Has anyone ever had a kidney infection??

I was at our local Emergency Care Center on January 15th with severe back pain. They did a urine culture and found I had a kidney infection. They gave me a antibiotic and a muscle relaxer for my back. On Tuesday the 18th I called my family doctor because I was still in severe pain. He called me in a prescription for a pain killer and said that he got the results of my urine from the lab and that they antibiotic they put me on at the stat care was fine for the strain of infection. By Wednesday afternoon I was calling my family doctor again because I was still in so much pain I was ready to head to the ER. I had so much back pain and it was now across my front and to top that all off, I had a gland by my ear that had popped out and the whole side of my head was now sore too!! He said that the swollen glad is a signal of an infection in the body and that I had been on an antibiotic long enough that it should not be happening. That the antibiotic that I was taking wasn't working. So he called me in something stronger (7 pills were 82.00!!) and said if I wasn't feeling MUCH better by Friday I was to come in to see him. Well, I was feeling much better by Friday the 21st, so I didn't call back or anything. I finished that antibiotic on the 25th. Now, my question. I am still having a little lower back pain. I think that some of the pain was from the infection, but that I also was having a back flare up. I hurt my back about 12 years ago at work and from time to time it really acts up. So I think I had a double whammy on that one. But I am also feeling what I can only call mild cramps on the left side of my stomach. I really wouldn't call it pain, but discomfort. From what I could find online, a bad kidney infection can take weeks if not a couple of month to fully recover from. Has anyone ever had this happen and how long did you feel "off"? I am just not sure if this is all normal, or if there is something more going on. Any thoughts???

By Ginny~moderator on Friday, January 28, 2005 - 11:43 am:

If you haven't seen a doctor since the vist on 1/15, I would get to a doctor right away, and ask for both a urine culture and blood test. You may still have lingering infection.

Yes, I had a kidney infection, many many years ago - I think in about 1960. My then dh took me to the doctor, who prescribed antibiotics, and took me home (we were staying with my parents, having just moved back to Chicago from Wisconsin). By the time we got home I was almost unconscious and pretty much stayed that way for about 3 days. I remember the back pain was so bad I thought my back was broken.

By Cat on Friday, January 28, 2005 - 12:05 pm:

I don't have any experience with this, but I really think I'd try and see the doctor today. Being Friday, if it gets worse over the weekend you'd have to go to the ER. That's never fun. Hope you're feeling better and let us know how you're doing. {{{{{Vicki}}}}}

By Sunny on Friday, January 28, 2005 - 12:16 pm:

I would call the doctor back and ask to be seen. It could be you haven't fully recovered or it could be something else, but you won't know unless to see the doc. I hope you feel better soon and let us know how you're doing!

By Emdee on Friday, January 28, 2005 - 12:18 pm:

I had pylonephritis, which I think is just some sort of kidney infection. I went to ER, got antibiotics, and was at the dr office every day doing shots of antibiotics b/c I wasn't responding. I ended up in the hospital for the weekend b/c the dr couldn't get it under control. So, yes, I think they can be hard to treat. I still, 11 years later, have issues with my kidneys, although there is nothing they have found wrong. I will have pain in my kidney area that just comes on sometimes. I don't think I have every had a kidney infection since, but I have had a few UTI's that were mild but quite painful for how mild they were. I think a trip back to the dr would be a good idea just to be safe, though, since they are so hard to treat. I hope you are feeling better!

By Vicki on Friday, January 28, 2005 - 01:05 pm:

Well, I did put a call into my Dr's office and my dr is not in today. I talked to the nurse who in turn talked to a different doctor and called me back. He said he didn't know if it was normal of not, but if I wanted to be seen, I could come at 3?? Huh, how can he not know if it is normal to have some lingering aching??? So I told her that I would hold off for the weekend and talk to my dr on Monday if I am still feeling off. Like I said, it isn't a pain so much as an ache or discomfort. So thanks for the wisdom and I will see what happens!!

Thanks again!!

By Kate on Friday, January 28, 2005 - 03:17 pm:

My five year old had pylo, like Emdee, and also received immediate shots of antibiotics because it was so severe there wasn't time to wait for oral drugs to be absorbed into the bloodstream. We had strict orders of what to watch for in cause we had to take her to the ER. He said if we hadn't come when we did, she would have ended up in the ER that day regardless. They said she had to return the very next day for a recheck and more possible shots. If she wasn't improved enough she'd get the shots, but if she was doing better she could go on the oral drugs. She was better and went on oral, and they said to bring her back in three weeks to verify she was completely recovered. As far as I know, pylonephritis is your basic kidney infection.

I realize she was five, so the protocol might be different, but I thought I'd share my story anyway.

By Vicki on Friday, January 28, 2005 - 03:26 pm:

Doesn't it figure that after I call and tell her that I will just wait until monday that I start to feel a little more "off". I have a feeling I might be back to stat care this weekend! ugh

By Vicki on Friday, January 28, 2005 - 06:15 pm:

Well, decided to go and I am glad that I did. It is still there!! This time, they gave me 10 days of the antibiotic and if it still doesn't clear it up, they think I should have further testing. Let's hope it works!! Thanks again for the advice and sharing your stories!!

By Ginny~moderator on Friday, January 28, 2005 - 10:37 pm:

Glad you went. Sounds like something persistent and if you had waited until Monday you might have been in serious pain again. Sounds like they want to keep on top of it now.

By Dawnk777 on Saturday, January 29, 2005 - 10:32 am:

I'm glad you went in. Pyelonephritis isn't any fun. Those people look miserable. I hope the antibiotics work this time.

I have never had a kidney infection. I'm too miserable when I get a bladder infection and tend to run to the doctor right away to get treated.

By Vicki on Saturday, January 29, 2005 - 11:46 am:

I am feeling so much better now..but when I was in the middle of it and the first antibiotic wasn't working... I really was miserable. And I have what I would call a very high pain tollerence and I was ready to go to the ER, so you know it was bad! LOL I am just glad that you all (and a friend of mine) talked me into going back to stat care last night to be re-checked. It is a scary thought that if I hadn't went, I could have been right back to that awful feeling in no time! Obviously this is nothing to mess around with!!

By Dawnk777 on Saturday, January 29, 2005 - 01:36 pm:

Nope, pyelo is nothing to mess around with!

By Sunny on Saturday, January 29, 2005 - 02:32 pm:

I'm glad you decided to go back to the doctor and you're feeling better. I hope this time it goes away for good!