Blood clots in urine - worried about my step-dad

[badger]

a co-worker of mine had similar symptoms, blood in urine. I believe he may also have had a dull "ache" in his lower back. He's had kidney stones before, so he figured to be on the safe side went to emergency.

Good thing, because he was immediately sent for an MRI whereas had he gone to his GP it would've been weeks, maybe months before getting an appointment (we're in Canada where things can take a long time).

He DID have kidney cancer, but it was localized to one kidney, which he immediately had taken out. No chemo, just some rest to mend and he was back at work within 8 weeks.

Would it make any difference in your step dad's case to go to the ER to expedite things?

[Crankin]

Thinking abut you.
My dad has prostate cancer, and may I add, he's been living with it for 20 years, thanks to hormone treatments. He is 85 and still works part time . But, before he got the dx, he had years of vague symptoms, lots of bladder infections, some bleeding. They were not related to the prostate stuff. I guess men can have a lot of things that can go wrong in that area, that we never think about.
My grandfather had bladder cancer, but I was not around him when he was sick. He was in his late 70's, and he smoked, drank too much, and was overweight, which they directly attributed the cancer to.

[OakLeaf]

(((((Emily & family))))) No experience, just thinking about you.

[emily_in_nc]

Would it make any difference in your step dad's case to go to the ER to expedite things?

Not in the US, since he's already been to a urologist and has two follow-up appointments. It would just cost a lot and give him a pat on the head until his appointments. Obviously the urologist didn't think his situation was dire enough for an immediate hospital admission, so there's no other way to get the tests but wait for appointments.

Thanks to those who shared experiences. Obviously it could be a lot of things besides cancer, and even if it is the big C, if it's caught early, doesn't have to be fatal. But he's not a particularly healthy man, is overweight and drinks rather heavily, so I'm definitely worried.

[indysteel]

I'm really sorry, Emily. Hopefully it will turn out to be nothing more than kidney stones. Not that I'd wish that on him, but it's certainly a more benign explanation than bladder or kidney cancer. And if it is cancer, I hope they caught it early. Keep us posted.

[shootingstar]

Wishing your family and step-dad lots of luck here as you all wait for diagnosis.

My father has prostate cancer..it's progressing.

My doctor-sister says: 80% of men get prostate cancer, it's just that for some men it grows so slowly that they end up dying of other causes at old age.
But it won't be that way for my father. Who is by the way, at 81, other than this disease, has no other health problems, no respiratory, heart problems, etc.

I would like to comment: He got immediate care by family physician and specialist doctors. Experience is not the same as badger's friend. He is an out-patient at Canada's lead cancer research hospital in toronto. Still within Canada's public health care coverage.

[emily_in_nc]

My mom told me today that my step-dad has had no further blood in his urine (visible anyway) or symptoms since last Thursday, which is when this occurred. She also mentioned that he had had a prostate infection not too long ago, which I didn't know. So, I'm slightly relieved to hear that as maybe this is related.

Will update this thread when I know more, after his appointments.

Thanks for being there!

[emily_in_nc]

My father has prostate cancer..it's progressing.

I'm sorry to hear this, shootingstar. I've read the same thing about most men getting prostate cancer, but in most it is so slow to progress that it won't kill them. I'm sorry that your dad's is progressing faster.

[emily_in_nc]

Well, my step-dad thinks everything is okay. He now says he remembers passing a small kidney stone along with the blood that one day, and he hasn't had a bit of blood since, nor any other symptoms (he started antibiotics that same day). His insurance co. declined to pay for the CT scan, saying it was overkill, and he can't afford to pay for it himself, so he cancelled the appointment and is just going to go back for a 6-month follow up with the urologist if no further symptoms appear.

Hopefully all will be well...I'm naturally paranoid, but I have to trust his judgment on this.