OK...so I need to get this out there and tell someone cause right now this secret is eating me alive...

I will try to keep this short but chances are it's gonna be a novel (sigh) let's hope I can keep it down to a readers digest story.

A week before Christmas (December 16th) I was rear ended. It was a good smack but I felt ok and the car was still drivable and no one was hurt (or so I thought)...I made it home after what should have been a 1 hour drive turned into a 5 hour drive due to weather conditions.

That night I felt stiff and sore, little did I know that was the beginning of this nightmare. I got checked out after calling my family doctor who urged me to go to emergency, where they told me I had suffered from whiplash in the lower and mid back...take 3 days off rest and some advil and I should be good as new....NOT!!!

Did I mention this happened on my way home from work ( job I had started less than 2 weeks before???)

SO I go home thinking not a big deal, but the next day I was dying and couldn't move an inch, family doctor gave me something much stronger to deal with the pain as well as a muscle relaxer and anti inflammatory to help with any swelling.

I found out last week after missing 1 month of work that I have alot more damage to my back than they initially thought and now they are sending me for an MRI.

3 compressed disks in my low back, 1-2 possibly herniated disks in my mid back that has now cause 2 ribs on my left side to stick out to the point I can no longer wear a bra( and my twins are FULL GROWN) so this is adding to my back pain.

Been going to therapy now 3 times a week since the accident, only missed one session because the medication (muscle relaxer and anti inflammatory) had an adverse reaction with each other and my throat nearly swelled shut to the point of not breathing, but hubby caught the reaction before anything serious happened (LOL)...

So while I am doing my therapy and waiting for them to call me on my MRI (which my insurance has yet to approve) I noticed that my urine looks a little darker than usual.

Now I am not taking ANYTHING for pain after my last little pill fiasco so not sure why so I go to the walk in clinic and see the doctor on call...

I explain everything to him about the accident and medication screw up and he decides to test my urine and examine me. He asks me a few questions about my family's medical history.

Here is what I got...
There is a lot of blood in your urine (that explains the color)

No sign of bladder or kidney infection (which I am prone to and would recognize right away)

History of Cancer in family (brother passed from Pancreatic Cancer and I had large polyps removed in 2001)

I smoke (yeah I know my bad)

I am over 40 (45 to be exact)

No Flank pain, Fever or chills....(yeah and...)

So he says with a very matter of fact expression like I am being told I have a cold ...sounds like Bladder Cancer....WTF???!!!!!!! and sent me across the hall to book an ultrasound....

God I have been freaking out all day, and my ultrasound is set for Thursday morning at 9am...talk about fast booking!!!

Now when I left his office I thought boy does this guy need a lesson in bedside manners...and today is my husbands birthday so I dont want to say anything to him and freak him out or spoil his day!!!!

&^%&^*%&^%!!!!!!!!

Inside my head right now I am screaming at the top of my lungs and I don't know what to do about this...I want to talk to someone but the only person that I would feel comfortable speaking with is sleeping peacefully and will wake up soon to celebrate his birthday and I don't want him to remember that as a conversation on his birthday!

I am sorry this has turned into a novel, crap....my brain is every where right now.

OK ...there I said it (wrote it) and now its out there for all of CC land to know....God help me cause I am scared....and not sure if I can handle this on top of everything else going on right now...

That's a lot for you to be going through right now. I don't even know what to say...

I hope you got a lawyer for the car accident. It sounds like with everything it's done to you, you may need more than the other person's insurance company is willing to do for you without you having a lawyer.

I looked up other causes of blood in the urine and a car accident can cause it. So can taking asprin or some other meds (but NSAIDs and muscle relaxers don't seem to be on the list). Cancer can be a cause, it's good that your doctor is reacting so quickly to rule it out.

It also said that strenuous exercise can cause blood in your urine, if there's repeated jarring of your bladder. I don't know what kind of therapy you're having but if it's the massage kind with the big vibrating thing (so technical here, right, LOL) and they're doing it to your lower back then they could be doing something that would cause it.

As far as the doctor's bedside manner, what would be a better way to tell you? There's probably no good way to tell someone something like that, so he mentioned the problem and the next step in finding a solution (the ultrasound) all at one time. If he had just said that he needed to run some further tests and couldn't tell you anything at the time, you would have come home and googled "blood in urine" and found that a common cause of it in people over 40 is cancer, and then you'd be mad at the doctor for not communicating with you.

