Symptoms of kidney cancer? Or cancer of adrenal glands?

bluerose

Digger95 said:

I found out I had kidney
I found out I had kidney cancer via a phantom kidney stone that came on suddenly and brought with it excrutiating back pain and the inability to urinate. I was way out in the middle of nowhere working at the time. My crew chief saw how much pain I was in and rushed me to the local clinic where they did an x-ray and spotted the 'mass' that eventually led to my diagnosis. Never did find the kidney stone but nonetheless it was quite a fortunate series of events.

same thing happened to me
Me too, phantom kidney stone and backache from hell. I am getting so irritated with docs though because I have been connecting the dots of many symptoms I see that are common with kidney issues and they just disregard it as something else, which it could be but what the heck, they aren't listening.

Within an month's time I will see the endocrinologist who ordered my 48 hour urine tests and found the irregularities and corner her and make her listen to all of these symptoms and that is that. They tell you one thing, REPORT SYMPTOMS TO YOUR DOCTOR but for many they just look at you when you do report them like you are paranoid. It's terrible.

I have never had issues in the kidney area before, backaches yes but who knows what that really is? Having said all of this I am a pretty complicated case because of all of my previous cancer treatments from a bone marrow transplant and other cancer treatments but still if they don't listen and test for connecting dots then what good are they? It's so frustrating.

Thanks for your input. It's appreciated. All the very best. Bluerose

Von55

bluerose said:

same thing happened to me
Me too, phantom kidney stone and backache from hell. I am getting so irritated with docs though because I have been connecting the dots of many symptoms I see that are common with kidney issues and they just disregard it as something else, which it could be but what the heck, they aren't listening.

Within an month's time I will see the endocrinologist who ordered my 48 hour urine tests and found the irregularities and corner her and make her listen to all of these symptoms and that is that. They tell you one thing, REPORT SYMPTOMS TO YOUR DOCTOR but for many they just look at you when you do report them like you are paranoid. It's terrible.

I have never had issues in the kidney area before, backaches yes but who knows what that really is? Having said all of this I am a pretty complicated case because of all of my previous cancer treatments from a bone marrow transplant and other cancer treatments but still if they don't listen and test for connecting dots then what good are they? It's so frustrating.

Thanks for your input. It's appreciated. All the very best. Bluerose

Ah, Doctors!
This reluctance to actually listen to the patient is far from rare, worse luck! Your frustration is so understandable- and given your health history, they should be hyper-alert for ANY symptoms you report. Don't give up, Bluerose- these doctors are just human (whatever godliness they project!) and they can all make mistakes (although will rarely admit it).
I'm really unhappy with my GP & Urologist at the moment, having finally had a Urology follow-up last week and a GP appt yesterday. For 5 weeks after the nephrectomy I'd been so worried about my RCC- and no-one bothered to tell me that it wasn't cancer but a metanephric adenoma although they'd known for all that time. When I went to my regular doc & requested information (how much of my left kidney remains, what is my kidney function, is it likely to grow back as there were positive margins etc) he said "why would you want to know all that- what use is it to you?". He honestly couldn't understand why a patient would want to know about their own body....and so I still don't know.
I'm very grateful to the surgeon who operated on me and am full of praise for their expertise. I am so fortunate that my tumour was benign- but it burns me a lot that no-one listens and that these experts feel that they're the only ones who have a right to know anything.
I hope you're doing ok, and will get the answers you need- blessings on you!
Von

bluerose

Von55 said:

Ah, Doctors!
This reluctance to actually listen to the patient is far from rare, worse luck! Your frustration is so understandable- and given your health history, they should be hyper-alert for ANY symptoms you report. Don't give up, Bluerose- these doctors are just human (whatever godliness they project!) and they can all make mistakes (although will rarely admit it).
I'm really unhappy with my GP & Urologist at the moment, having finally had a Urology follow-up last week and a GP appt yesterday. For 5 weeks after the nephrectomy I'd been so worried about my RCC- and no-one bothered to tell me that it wasn't cancer but a metanephric adenoma although they'd known for all that time. When I went to my regular doc & requested information (how much of my left kidney remains, what is my kidney function, is it likely to grow back as there were positive margins etc) he said "why would you want to know all that- what use is it to you?". He honestly couldn't understand why a patient would want to know about their own body....and so I still don't know.
I'm very grateful to the surgeon who operated on me and am full of praise for their expertise. I am so fortunate that my tumour was benign- but it burns me a lot that no-one listens and that these experts feel that they're the only ones who have a right to know anything.
I hope you're doing ok, and will get the answers you need- blessings on you!
Von

Whatchoo talkin bout, you still don't know?
WHAT??? No one will answer your questions about your own results? That's just not right. That reminds me of my first specialist who diagnosed me.

