My Kidney

So, I hope that this post will be therapeutic...

I went to a Urologist last week because I have been having chronic back pain on my right side that stems all the way into my testicles and into my prostate area. Since 2006, I have had 7 kidney stones, with the renal colic on my right side as well. Since 2006, I have been seeing the doctors at Las Vegas Urology (ironically, I did not get a kidney stone while I was living in Nashville) so they have a record of my kidney issues.

When I went to the doctor, he gave me the normal exam, which I still hate......and told me that he did not feel a hernia or anything and we would treat this like a kidney stone. He gave me pain pills which I won't take because they give me panic attacks and scheduled me for a CT scan of my abdomen to "see whats going on in there". 

I didn't ask any further questions and I left the office. So, Friday I go to the Imaging office and do my CT scan. They told me that the Dr. will have the results by Monday and he should call me then. I waited all day on Monday and I didn't hear anything back. Tuesday morning I called the Doctors office to see what was up and I got a message that I could leave a non emergent message for Dr. Candela's nurse and she would return my call by end of business, so I leave the message.

This morning I still had not heard back so I called again and asked to speak with her directly as I am still in a large amount of pain and I need to know if it is or isn't a kidney stone. If it wasn't a kidney stone, I figured that I would see a chiropractor or a neurologist to determine and fix the pain................my train of thought

The nurse gets on the phone and proceeds to tell me that the dr hasn't looked at the results yet, but they were in my records. She said that the CT scan did not show a stone in my kidney, but there was a 2.3 centimeter cyst on my right kidney. Again, this is the side that always hurts when I have my stones and the side that is making me unable to stand or sit for too long without yelling in pain. She said that once the Dr. looked over the charts that he would call me and discuss our "next steps".

I have never been honest with the Urologist because of my family history. Kidney issues are present on both my mothers and fathers side of the family. My Aunt Angela only has one kidney because she has had cancer there and they had to remove it. My cousin Louis had cancer in his Kidney when he was a child and they had to remove it as well. Various other types of cancer from Breast Cancer to Colon Cancer have claimed the lives of my family. I figured that if I told the Dr. this, that he would put me under a whole bunch of tests that I did not want because it would put many things into reality.

I know that cysts are common, and I know that I probably do not have anything to worry about, but its always in the back of my head that there is something in me that I can't control and it scares the life out of me. I have tried all day to keep myself composed, but I have been doing a horrible job at it.

My fiance and my best friend have both urged me to discuss my family history with the doctor so he is aware of what is familial and be cautious in his treatment. I just do not think I am strong enough for what may or may not happen.

Any advise you guys could give me would really help because for once, I can't fix this problem myself.