JJRATZ!
Moderators: Rosie, Stanz, Jean, CAMary, moremuscle, JFR, Dee, xet, Peggy, Matthew, Gabes-Apg, grannyh, Gloria, Mars, starfire, Polly, Joefnh
RATZ!
Oh you guys.....I am so scared....I know I am a worry wart, but I hate health issues. I had that horrible kidney/bladder infection and a 10 day treatment of cipro. I submitted a specimen and the infection is gone, but I still have red and white cells in my urine. The doc ordered a CT scan...it is on Thursday....I am really worried...the nurse assured me that it is not necessarily cancer, but everyone thinks of that first....any suggestions? My doc is also on vacation for 2 weeks!!!!!!!! JJ
JJ
Hi Jill,
It's fairly common to have red and white cells present in urine. It's pretty unusual to have white cells, without red being present, also. What levels are you talking about? I assume you're talking about elevated numbers, because there are almost always a few cells present. A white cell count of up to 10 white cells/cmm is usually accepted as normal, and normal urine has less than 10 x 106 red cells/L.
Red blood cells can enter the urine from the vagina in menstruation, or they can be present due to kidney damage, tumors eroding the urinary tract, stones, and urinary tract infections. Maybe the infection is not 100% gone, or maybe you have a stone, (or stones).
White cells can also contaminate a urine sample from the vagina, or the opening of the urethra. Aside from that, though, they probably indicate an abnormality of some type.
Bacterial infections are the most common cause of elevated white cell counts, but other possibilities include residual effects of the antibiotics treatment, STDs, (gonorrhea), chlamydia, renal TB, tumors, stones, (calculi), trama, (including recent examination with instruments), viral or Mycoplasma infection, (which the antibiotics would not be able to handle).
About 40% of routine urinalyses test positive for blood, most of which are caused by transient and/or benign phenomena, including UTI, menstrual contamination, vigorous exercise, contaminants such as hypochlorite, and even some medications, (including vitamin C, anticoagulants, etc.).
IOW, there are a lot of possibilities other than tumors. Trust me, doctors are always in "cancer mode" when they are considering test results. It's their default mode. When I had my abdominal surgery almost two years ago, they were almost 100% convinced that I had cancer, from the minute they laid eyes on me, until they got the pathology report, which proved them wrong. Don't let their aggressiveness stampede you into thinking that you have something that you don't. They always choose to err on the side of caution, (which is probably a good idea), but it sends the wrong signal to patients. It causes them to worry unnecessarily.
Doctors always seem to take their vacations at the most inconvenient times. How in the world do they do that? How do they know ahead of time when the most inconvenient time will be?
I hope the scans don't find anything seriously out of order. Think good thoughts. That's what I'll be doing.
Tex
It's fairly common to have red and white cells present in urine. It's pretty unusual to have white cells, without red being present, also. What levels are you talking about? I assume you're talking about elevated numbers, because there are almost always a few cells present. A white cell count of up to 10 white cells/cmm is usually accepted as normal, and normal urine has less than 10 x 106 red cells/L.
Red blood cells can enter the urine from the vagina in menstruation, or they can be present due to kidney damage, tumors eroding the urinary tract, stones, and urinary tract infections. Maybe the infection is not 100% gone, or maybe you have a stone, (or stones).
White cells can also contaminate a urine sample from the vagina, or the opening of the urethra. Aside from that, though, they probably indicate an abnormality of some type.
Bacterial infections are the most common cause of elevated white cell counts, but other possibilities include residual effects of the antibiotics treatment, STDs, (gonorrhea), chlamydia, renal TB, tumors, stones, (calculi), trama, (including recent examination with instruments), viral or Mycoplasma infection, (which the antibiotics would not be able to handle).
About 40% of routine urinalyses test positive for blood, most of which are caused by transient and/or benign phenomena, including UTI, menstrual contamination, vigorous exercise, contaminants such as hypochlorite, and even some medications, (including vitamin C, anticoagulants, etc.).
IOW, there are a lot of possibilities other than tumors. Trust me, doctors are always in "cancer mode" when they are considering test results. It's their default mode. When I had my abdominal surgery almost two years ago, they were almost 100% convinced that I had cancer, from the minute they laid eyes on me, until they got the pathology report, which proved them wrong. Don't let their aggressiveness stampede you into thinking that you have something that you don't. They always choose to err on the side of caution, (which is probably a good idea), but it sends the wrong signal to patients. It causes them to worry unnecessarily.
Doctors always seem to take their vacations at the most inconvenient times. How in the world do they do that? How do they know ahead of time when the most inconvenient time will be?
I hope the scans don't find anything seriously out of order. Think good thoughts. That's what I'll be doing.
Tex
-
Liz
- Rockhopper Penguin
- Posts: 1540
- Joined: Tue Sep 13, 2005 5:23 pm
- Location: Qld Australia
- Contact:
Good luck with your scans Jill. Don't worry too much just yet. Tex is right. I often have those cells turn up in my tests. It could be any number of things. The important thing is that you are having it checked out. Then if there is anything wrong it will be quickly seen to & if there isn't it will put your mind at rest.
Love
Liz
Love
Liz
A smile is a light in the window of your face that shows that your heart is at home
Jill,
I had microscopic blood in my urine for many years. They never found the source (they tried twice) and it finally disappeared. I have personally heard of several people who always test positive for microscopic blood in their urine with no known cause.
I don't know if you are referring to microscopic rather than visible or not but I'm thinking you probably are.
Good luck
Love, Shirley
I had microscopic blood in my urine for many years. They never found the source (they tried twice) and it finally disappeared. I have personally heard of several people who always test positive for microscopic blood in their urine with no known cause.
I don't know if you are referring to microscopic rather than visible or not but I'm thinking you probably are.
Good luck
Love, Shirley
When the eagles are silent, the parrots begin to jabber"
-- Winston Churchill
-- Winston Churchill
-
annie oakley
- King Penguin
- Posts: 3859
- Joined: Fri May 13, 2011 5:56 pm
Oh Jill - trust me, I *know* how unsettling diagnostic testing can be!! But I really think they are looking for any *other* kidney issues you might have, and not looking for cancer per se....
From what I've read, CT scans can detect kidney stones, infections and kidney diseases - I'm sure with the presence of blood, that is more along the lines of what they are looking to rule out...
Fingers crossed that all is well - let us know how it goes!
Love,
Mary
From what I've read, CT scans can detect kidney stones, infections and kidney diseases - I'm sure with the presence of blood, that is more along the lines of what they are looking to rule out...
Fingers crossed that all is well - let us know how it goes!
Love,
Mary
-
MaggieRedwings
- King Penguin
- Posts: 3865
- Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 3:16 am
- Location: SE Pennsylvania
-
barbaranoela
- Emperor Penguin
- Posts: 5394
- Joined: Wed May 25, 2005 6:11 pm
- Location: New York
wow---Jill--it just came to me---years waaaaaaaaaaaaaay back when my urine was checked I also had some blood!!!
Then in 2 weeks came back for another tesr and still there YET as many have said---!!! my retired GP--was like
and we let it go--
It happened to me for another year-----and then nothing--
So try not to worry--
luve Barbara
Then in 2 weeks came back for another tesr and still there YET as many have said---!!! my retired GP--was like
and we let it go--It happened to me for another year-----and then nothing--
So try not to worry--
luve Barbara
the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness and self-control
JJ