That specialist had a long history of complaints about his attitude towards patients but I went into my first appt, scared out of my mind knowing it was cancer but not what kind and what odds were blah blah blah. So I start asking him questions and he answered with 'I don't know why you people (YOU PEOPLE), GRRRRRRRRRRR, need to know these things'. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I said to him 'maybe because it's OUR LIVES here'. Sheeesh.

Anywho on other appts he breathed heavily when he saw I had a list of questions but I persevered and asked them anywho - he answered them all begrudgingly.

One appt, about 4 in from first meeting this guy, I guess I was feeling a littel feisty so I got myself a roll of that old adding machine tape or cash register tape I guess they use similar products for, and I took off about 8 feet of it. On it I wrote, well scribbled what looked like writing but was fake. Took that with me. When this specialist walked into the room I flung out the reel of tape that went to the floor and a bit ahead of me and I said to him, as usual 'I have a few questions first.'

First he looked down at the tape length and then at me with a shocked look then looked back up at me and he burst out laughing. lol. From that day forward he was still a turkey but I knew he had it in him to be human - well for a minute.

But in the end it isht funny having insensitive physicians and I guess after over 20 years of treatments and appointments and follow ups and invasive testing you just get a tad sick of it after awhile. Of course there were caring doctors and nurses too along the way but if you are worried and have new symptoms your nerves can be frazzled and of course the nerves are already neurophothied so that's not a good start. lol.

Thanks for your input and encouragement and if I were you I would find the head of the department that those specialists work for and demand the results. That will get them moving. I have gone to hospital heads before and they call them up on the carpet - the offending specialists that is. Know that if they are doing that to you, they are doing that to other patients. Stop the madness and step up to the plate if not for your sake for those that will follow you. Just my 3 cents.

Take care. Bluerose

Von55

bluerose said:

Whatchoo talkin bout, you still don't know?
WHAT??? No one will answer your questions about your own results? That's just not right. That reminds me of my first specialist who diagnosed me.

That specialist had a long history of complaints about his attitude towards patients but I went into my first appt, scared out of my mind knowing it was cancer but not what kind and what odds were blah blah blah. So I start asking him questions and he answered with 'I don't know why you people (YOU PEOPLE), GRRRRRRRRRRR, need to know these things'. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I said to him 'maybe because it's OUR LIVES here'. Sheeesh.

Anywho on other appts he breathed heavily when he saw I had a list of questions but I persevered and asked them anywho - he answered them all begrudgingly.

One appt, about 4 in from first meeting this guy, I guess I was feeling a littel feisty so I got myself a roll of that old adding machine tape or cash register tape I guess they use similar products for, and I took off about 8 feet of it. On it I wrote, well scribbled what looked like writing but was fake. Took that with me. When this specialist walked into the room I flung out the reel of tape that went to the floor and a bit ahead of me and I said to him, as usual 'I have a few questions first.'

First he looked down at the tape length and then at me with a shocked look then looked back up at me and he burst out laughing. lol. From that day forward he was still a turkey but I knew he had it in him to be human - well for a minute.

But in the end it isht funny having insensitive physicians and I guess after over 20 years of treatments and appointments and follow ups and invasive testing you just get a tad sick of it after awhile. Of course there were caring doctors and nurses too along the way but if you are worried and have new symptoms your nerves can be frazzled and of course the nerves are already neurophothied so that's not a good start. lol.

Thanks for your input and encouragement and if I were you I would find the head of the department that those specialists work for and demand the results. That will get them moving. I have gone to hospital heads before and they call them up on the carpet - the offending specialists that is. Know that if they are doing that to you, they are doing that to other patients. Stop the madness and step up to the plate if not for your sake for those that will follow you. Just my 3 cents.

Take care. Bluerose

How are you doing?
Hi Bluerose, how's everything? Sorry I didn't get straight back to you, esp after all your wonderful advice! I still don't have any answers, but will be switching GP's next week & will be expecting to receive all the info I think I deserve as a patient. I've thought of reporting my experience, and if there's no joy with the next Dr, I will. I guess this is the downside of a "free" health service- you have to take what you get, although we've paid the Medicare levy from our taxes for many years. Hmmm...
How are you feeling? Please let me know when you get a chance!
Cheers, Von

bluerose

Von55 said:

How are you doing?
Hi Bluerose, how's everything? Sorry I didn't get straight back to you, esp after all your wonderful advice! I still don't have any answers, but will be switching GP's next week & will be expecting to receive all the info I think I deserve as a patient. I've thought of reporting my experience, and if there's no joy with the next Dr, I will. I guess this is the downside of a "free" health service- you have to take what you get, although we've paid the Medicare levy from our taxes for many years. Hmmm...
How are you feeling? Please let me know when you get a chance!
Cheers, Von

Same old same old
I still don't have results back from the 48 hour urine I did for that endocrinologist. Last I heard my GP called her office for results and they said that they would call me within 2 weeks and set up a follow up appointment but of course they didn't. This is unreal, never had results come through so slowly. I know it takes forever to get appointments with the endos here but she left me saying that unless there was something wrong I didn't need another appointment and so hello she is saying she needs to see me but won't come up with an appointment? Thank you so much for leaving a cancer survivor hanging so long. Man.

