chronic kidney infection

[ki_chris]

Hi, my best friend suffered from a really bad kidney infection that landed her in the hospital this past Thanksgiving.  She was in ICU for 3 days with severe vomiting and high fever (103.0).  She now keeps getting kidney infections over and over.  Know though she recognizes the signs before it gets too bad.  What should she be asking the doctor?  

I want to help her be more proactive in her treatment.  Her doctor said that she just needs to rest and drink fluids and take meds for pain.  She's on an antibiotic till the infection is gone.  Should she be taking a profolactic antibiotic?  It seems that she is just being treated for the infection and not the cause.  I'm really worried for her, she has 3 young boys and her husband works long hours so I'm afraid she'll not pay enough attention to her own treatment while caring for everyone else.

[ki_chris]

Hi thanks for advice, she went back into the ICU on friday with 104.0 temp that wouldn't come down and severe vomiting and abdominal pain and they discovered her kidneys are just loaded with kidney stones and she has a large one blocking her urinary tract.  
They did surgery to put in stint's to drain off the infection and they will wait about 2 weeks to remove the stones.  The doctor said her body is just producing A LOT of stones and she'll have to change her diet and take medication to help stop it.  

Thank God they figured it out.  Wish it had been sooner as to avoid all this pain and sickness.  

Thanks again!  

[Vanessa Lacuesta]

Hi,

Firstly,it has to be established that there are no underlying structural abnormalities and no other underlying disease conditions like decreased blood pressure, dehydration and heart problems that could have cause and aggravated your friend's condition.

If these have been ruled out, then one may be dealing with a kidney infection that could have been caused by an ascending infection from the urethra or bladder. This may be a case of pyelonephritis. This may present with fever , back pain and vomiting. This needs close evaluation and supervision as well as intensive round of intravenous antibiotics.

Is your friend out of the ICU?

At this point, if her kidney infection is not caused by any underlying structural abnormalities then completing her course of medications may suffice. She may need to have a follow up consultation with her physician once out of the hospital ,however at this point I do not see a need for prophylactic antibiotics given that her symptoms of fever and vomiting have resolved.