False Pretences

[P1kef1sh]

I do not know if I have lupus. I suspect that I do not. However, I found an interesting thread on this site which seemed to reflect some of the gastric problems that I have been experiencing for the past six months or so. So I apologise now if I am here under false pretences and will understand if you tell me to push off. In October last year I started to experience sharp pains up and down my spine in my right shoulder blade and round into my groin. My doctor thought that it might be kidney stones. A scan showed nothing more than a slightly enlarged prostate. The symptoms continued however and on December 23 I had a second scan this time looking for gallstones. The scan showed nothing untoward other than the fact that I had a growth on my left kidney! That had been missed by the earlier scan. On January 3 I was diagnosed with renal cancer. Subsequently, I had a partial nephrectomy and removal of the tumour and I am now waiting for the three-month scan which will tell them whether I am clear of secondary tumours or not. I did have a CT scan in January as well which was clear apart from the kidney.

However apart from when I was in hospital and full of morphine, I have had recurring bouts of colic particularly based around my right upper abdomen.Below the rib cage. The backache comes and goes. My thought was that it might be ulcer. However my doctors seems a discount this despite the fact that certain foods can trigger it. They do not seem very willing to do additional tests but I was sent for a chest x-ray which showed that my ribs are absolutely fine. I have seen three GPs over this and none of them can get terribly excited about it. So am I worrying needlessly. The pain is there and is real enough. One of them said he thought that I might have IBS and costochondritis. However antispasm drugs don't seem to have done anything and I believe it is so localised as to not really be IBS. But the pain does move around my ribs and I take paracetamol when I need to for the costochondritis and any residual post operative pain. Having said all this I'm not sure what the question is. Has anybody ever come across a similar set of symptoms. Are my doctors being apathetic or actually am I imagining all of this? I do hope not because it makes me feel very miserable much of the time. Curiously though, I usually sleep very well. I do get tired of a lot but I suspect it's because of the operation. Any thoughts or comments would be very welcome. I am in the UK.

[medic1969]

There are many symptoms to lupus, but your renal cancer was possibly giving out signals hence your symptoms, costachondritis, is pain in itself and travel round to thoracic/lumbar spine area if the rib spaces affected are inflamed at that level. Your drs are right about certain foods however given your history I would ask for a colonoscopy just to be sure nothing has been missed. Did you have chemo/radio therapy at all?

[P1kef1sh]

Medic1969 - thank you for responding. I had thought that a colonoscopy (or endoscopy) might be suggested. But thus far the Drs have said nothing. I get the vague impression that they feel that it is all tumour related; although I had no symptoms of that and the surgeon was surprised that it had been found at all. I am due for my next CT scan on June 14. If that comes back clear I shall then chase for the "oscopys". I have had no chemo/radio therapy as they managed to remove all the tumour and until the next scan they don't know if there are any others. I was clear other than the kidney when I was scanned pre-op in March.

[P1kef1sh]

Just heard that my June scan will now be in August. I love the NHS but fast it isn't when you become a routine patient again.