Medical Mystery - Specialist number 1

The journey from starting to suffer from the symptoms of LPHS to obtaining a diagnosis was a long and complicated one, and I had to go through lots of tests and see several doctors before my condition was identified.

(Do I sound like a douche for saying "journey"? It's cheesy, like I'm on the X Factor or something...)

When I initially started suffering from pain in the mid-right hand side of my back, my GP assumed that it was something to do with my having had my Gallbladder removed 2 years previously and sent me for an Ultrasound scan to see if more stones had formed since my operation.

The radiographer did not find any gallstones, but did note the presence of several small growths on my right kidney.  By this point I was also suffering from recurrent Urinary Tract Infections. This led to me being referred to a Urologist, a doctor specialising in the surgical and medical diseases of the male and female urinary tract system. 

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The Urinary System

The organs under the domain of urology include:

The kidneys - Organs which filter the blood and remove waste products
Adrenal glands -
Ureters - Tubes which carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder
Bladder - The organ which collects urine from the kidneys before expelling it via urination
Urethra - tube that connects the bladder to the genitals for the removal of fluids from the body  

(They also deal with the male reproductive system, but that doesn't apply to me - my interest in those it purely non-professional! ;-) )

The Urologist diagnosed the kidney growths as Angiomyolipomas - a type of benign tumour of the kidney composed of blood vessels, smooth muscle cells and fat cells.  I have to admit that I was terrified by the use of the word "tumour" but the doctor advised me that the growths have no real effect on my well-being, and that the only time they would need medical intervention would be if they grew drastically in size or if I were pregnant.

In order to check the state of my bladder, ureters and urethra, I had to go through a procedure called a Flexible Cystoscopy.  This involves a doctor inserting a very small fibre-optic camera into your urethra and up into your bladder, with the camera feeding back to a screen in the consulting room.

I won't lie - this procedure was not the most pleasant thing I have ever had to go through, but it doesn't hurt at all.  The camera is tiny and the doctor will use lubrication to ensure it moves smoothly. Once the camera has entered the bladder, a small nozzle of it fills the bladder with water in able to make sure that all of it is visible - the bladder is rather like a balloon and you have to ensure that it is fully "inflated" to be able to see all areas of it.  The doctor then rotates the camera to get a 360 degree look at the bladder interior and the ureters.

It is certainly a very odd experience looking at the inside of your bladder on a television screen - it is a strange pale grey colour and almost looks like you'd expect brains to look, all soft bumps like they appear in cartoons.  The worst part of the whole procedure is when you next go for a pee - the sensation of passing cold water is very odd!

In my case, no problems or issues were identified and I was referred back to my GP as the Urologist had no further ideas on what could be causing my symptoms.


In my next post, I shall go through the other tests and procedures which led me to my diagnosis.

Please do not hesitate to email me if you have any questions or queries - I'm always happy to hear from people.  

My email address is thelovelymisshill@gmail.com