. Occasional ultrasound tests, urine analysis and blood tests (BUN and creatinine) will ensure that kidney is fine. On your visit with your urologist, tell him your medical history, the surgery done when you were young, any medications you have taken and the symptoms you are experiencing now. He may do some urine or blood tests and if needed, refer you to a nephrologist. If you have been pregnant, it would also help to visit your gyne for routine check up or pap smear. You can read more about VUR with this link:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vesicoureteral_reflux

Take care and keep us posted.

[Im4given]

No. I do not take any medications, nor have I changed by diet. No asparagus. I should make an appointment with my urologist. I called my gynecologist because of the severity of my abdominal pain as well as the vomiting. The nurse stated that unless my pain is "a 10", I would be fine. I believe this is related to my kidneys, ureters etc. I have read that infections (finally after adding specifics to my search) can lead to green urine. The (Pseudomonas infection) I read about seem to be severe in nature and typically arise from time spent within a hospital, or infection from catheterization. The pain, swelling and trouble voiding, along with the green urine has been going on for 4 weeks without any improvement. So your suggestion would be to see a urologist? Or should I see my gynecologist? Either way, I believe I should have a urinalysis. Thank you for the response. I hope to understand more clearly when tests are done. Outside of dyes, medications and asparagus, is there anything related to my surgery (ureter reimplantation) that may have caused this? When ureters are reimplanted, does that mean they are prostetic typically? I was not told and my parents didn't recall the specifics. If a shunt was placed, would it ever need to be re-placed? Thank you again for the reply. What should I specifically state when I make an appointment? Any information is appreciated!

[Dr Santos]

Hi,

Are there other signs or symptoms present? Discolored urine is often caused by medications, certain foods or food dyes.A dye used in several medications that treat urinary pain (Trac Tabs, Urised) can turn urine blue. Asparagus gives urine a greenish tinge as well as a characteristic odor. However, it would also be helpful have your urine tested and to see your urologist as well as a referral to a gynecologist to rule out infection. Take care and keep us posted.