blood in urine - bladder stones or something else?

[sazzap]

Hi,

I am 25, female, previous social smoker on and off for 8 years but only one a day, if that. Otherwise healthy, no previous medical history to speak of. I don't suffer fromm UTI's and am not sexually active either.

I have been having blood in urine for about a month now, firstly it started off as visibily peeing red urine, and now it still has blood but it isn't visible, just cloudy, shown by urinalysis and dipstick tests.

Have had two urinalysis, both ruled out infection (few white cells), but did show some calcium oxalate crystals, and lots of red blood cells. Further kidney and liver tests were fine. Blood work is all normal (except high bilirubin), and kub ultrasound showed no stones or problems.

I have had no symptoms, only blood in the urine, no pain on urination at all. I am currently waiting for a urology referral which may take some time as it is NHS.

I just wandered if anyone has had kidney stones or bladder stones with NO symptoms, and also whether it is commonplace for people to have crystals in urine - does this necessarily mean stones? Should I be worried that this could signal something worse (like cancer), or would the blood work up have hinted at this? I'm erring on whether to wait patiently for an NHS urologist (could take up to 6 weeks), or whether to investigate this privately, which would mean borrowing money. I just don't know whether this could be something serious or not? The doctors say very unlikely because of my age, but what if I am that 1%?

[Dr J Singh]

Hello,
Blood in urine is called hematuria. Most often it is related to urinary tract problems like kidney stones, inflammation of urinary tract, renal vein thrombosis, certain kidney tumors and polycystic kidney disease, blood coagulation disorders and anticoagulants. Calcium oxalate crystals in the urine are the most common constituent of human kidney stones. Although your kidney function tests and KUB ultrasound are speaking otherwise, but we need to get it further evaluated. My sincere advice is to consult a nephrologist and get it evaluated.
I hope it helps. Take care and regards.

[MomsThoughts]

Sounds very much what I am going thru....same thing with the blood in urine, no symptoms -no uti, no bacteria in urinalysis, etc...no stones on ultrasound or xray....then I had a CT urogram - which finally showed a 4mm stone stuck in the ureter and hydronephrosis.  I was so relieved it was not cancer!! (both two dr.'s seemed to thinking w/o symptoms, it couldn't be a stone)  

I am now taking Rapaflo to try to help pass the stone and I am scheduled for surgery on Thurs.  The problem is the hydronephrosis can eventually cause kidney failure.  They don't like to allow it to go on more than 4 weeks (its been 5)  So even though I don't really have pain (well, back pain)  I still have to have this horrible procedure.  :(  

I suggest you get your dr to order a CT Urogram to make sure it is not hydronephrosis (this happens when ureter is blocked and urine backs up in the kidney.  If it is you can't wait 6 weeks for a urologist.  

That is what I have been told anyway.  I have no expertise in this field other than my personal experience.