microscopic blood in urine.

[Elliehca]

Hi (sorry for a long one)

I am a 34 year old Female and have recently had trouble with bowels and abdomen pain, so I saw my GP for that and while she wasn’t interested in that (put it down to IBS), she was very interested in the fact I have had Microscopic Haematuria in my Urine in the past. I was referred to a Kidney Specialist about 5 years ago as a dip stick showed Blood and Protein in urine. After yearly samples sent off for testing, it seems that my urine didn’t have protein in, but did have blood. I was discharged from the Kidney Dr last year and told the blood was just one of those things.

My GP phoned me Thursday and said I should have been given a cystoscopy back then and kept saying she didn’t understand why no one did it and now it’s made me a bit nervous.

My question is, does anyone else have Microscopic Haematuria but no cause? They said they will refer me back to Urology, but that could take months as I know it’s a very busy clinic.

Thanks In advance

[Nothingimpossible]

Hi Elliehca . I had microscopic haematuria earlier this year, which they say is normal if it is 5 or under. I had a cystocopy which was not painful and my bladder was healthy apart from 1 tiny patch of infection. They sent me for pelvic mri with dye (sorry can't remember what it was called) all was good. Just recently had a uti and it showed I had white blood cells. GP put me on a 1 sachet of fosfomycin 3g. It has now cleared. I hope this helps you.

[Elliehca in reply to Nothingimpossible]

Hi

Thanks for the reply 😊. My urine was sent off to the lab recently and it was RBC 27 and no infection. I’ve had them sent off every year for about 5 years under the Kidney specialist who said there was always blood but he didn’t seem too concerned. It was only the GP who seemed to be concerned that no one offered a Cystoscopy to check. I had pelvic pain when examined by my GP but I actually went due to Bowel symptoms. She said that pain low down isn’t usually bowel and more likely Gynae or Urology issue. I’m glad to hear your UTI has cleared up.

[Nothingimpossible in reply to Elliehca]

Hope all goes well for you

[HoneyBee83 in reply to Elliehca]

I have had the same issue for many years but it wasn't until I turned 40 that my GP took an interest. I have stage 4 endo and so it was always put down to that as to why I had the microscopic blood, bit 5 months after hysterectomy I still had the same symptoms and same amount of blood. I went for a cystoscopy 4 weeks ago, 2 weeks ago I had an excision biopsy of, what I believe, was a polyp. My surgeon doesn't think there is anything to worry about but I am still waiting for results. If it comes back clear and my kidney scans come back clear they will discharge me, even though the blood is still there. Sometimes people have it with no real cause. So don't worry about the camera hun and you will be able to see inside with your own eyes if you so wish!! I had a little peek and could see everything else was fine except for this little lump. Hope all goes well. X

[Konagirl60]

If you had your period it’s possible trace amounts of blood was in your urine.

[Elliehca in reply to Konagirl60]

Hiya 😊. It wasn’t around my period, they always ask me to make sure I do it two weeks after. It seems to be that I always have +++ in my urine when ever it’s tested and then confirmed in lab. I’ve never actually seen blood though. I wasn’t even concerned about it until the GP kept muttering down the phone about why no one investigated it.

[OldTed60 in reply to Elliehca]

My GPs used to say this too but no longer of concern since I’ve never had symptoms or given them samples since new practice - just give one to rheumatology clinic every 6 months.

[Jobie18]

Hi there,Sorry I don't really know about your condition but I have just been listenning to a interview with Sally K Norton on oxalates and pelvic pain and kidney problems seem to be really effected by them. May be worth looking into its quite interesting and not something your doctor will most likely know about.

All the best x x

[Elliehca in reply to Jobie18]

Thank you, I will have a look 😊

[OldTed60]

hi there. I’ve had microscopic haematuria for many years. Occasionally there’s protein and leucocytes too but my rheumatologist just shrugs and says one of those things. I’ve seen urology (GP referred) when very symptomatic a few years back and had a renal ultrasound, CT with contrast and cystoscopy. Only a benign complex renal cyst showed. Also had/ have an issue emptying bladder fully and cystocele. I learnt via a GP over the phone how to double/ triple void each time I pee as too immune-suppressed to want to take up the urologist’s suggestion of self cath.