I don't know which anti-inflammatory they've got you on, but last year when I broke my leg, the ER prescribed ibuprofen but the bone doctors said I couldn't take it because it prevents healing. So I wasn't allowed to take it at all...they gave me lortabs instead...I don't remember a couple months last year but I heard I had as much fun as a girl with a broken leg can have. I also had a UTI (I'm assuming from the catheter during the surgery) and didn't have any symptoms other than a slight fever at night, until I'd had the infection for a couple weeks.

Anyhow, I'll be praying for you, sending positive thoughts your way, all that stuff...when will you find something out? When the ultrasound is done, or do you have to wait for a doctor to read the ultrasound results?

Keeping you in my prayers G_cakes.

Blood in urine can come from any number of things, I have no idea where Mr. Bedside Manner pulled bladder cancer from. Try not to stress out too much, it sounds too coincidental that this all happened at once. I'd be willing to bet that the blood in the urine is a result of something related to the accident.

I am so sorry you are going through this.
My mother had the same exact car accident 3 years ago- we ended up having to sue our own car insurance company because they refused to pay her medical bills- the person that hit her was uninsured.

Try not to obsess over what the doctor said right now- I know easier said than done.
Don't freak out. Wait until you get the ultrasound done and you get the results.
It can very well come out negative and you will have been stressing yourself out for no reason.
You definitely need to talk to your husband- I totally get why you don't want to do it today.
But definitely you gotta do it the day after his birthday- if he is a half way decent guy he definitely wants to be there to help you through this.

i am so sorry you have to go through this on your husbands *birthday* none the less : ( years ago, i got accidently kicked in the back and had blood in my urine as well. sounds related to your accident?? will keep you in my prayers!

You are in my thoughts and prayers. Please let us know how you are doing. I hope your husband had a happy birthday. Hang in there!
~ihavasweet2th~

I hope you get to talk to your husband soon, you need his straight thinking right now. Go see your lawyer and get the other person to help with your bills and suffering.

I used the money from my accident after paying doctor bills to get a hot tub to soak my sore muscles and aching bones for future pains as well.

Now for your cancer scare. Even if it might be, there is a lot of advancement in that area. My father had ureta (sp) cancer and had to keep testing for bladder and kidney. (rare cancer at that) He had a kidney removed and lived a long time after that. They caught it fast and acted fast and he did not have to have kemo.

Like someone else said, it is probably related to your accident, so please go de-stress.

Oh boy....I'm so sorry for all that you've been through.

It's unfortunate that you came upon a doctor who forgot to study "bedside manners" when he went to school....geez!

It wouldn't surprise me if you did have a UTI especially if you're apt to get them as you said. As someone who also gets a lot of UTI's, sometimes I have dark urine before I have symptoms of UTI.

Maybe it wasn't a good read on the urine test, I'd ask them to retest you.

Please try to stay positive and keep us informed.

I'll keep you in my thoughts and prayers! ((((((((HUGS))))))))

I'd be willing to bet that the problems are coming either the accident or the medicine. Your ultrasound will just rule out the cancer theory and you can continue healing your back and whatever else. I truly believe that.

I would call and make an appointment with your family doctor. He knows you, your body and what medications are you one. Maybe he can give you some more information on what it could be and if you thinks that cancer is a big possiblity.

I hope the test comes back with positive information!

Hi, I'm sorry you are going through all this and my thoughts are with you. I am with JJ I would also be willing to bet it has something to do stemming from the accident because it seem too coincidental that the problem pops up now. Keep pushing for treatment. I've had several back operations and they were the best thing I ever did for my life but they've even come a long way now from when I had my operations. They have other/different treatments. I wish you the best and keep us posted.

You've been on my mind G-Cakes. Did you go for your ultrasound yesterday or is it next Thur?