The other issue with this new thickening of the uterus is waiting for another ultrasound which will be next week on Tuesday. The oncologist will have a look at that (I am praying that it has disappeared)and then set up a surgery date to go in and do a D&C to biopsy. He was just going to do a biopsy in his office but NO THANKS - I can't do invasive ANYTHINGS anymore due to trauma of previous invasive procedures. I go in in early December to sign surgery papers and then in January they do the surgery and more waiting for results. However this guy is on the spot so I know I won't wait long for those results, he is supposed to be the best gyne/onc in the city - fought hard to get him. They usually don't take patients who don't have cancer but because of my extensive treatments for NHL years ago and all the side effects he agreed to take care of me which is wonderful.

So I am still sitting on two medical issues, well more but the two that are possibly you know what so nothing has changed. I had that cyst on my ovary and seems it has shrunken to nothing or disappeared. Sigh. Good thing I didn't listen to the 3 other gyne/oncs I had who were going to do everything from a lapascopic ovary removal to a full on hysterectomy - and now it's just poof - gone. Sheeesh.

One thing you learn fast in this cancer game - GO WITH YOUR INSTINCTS. You know that as well as I do I know.

Anywho I hope this email finds you feeling better.

Blessings, Bluerose

Von55

bluerose said:

Same old same old
I still don't have results back from the 48 hour urine I did for that endocrinologist. Last I heard my GP called her office for results and they said that they would call me within 2 weeks and set up a follow up appointment but of course they didn't. This is unreal, never had results come through so slowly. I know it takes forever to get appointments with the endos here but she left me saying that unless there was something wrong I didn't need another appointment and so hello she is saying she needs to see me but won't come up with an appointment? Thank you so much for leaving a cancer survivor hanging so long. Man.

The other issue with this new thickening of the uterus is waiting for another ultrasound which will be next week on Tuesday. The oncologist will have a look at that (I am praying that it has disappeared)and then set up a surgery date to go in and do a D&C to biopsy. He was just going to do a biopsy in his office but NO THANKS - I can't do invasive ANYTHINGS anymore due to trauma of previous invasive procedures. I go in in early December to sign surgery papers and then in January they do the surgery and more waiting for results. However this guy is on the spot so I know I won't wait long for those results, he is supposed to be the best gyne/onc in the city - fought hard to get him. They usually don't take patients who don't have cancer but because of my extensive treatments for NHL years ago and all the side effects he agreed to take care of me which is wonderful.

So I am still sitting on two medical issues, well more but the two that are possibly you know what so nothing has changed. I had that cyst on my ovary and seems it has shrunken to nothing or disappeared. Sigh. Good thing I didn't listen to the 3 other gyne/oncs I had who were going to do everything from a lapascopic ovary removal to a full on hysterectomy - and now it's just poof - gone. Sheeesh.

One thing you learn fast in this cancer game - GO WITH YOUR INSTINCTS. You know that as well as I do I know.

Anywho I hope this email finds you feeling better.

Blessings, Bluerose

I'm really sorry to hear
I'm really sorry to hear you're still getting the runaround, Bluerose. After all you've been through no wonder you're not happy with this treatment! I will be thinking of you on Tuesday (Wednesday my time) and will concentrate on the ultrasound showing NO problems at all. Take heart- you are still you, and no disease or other person can diminish that.
You are so right about "instincts"- they are under-valued in this Age of the Experts, where it's so easy to let someone else do our thinking & make our decisions for us.
Thinking of you with light & love, Von x

bluerose

Von55 said:

I'm really sorry to hear
I'm really sorry to hear you're still getting the runaround, Bluerose. After all you've been through no wonder you're not happy with this treatment! I will be thinking of you on Tuesday (Wednesday my time) and will concentrate on the ultrasound showing NO problems at all. Take heart- you are still you, and no disease or other person can diminish that.
You are so right about "instincts"- they are under-valued in this Age of the Experts, where it's so easy to let someone else do our thinking & make our decisions for us.
Thinking of you with light & love, Von x

That's the way the cookie bounces, lol
Oh well, I have been dealing this kind of thing for years now, you would think I would be used to it by now. It helps to talk about things though on a board such as this and especially when you know that other people totally understand as they have had similar issues, makes you feel you are as alone in it all.

You make a great point about people letting someone else do our thinking for us, very true and add to that the uncertainties of just hearing the words 'you have cancer', that's enough to knock every instinct you have out into left field leading the way for any doctor to have free reign over our lives. There are a ton of really wonderful doctors out there but even with those on our side sometimes we need to listen to that inner voice to guide us as to what might be best for us as individuals first - guided by instinct to add to the mix of input from the docs.

Thanks for your caring response. I appreciate it - take care of you.

Blessings, Bluersoe