I seem to have lots of fragile blood vessels on all scopes but these have been attributed to systemic sclerosis amd sjogrens. I’ve recently been told I also have EDS by a scleroderma specialist so wonder if this may be contributing to microscopic haematuria in my case.

My way of managing UTI-like symptoms by default, has been to concentrate on my confirmed severe GI dysmotility, large rectocele and SIBO. So pelvic floor exercises daily, emptying bowels daily with prescribed laxatives and irrigation system and double voiding by leaning very far forward and relaxing my pelvic floor, seems to help keep UTI like symptoms at bay. I’ve also gone from obese and oedema from wheh I used to take steroids and nerve pain drugs to off these and slightly underweight now - unintentionally - due to my paralysed gut. I don’t know if I still have microscopic haematuria or not though as no UTI-symptoms means I never get dip test anymore. I take 2g Mycophenolate daily which seems to have helped symptoms relating to this problem.

I have no idea if all this will be of any use to you. However I was told that many patients show microscopic haematuria - often cause unknown - and my rheumatologist has always told me it’s the least of her worries. I have CKD stage 2/3 but not progressing now so Sjogren's gets the blame. BP very well controlled by strong Raynaud’s medication.

[Elliehca in reply to OldTed60]

Thank you for info 😊. I haven’t had any investigations into the bladder yet so I suppose I will have to wait and see but I’m thinking it’s likely to be no cause too. I don’t really get UTIs or any symptoms other than I sometimes take ages to start urinating and I have low down pelvic pain, but neither affect my day to day life. I only saw the GP because of some bowel issues and reflux and she totally wrote that off even though that causes me much more bother. Such is the way, I suppose!

[OldTed60 in reply to Elliehca]

Sorry I realise now I’ve seen your reply that this isn’t the Sjögren’s, Lupus or scleroderma communities and is the pelvic one. So maybe worth checking that you have no connective tissue disorder - autoimmune or otherwise. The urology nurse did say that it’s common to have this in connective tissue disorder patients but also said it can be related to bowel problems. I don’t have IBS but maybe your bowel problems are impacting on your bladder and causing this trace blood in your pee? I have very slow colon transit and use a high volume colon irrigation system daily - looking now to getting an ileostomy.

[Elliehca in reply to OldTed60]

No problem. Sounds like you have been through a lot of not so nice symptoms but I’m glad you are finding ways to manage it well.

I actually did also complain of widespread pain and weakness in the muscles alongside the bowel symptoms, which has been gradually getting worse over the years, and she arranged some basic inflammation tests (CKD, ESR, CRP). I got a text for me to arrange an appointment to discuss, We have MS and Addisons in my immediate family, but not the 3 you suggested. I’m not actually sure if autoimmune diseases run in families to be honest, but possibly! Again it might all be fine and told it’s nothing or part of the IBS like you say.

[Elliehca in reply to Elliehca]

I feel like I waited years and then piled it all on the doctor at once, assuming it was all connected haha.

[OldTed60 in reply to Elliehca]

Strangely I relate to that. The autoimmune diseases have come along like buses for me, each one rarer and more serious than the last. Alopecia areate, hypothyroidism, rheumatoid arthritis, Sjögren’s and now systemic sclerosis.

But I was only diagnosed with EDS (not autoimmune but genetic) 2 months ago aged 60. And given I must have had it all my life, my rheumatologist is going to get landed with a pile of stuff related when I see her in 3 weeks time!

Maybe in your case it is just IBS and microscopic haematuria but with muscle pain and weakness I’d be joining the dots a bit too. Have you had the appointment with GP to discuss yet I wonder?

[Elliehca in reply to OldTed60]

Not seen anyone yet but then I’m waiting for an Abdomen Ultrasound so maybe after that.

Wow that’s unfair to get so many! I imagine the symptoms overlap.