Question: I have a family history of kidney troubles. My mother died of renal failure, her mother died of chronic pyelonephritis and her grandfather died of hemorrhagic nephritis. My father had recurrent kidney stones. Three of my five siblings have kidney issues of one variety or another. I have had kidney stones and have recurrent UTIs. (I am male, age 52). I have had, and continue to have bloody urine. This occurs occasionally, usually after some physical trauma or exertion such as riding in the car for several hours (but not always) sitting on the ground for a long period of time, running, digging or raking in the garden, etc. Usually the urine is dark brown for one voiding and then normal. Most recently, it was bright red (that has happened before) and lasted for three voidings (18 hours). I have persistent back pain centered at the location of the lower edge of my right kidney. Pain radiates from there up to the top of the kidney or more often down into my flank and around into my groin. I sometimes have severe SI joint pain. It is so severe that I will be unable to stand after sitting for 30 minutes or so. I have frequent urination (daytime only) and lower volume than normal and I have difficulty finishing voiding- I have to massage my penis to get the last or it dribbles.

I drink a gallon of water a day. In the past month, my morning urine volume has decreased to less than 100 ml. I do have kidney stone-like pain sometimes but my persistent pain is an ache centered in the location of my right kidney itself.

Thank you very much.