blood in urine

[kay7954]

I found blood on the bathroom tissue after I peed both times I voided this am. It is not bright red, just faint tinged. Did anyone else have this? I will call my Rheumy on Monday. I have GCA/PMR and on 25mg of pred. at 3 months on pred tapered from 60mg.

[pmrkitty]

Hello Kay, hopefully it is just a urinary tract infection. If painful maybe a trip to the hospital? Hope you feel better soon.

[SnazzyD]

Hello. Blood in pee should be investigated. I don’t think it is a direct side effect of Pred though could be a result of increased susceptibility to infections, but it could also be unrelated to infection and the reason needs to be established. It is also possible it came from elsewhere in that region, so an exam would be useful. Good Luck!

[SheffieldJane]

It could be a matter for your GP and not connected to your conditions or medications. You haven’t had beetroot have you? I once frightened the life out of myself with pink pee due to beetroot soup. Apologies. It could be many things do try to see your GP on Monday as well as talking to your Rheumatologist. Good luck!

[kay7954]

I have some cranberry juice in the refrigerator. I'm going to have some of that for now, probably a bladder infection. Not having symptoms at this point, but might as well try to fight this before I have labs on Monday.

[yogabonnie]

You aren’t on blood thinners are you? Probably little infection but always good to check! Let us know!!

[kay7954 in reply to yogabonnie]

No blood thinners, just pred and blood pressure medication

[cornishjan]

I have GCA/PMR. Initially, when I saw the consultant, the urine test always showed traces of blood In my urine. Tests for infections were negative and a ?cystoscopy (a camera look at the bladder) and an ultrasound showed nothing wrong. The doctor who did the investigation said that GCA could result in leakage from blood vessels (yuck!) and this could also show up as blood in the urine. It seemed to stop by itself after a couple of years, as I said, it was not enough to notice on toilet paper, even though my latest PET scan shows I still have some inflammation of the aorta.

I agree you should have it checked out but don't panic. Yours could be, like mine, a side effect of GCA.

[Caro12line in reply to cornishjan]

I was the same as cornishjan. No symptoms but a routine urine test showed microscopic blood traces (heumaturia?) had ultrasound scan of kidney and a cystoscopy and nothing found. Best get it checked out by your GP

[Telian in reply to cornishjan]

You're telling my story cornishjan! Nothing malicious with me either after all those tests. I'm left with discomfort though. even when there's no infection, I've been told that the nerve endings are affected each time I have a UTI - waiting to see Urology again as is too painful on a daily basis. Currently using Lidocaine (numbing cream) and pain killers.

Wish Rheumie would agree that these could be side effects of GCA/PMR as going round in circles still!

[Telian]

Always get this checked out for elimination purposes. Best see your GP for UTI first of all. Rheumie will not do much at this stage. My situation is exactly the same as cornishjan, see my reply to her. All I can say is try not to worry, the first investigation, if there is no UTI, should be a cystscopy to rule out any nasties. ATB.

[Ida-June128]

Are you taking any other medication? About 1 year ago I peed deep red blood twice in the morning, then 2 clear, then again later that evening. Then nothing for weeks. Sent for camera in the bladder to rule out bladder cancer (which as clear). It has happened a few times since but only the odd one off pee and only twice the deep red of what looked like solid blood, but wasn't of course. Since then I have been on anti coagulants for a heart condition which have caused small nosebleeds (for the first time in my life) and the occasional pinkish pee which I am assuming is because of the medication. I am ( or should be) currently on 13.5 pred. daily although after a serious infection post heart surgery the hospital increased the dose to 30 daily, then down to 20, and my rheumy had given me a reducing plan to get back to the 13.5 in a month and then start the slow business of tapering again. I have had PMR since 2011 and have been on the 'snakes and ladders' board for what seems an age now. It seems impossible to guess at which dose a flare comes at which time I go back up the ladder to usually higher than I started tapering from. Perhaps others have had the red pee, I'm sure we will hear very soon. The problem is that an egg cups worth of blood always looks like a massacre so it's important not to panic and I think to your GP might be reassuring. Good luck.

[Twopies]

Last week out of nowhere I had a bleeding bladder--gross hematuria, lots of pain. Ended up in ER where they were concerned I would develop sepsis as my wbc count was so high. CT scan perfectly clear except for constipation which I've had for months and been unsuccessful in treating. Anyway...the ER doc said pred will raise your wbc count--said hers stayed at 15000 because she is on 10 mg pred permanently for her allergies (???); that might explain why mine was so high, she said. They put me on a plain ole antibiotic and within a few hours I was sooo much better.

Saw my family doc the next day who said some interesting things--said pred increases your risk of infection which could have contributed to my bladder infection. Said PMR weakens and thins your muscle walls which could contribute to your bladder not functioning so well. Said constipation is a big contributor to bladder infections. Said I absolutely positively did not want to increase my pred dose (even though I felt run over with a truck) because pred increases your risk of infection. "Now isn't the time to increase," he said.

I had blood work and urinalysis done couple days ago--everything perfectly normal so the antibiotics did their job. Still haven't been able to resolve the constipation that came on suddenly at 5 mg last February. (I'm now back up to 6). Have read here that lower doses can result in constipatio;, my doc said PMR can affect ability of colon to contract. Who knows? I just keep plugging away, hoping for better days. My best to you....

[powerwalk in reply to Twopies]

Interesting - PMR weakens the muscle walls? - suppose you don't think of your bladder as a "muscle" - but it would certainly explain the more UTIs and pain I've experienced. Didn't put it down to PMR - more the pred. Could literally cry a lot of the time with bladder pain when I'm in work. Not to mention the constant UTIs. PMR - the gift that keeps on giving.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Blood in urine should always be checked out to be sure it is not due to anything nasty - and I think the GP would be better, not the rheumy, who isn't usually in a position to refer you for the necessary tests - the GP is.

[Valnvaughan]

Hi

I think GP first. Take along a morning 'mid stream' urine sample in a very clean, rinsed with boiling water container, for an instant dip stick test. Then he can send rest away for lab test if he needs too. Hopefully nothing. Best of luck.

[yogabonnie]

Hi. How are you doing today____?

[kay7954]

Hi guys, I saw the GP today, there is trace amount of blood in my urine, but no bacteria, protein or glucose. He said we will watch it. If it gets worse or I develop symptoms to come right in. He is not sure why this is happening, but didn't seem worried.

[Constance13]

All good advice, but.......! I have had blood in urin for 25 years and the real cause has never been found. My eurologist says some people always have traces of blood in urin without actually having some horrid illness.

Going to a doctor at first is advised though, just in case.

[kay7954 in reply to Constance13]

Thanks for sharing that. Good to know that some people have blood in their urine for unknown reasons. It just surprised me when it started last Saturday.