UPJ Obstruction

[lets_walk]

Does anyone have experience with have a UPJ obstruction that is effecting their kidney function?

Recently diagnosed with having one. This was discovered after some testing as a result of a low GFR score. It is all very confusing so trying to find someone with a similar experience.

[Hidden]

I was diagnosed several years ago but by then my kidney was only functioning at 8% and now in non functioning. They believe this was due to having untreated cystitis which cause infected urine going to my kidney. I also had several cysts and had kidney stones in that kidney. My other one is fine and you can survive quite well on just one. I’m not sure how severe your kidney is affected.

I believe UPJ are usually more of a concern in children.

[lets_walk in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for your reply. So I take it you did not have surgery? My urologist is suggesting surgery, but has not overly convinced me that is makes sense to do so. The surgery sounds pretty intense and I am not sure to what gain. My bad kidney is at about 25%.

[Hidden in reply to lets_walk]

no They felt it best just to leave the dead kidney. It has since ‘shrivelled’ My kidney was functioning at 8% when the tests were done. I did have an investigation under anaesthesia as I also had Interstitial cystitis and they performed a Bladder Instillation (bladder washout). This was to remove any residual bacteria.

[lets_walk in reply to Hidden]

Thank you for sharing this. I feel like people to have this are few and far between. Still waiting on a second opinion.

[Ange17]

I had an undiagnosed UPJ obstruction that went on for over 4 years. I kept complaining to my primary physician about on and off flank pain but all the tests and scans I had when the pain first started missed it. Then my kidney decided to try and work one day and my abdomen swelled up. ER visit CT showed my kidney the size of a football because it was so backed up with urine. By that time it was only functioning at 12% I had a unilateral nephrectomy a few weeks later.

[lets_walk in reply to Ange17]

Thank you for your reply. How did you feel after the nephrectomy?

[Ange17 in reply to lets_walk]

The nephrectomy was a rough surgery for me. Like I said in my answer, my kidney was the size of a football, which caused me pain, so my doctor recommended I had it removed. My surgery was laparoscopic, and wasn’t supposed to take long. However, my kidney was so enlarged, they described it as a slippery wet pig, it took 3 dr’s to help remove it and I was under anesthesia almost 4 hrs. I’m so happy I had it removed. After I healed, I felt like a new person and was no longer in pain. I did get a second opinion from another dr before this surgery who recommended I just leave it in. when I told him I was in allot of pain, he flat out told me it has to be from something else and not my kidney! He was 100% wrong. All my pain did go away. My kidney was so bad when they removed it pathology couldn’t even tell me what happened to it, to officially cause the UPJ. They just had to guess. For me, having surgery was the best decision. If it wasn’t technically bothering me though I’m not sure if I would’ve had a nephrectomy.

[lets_walk in reply to Ange17]

Thank you for sharing and I am so glad you finally got some relief!