Kind of a medical thing, with descriptions of bodily functions - don't read if that's a problem for you.

Over the past....uhm...maybe 6 weeks, something has started happening that is making me worry a tad. Okay, I have a slight idea what the problem might be (in all actual fact, more than a slight one, but denial is my friend right now).

It started with problems going to the bathroom. I had a few rants about that and how not even plum juice helped and all of that. That has never really changed, by the way. Now I notice that I have a stinging, stabbing pain on my left side (left when I look down on myself - NOT the appendix side, appendix is out anyway). Below the ribcage, at the front. It gets better the more I drink, but when I have to go to the bathroom, it seems the more fluid I get rid off, the worse the pain gets. It's not excruciating or anything, but it's there.

Same goes for when I have a meal that is even slightly heavier than what I usually eat. It got worse when I had something from the BBQ or grill.

Additionally, recently I felt as if I had to go to the bathroom really badly, that 'my bladder is about to explode' feeling, but when I was in there, it was literally just drops coming, and it took ages....and sorry if that is too graphic.

I have a GP appointment on Wednesday, but I thought I'd see what people think, or if anybody ever had anything like this, and what it turned out to be.

And yeah, I'm stupid, I know. I'm horrified of hospitals and stuff (as a patient), so usually, I don't tell my doctor stuff like this....

You know...i understand that you have this fear. But what you have to understand, is that doctors and people in the medical world, have heard it ALL! Everything you can imagine, they've already heard it many many times. Your doctor is not going to be able to properly treat you without being COMPLETELY honest with him/her.

Some tips for talking to your doctor would be....

**write it down! if its too difficult to TALK about, write a letter with a description of whats going on. The doctor will not judge you, but be grateful that you've made an effort to communicate and not hide information.

**bring a friend for support!

**If you have questions, write them down also. I know alot of people get infront of the dct and all his/her questions are forgotten until they leave the room. Write it down on a notebook and also, write down his responces.

Remember, your doctor is your friend! They will not judge you, they only want to help make you more healthy! Oh! and the worst thing you can do is 'self diagnose' always get professional help when something isn't right.

while I am NOT diagnosing you, lol...what you just wrote is VERY much sounding like a UTI..urinary tract infection...you could ask to be tested for this...which of course, the doctors test for countless times everyday, so don't be embarressed! If it helps, say "can I be tested for a UTI" that way you don't have to say the whole thing, if its easier for you??

Korrie has given some fantastic advice. I often refer to the NHS direct website. If you are anything like me you will be wanting to look up UTI - so here is the link to what NHS direct have to say.

NHS Direct Wales - Health encyclopaedia

It is great that you have made the appointment. I hope that the doctor is able to sort things out for you really soon.

It's not really about telling the doctor everything. It's simply that I don't trust them. Every single time I was in hospital, something went wrong, seriously wrong. Plus, my grandmother had leukemia, and died from the side effects of the chemotherapy aged 56. A good friend had the same, went in for treatment, and died as a result of an infection which she had caught IN THE HOSPITAL. My best friend died of skin cancer after being mis-diagnosed and treated wrong for over a year. That's where my reluctance about doctors comes from.

I have gone through everything that I had in my life, which includes several UTIs. It doesn't feel anything like it, and the pain is in a different place. I will nevertheless ask him to be checked for that, can't hurt I guess. Heck, I'd be glad if it turned out to be a UTI and nothing else!!

I've got nobody I could bring for support, but writing stuff down is a good idea. I am one of those that goes into the practice, talks to the doctor, leaves, and in the car park thinks 'Darn, I forgot to mention this, that and the other thing....'. So that should help, thanks for the idea!

P.S.: Just saw your post, Margaret. If anything, it might be an upper UTI, just going by where the pain is located....and I take back everything I said about it being glad if it is 'just' a UTI. I am allergic to antibiotics (not just penicillin, but all of them, they tried me on 26 different ones and I reacted to all of them). My last UTI took about 3 months to ease up....I hate stuff like this, I really do. Just give me a broken leg or something instead any day of the week. *sigh*

may i ask how old you are? have you had kids?

my mother (and I'm not assuming you are as old as her... i know of it happening to others) had her bladder "drop".. it cause a bunch of issues one of which was being unable to have a proper "flow" when she peed.... It was rather easily fixed.

BUT... it really could be UTI easily enough - they can wreak havoc on the body!

UTIs can also turn into bladder infections and kidney infections. I've had all three - kidney infections feel like you're being kicked in the back when you try to pee. Bladder is more of a centralized pain that shoots up one side of the body (at least it was for me - everyone is different of course).

Definitely write down everything before you go to the dr ...

I certainly understand, given your experiences, your ... concerns, I guess you'd say ... about doctors, but please do give yours a chance.

Changes - I'm 34, no children. And that sounds....uhm....unpleasant to say the least!! Ouchie!

Kara - I thought about a bladder infection as well, the only thing confusing me is that it seems to get better when I drink a lot. Usually with a bladder infection, drinking more makes it feel worse, doesn't it?
And the pain is always there, just gets worse occasionally....it's weird. *sigh*

Yeah, I know I need to give the doc a chance....and it's a new one, one that was recommended to me by several people. I'll see him the first time on Wednesday, so I guess I will get the full picture of how good he is or isn't on that day, at least as far as listening to me and finding out what's really wrong is concerned. If I don't do it now, things will just get worse (since they haven't gone any better in 6 weeks, I doubt they will just magically disappear), and if they get worse, it won't make the whole experience any easier.

Stupid really....I'm a nurse for crying out loud, yet I am reluctant to go to see a doctor....maybe I should get my head checked while I'm there....lol

Of course - Keepitoff83 (Priti) and Camy are both doctors that come to the forum - so if you are getting worried about all this - or want to run the doctor's diagnosis by another person - it may be worth you dropping one of them a PM. It could be an easy way of setting your mind at rest until the appointment or getting a swift second opinion to boost your confidence in what the doctor says.

Camy gave me some great advice about my boobs in April last year. She is specialising in another field - but they all have to become generally qualified before they specialise.

I'm not a doctor and I can't offer any medical advice. But, what I can offer is a hilarious way to solve your problem...

It's getting close to Halloween time and, in some areas, haunted houses will start popping up pretty soon. So, make a trip to the craziest looking haunted house that you can find, buy a ticket for yourself and walk through the mazes that are full of ghouls and ghosts. Maybe you'll be so terrified of all the demons and goblins that pop out that it'll SCARE THE PISS OUT OF YOU!!!



Boy, I'm not much of a help...am I?

You're on a roll today Chef.

*lol*....thanks Chef, what would I do without you??

I know you've already said that you'd ask to be tested for a UTI...but I wanted to throw in this tid bit as well....Do you know, in nursing homes, when a resident suddenly starts to act confused and "not himself"..you know the very 1st thing we test for?? A UTI! Those are known for really throwing people off...not saying its what you've got, I just thought it was interesting.

*lol*....that is true, just remembered that. THe thing is, with me you wouldn't notice the difference, I'm always like that!

lol, you and me both!