I agree that the dark urine could be associated with the meds or the accident. In 1997 I had a car accident on my way to work one morning and experienced rectal bleeding most of the day. Had me scared to death!! I wasn't aware that I had any hemmeroids but evidently one popped when every muscle in my body tensed up as I missed being hit, relaxed and then tensed again big time (every muscle in my body) when I realized the guy who'd missed me with his truck was pulling a trailer. I talked to the RN at work who said to relax as much as possibly and if the bleeding didn't stop by the end of the day to call my doctor. Thankfully it stopped mid afternoon, but I ached all over that night.

I'm praying for you and will continue as I wait to hear about your results.

God Bless

Hi everyone, sorry I haven't responded sooner...just needed some time to sort things out with my family and in my own mind.

I did go for my ultrasound last Thursday, and they had me come in and do another one the nest day as well as some x-rays.

I have not gotten the results back yet from the doctor but some questions have been put to rest.

This is not a medication or accident related...I haven't taken any meds in over 3 weeks now and both specialists said that had it been from my accident that the blood would have manifested itself in my urine within 24-48 hours.

The good news is that the visible blood in my urine is gone...but I still have what the call microscopic blood ( not visible to the eye) in my urine so that means I am still bleeding.

I finally told my husband what was going on, but I am sure he suspected something cause I cant hide the worry on my face.

I waited until 1 minute past midnight (so his birthday was over) and broke down and told him what was going on.

It has taken me a few days to come to grips with what is happening without crying like a blubbering fool.

So now we wait.....my husband has been a great support to me right now ( as have you all here on CC). We have discussed this with our children and their strength is helping me cope.

My husband had made a very valid point that has stayed with me...."WE ALWAYS FIND A WAY"..and it is so true.

We have always found a way to deal with what ever came out way...and this time should be no different.

I think I was just feeling overwhelmed at the fact that I am still recovering from my accident...hubby thinks it is because I haven't been able to bake anything LOL.

I am so grateful for all your support and well wishes, teared up reading them all...

so for now we wait...expecting the worst and hoping for the best.

Thank you all again ((((((((((HUGS))))))))))

Thank you for letting us know how you are doing. You continue to be in my thoughts and prayers.

~ihavasweet2th~

Well no confirmed results in yet but now they have booked me for an MRI next week...doctors say they found something but can not say for sure till MRI


Deep Breath....so now I think I am gonna bake my little buns off to try and stay busy

Now what to bake????

Thinking of you G_Cakes, I hope you can find peace and calm while you wait for more tests and results.

Just wondering how things are...praying for good outcome for you.
Hang in there - thank goodness for supportive family!

MRI is set for this Wednesday at 9pm...managed to get some info from doctor but he says it is to soon to say anything one way or the other.

Ultrasound has revealed a "shadow" one of my kidneys. He said it could be stones, could be some sort of scar tissue or damage but he wont say much else until he gets the MRI results in.

For now the bleeding has stopped but still some microscopic bleeding. Which he says is a good sign cause it points towards kidney stones (LOL...kindney stones a good thing who'd have thought)

For now though been doing my therapy from the car accident 3 X a week and just trying to keep myself busy!

Thanks for the support and the well wishes...you have know idea how much it has helped me cope with all of this!

I was thinking about you, and hoping that all is well...
Kathy

G_Cakes, I came back to see how you are doing! I'm having the bleeding too it's always been kidney stones in the past. Hope you're well! Let us know!

Hi everyone sorry I have not been online much lately, therapy has taken a more aggressive role and not it hurts to sit in front of the computer for even just a few minutes...

the bleeding is still there it hasn't stopped since the first time..not always visible but in every sample I provided so far.

Dr. said no stones LOL and I was so hoping and now its a process of elimination.

next appointment in a couple of weeks so hopefully an answer but I am think just another barrage of tests... I have had more pricks in my body than a dime store hooker LOL

but thank you for thinking of me....miss baking but cant stand, or sit for more than a few minutes at a time right now and I refuse to take any painkillers cause they just knock me out...so I will be on sporadically HUGS

Keep us informed! HUGS!! I hope you hear something soon! Thank you for the update, I'm sure I wasn't the only one wondering how you are doing!

Oh my. I am so sorry! I can't imagine the waiting.

The good news is that if it is cancer, then it was caught. The survival rates for bladder cancer are very, very high. So let's hope for the best that it isn't that terrible C word, but that if it is, you can have some hope knowing your chances are good.

Let us know what happens!