General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Please go to the damned doctor!!! [View all]kag
(4,201 posts)I lost my mom to cervical cancer when I was sixteen. Back then they didn't know the HPV connection, and women weren't warned to get paps every year. Still, if it had been caught earlier...
Another thing to be aware of with infections: An autoimmune kidney disorder called IgA Nephropathy. My daughter started running a fever and peeing blood. We and our doctor assumed it was a UTI, but the culture came back negative. Fortunately our family doc is excellent. He sent her to a nephrologist (kidney doc) who confirmed IgA Nephropathy. Antibiotics cleared the infection, but the kidneys will react this way with ANY infection (we will never know what the "original" infection was).
So, she started taking blood pressure meds at 18 to help keep her kidneys healthy, but any time she gets an infection (sinus, throat, respiratory, etc.) she starts peeing blood and if she doesn't get on antibiotics FAST, she could sustain serious kidney damage. Also, since ibuprofen (once my go-to drug for fevers) is cleared by the kidneys, she can't take it, at least not for a fever.
So, yes. Go. To. The. Damn. Doctor.