Not Diagnosed Yet..Keeping Fingers Crossed

Smarty99
Smarty99 Member Posts: 13
in Kidney Cancer #1
Hi Guys,

I have been on here before and you've all been such great help! I really appreciate it. I had a small complex mass that was found on my kidney by accident and we were monitoring it. My GP wanted to repeat the US in another 3-6 months to check for growth. I requested that we push it out 6 months (February), since it is so small chances are super slim of it being malignant. Anyway, for the past couple of days my urine has been strange and I thought I saw blood in it. Well, while at an appointment with a client, I excused myself to use the facilities and what I saw was most definitely blood. I haven't any pain urinating. I do have the lower back pain again. I had it a while ago, but it went away (no blood in urine at that time)so I didn't think anything of it. No history of stones, I don't drink alcohol or soda, or caffeine to cause stones. No fever. What do you think? I know it's possibly cancer, but it's also possibly not. How did you discover yours?

Thanks,
Smarty

Comments

  • angec
    angec Member Posts: 924 Member
    #2
    I would go to the doctor
    I would go to the doctor immediately and have a scan. Please take care of that mass asap as the bigger it gets the more dangerous it becomes. If i have learned anything about this disease, it does not play games. You must deal with the situation immediately. Please call to schedule an appointment. The size does not always matter with this disease, but the chances are better if it is dealt with while it is small. All the best to you!
  • Texas_wedge
    Texas_wedge Member Posts: 2,798
    #3
    angec said:

    I would go to the doctor
    I would go to the doctor immediately and have a scan. Please take care of that mass asap as the bigger it gets the more dangerous it becomes. If i have learned anything about this disease, it does not play games. You must deal with the situation immediately. Please call to schedule an appointment. The size does not always matter with this disease, but the chances are better if it is dealt with while it is small. All the best to you!

    Agreed
    I agree with Ange. You have symptoms enough to justify finding out what it's all about. Even if it's cancerous, at this stage you don't have too much to worry about but it's best to know so that you can take appropriate action, whatever that amounts to.

    If it is cancer then finding out sooner is better than just waiting, even though the next decision could be to watch abd wait for a bit to see if it develops or, with luck, regresses. The present plan to watch and wait was before you saw these new symptoms, so the plan should change and it's not going to be too much hassle to have a little more investigation.
  • foxhd
    foxhd Member Posts: 3,181 Member
    #4
    Texas_wedge said:

    Agreed
    I agree with Ange. You have symptoms enough to justify finding out what it's all about. Even if it's cancerous, at this stage you don't have too much to worry about but it's best to know so that you can take appropriate action, whatever that amounts to.

    If it is cancer then finding out sooner is better than just waiting, even though the next decision could be to watch abd wait for a bit to see if it develops or, with luck, regresses. The present plan to watch and wait was before you saw these new symptoms, so the plan should change and it's not going to be too much hassle to have a little more investigation.

    See the MD
    The last thing you want is for us to make your diagnosis. Even your MD won't make a diagnosis without the proper tests. Good luck.
  • icemantoo
    icemantoo Member Posts: 3,361 Member
    #5
    foxhd said:

    See the MD
    The last thing you want is for us to make your diagnosis. Even your MD won't make a diagnosis without the proper tests. Good luck.

    Blood in the Urine
    Smarty,

    That is how mine was discovered. With Blood in the Urine there is a 25% chance that it is RCC. Given a mass and back pain the percentage is much higher. Two steps. You should be referred to a Urologist. In lieu thereof your GP wll order a CT scan first.


    While I am sure you would prefer not to join our club, these are steps that can not wait. RCC caught early is 100% curable. Waiting puts you in the statistics where in the US 17,000 people die each year of RCC and 50,000 are diagnosed each year with RCC. Be smart and follow up.


    Icemantoo
  • garym
    garym Member Posts: 1,647
    #6
    icemantoo said:

    Blood in the Urine
    Smarty,

    That is how mine was discovered. With Blood in the Urine there is a 25% chance that it is RCC. Given a mass and back pain the percentage is much higher. Two steps. You should be referred to a Urologist. In lieu thereof your GP wll order a CT scan first.


    While I am sure you would prefer not to join our club, these are steps that can not wait. RCC caught early is 100% curable. Waiting puts you in the statistics where in the US 17,000 people die each year of RCC and 50,000 are diagnosed each year with RCC. Be smart and follow up.


    Icemantoo

    Agreement...
    Ditto on everything above, do it sooner rather than later.
  • pjune127
    pjune127 Member Posts: 127
    #7
    Texas_wedge said:

    Agreed
    I agree with Ange. You have symptoms enough to justify finding out what it's all about. Even if it's cancerous, at this stage you don't have too much to worry about but it's best to know so that you can take appropriate action, whatever that amounts to.

    If it is cancer then finding out sooner is better than just waiting, even though the next decision could be to watch abd wait for a bit to see if it develops or, with luck, regresses. The present plan to watch and wait was before you saw these new symptoms, so the plan should change and it's not going to be too much hassle to have a little more investigation.

    Totally agreed!!
    How I wish my body had given me some sign (like blood) or anything that would have gotten me examined before I had an 11 cm tumor in my kidney, renal vein and vena cava! Go and go soon! If it's small it might be that it can be removed and you can be cured. I wasn't nearly that lucky! Prayers and good wishes from Atlanta.

    Paula
  • donna_lee
    donna_lee Member Posts: 1,042 Member
    #8
    garym said:

    Agreement...
    Ditto on everything above, do it sooner rather than later.

    Hematuria
    Not such a good sign. As an afterthought on a routine yearly physical, my new Primary ordered a urine test. But I had another symptom that was a secondary to the metastsis, and he also ordered an ultrasound.
    On the morning after the US, I got the news about the masses and that there was also blood in the urine test-which was diluted enough that I didn't notice it.
    Peeing blood is not normal. Find out what's causing it ASAP.
    Donna
  • Smarty99
    Smarty99 Member Posts: 13
    #9
    garym said:

    Agreement...
    Ditto on everything above, do it sooner rather than later.

    Agreed!
    Thanks everyone. I've made an appointment w/my GP. You're all a wonderful group and I appreciate the advice. I tend to analyze and get a little "stats" oriented and narrow everything down to what the odds are. Not always the best way to do things when it comes to your health.

    Take Care,
    Smarty
  • Stros2013
    Stros2013 Member Posts: 31
    #10
    Smarty99 said:

    Agreed!
    Thanks everyone. I've made an appointment w/my GP. You're all a wonderful group and I appreciate the advice. I tend to analyze and get a little "stats" oriented and narrow everything down to what the odds are. Not always the best way to do things when it comes to your health.

    Take Care,
    Smarty

    Listen to your body...
    Smarty,

    Agree completely with everything the folks above said. I'd only add that my own experience taught me to value and respect what my body says. Like you, i made a decision to go to my GP but....i ignored the significance of going as soon as possible.

    For weeks i minimized the pain i had in my back. I explained away all of the issues as just part of being a weekend warrior, getting a little bit past 40 and having young kiddos. I told myself that today was booked and i'd go the following day. That continued for two weeks. When the internal bleed that was causing the pain went from small to large i wished over and over that i'd done something sooner....

    Now that you've received the feedback....do not hesitate. Take care of this now and be done with it. None of us can tell you what's next but as with my case the next step could be more significant in the short term than even the RCC/mass. I've learned my lesson.

    Best of luck. I'll include you in my prayers this morning.

    CC

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