What Causes Intense Lower Abdominal Pain?

Posted on Thu, 19 Jan 2017

Question: About a month ago I started having pain in my lower abdomen...right above my vagina. At one point the pain was so bad that I could not even stand up straight. I went to my primary care physician because I thought I had a UTI. She did a urine test and found blood in my urine. I had an ultrasound done of my pelvis and kidneys. The ultrasound found that I had cysts on my ovaries and a fibroid...but my dr didnt think that was the source of my pain. The US also found that I had questionable thickening toward the base of my bladder and a 3mm kidney stone that was non obstructing. I went to a urologists and the urine test that I took there was negative for everything (no blood, etc). The urologist wasnt concerned at all- I asked him about bladder cancer and IC and he told me no.He suggested that I get a ct scan of my urinary tract just so I could have a thorough examination, but my insurance didnt cover it and it was super expensive. He doesnt feel like I have anything to worry about so he told me just to get the test done when I could afford it. I have still been experiencing on and off pain and this morning my urine was a brown color making me think I have blood again. The pain feels cramp like and has also moved down into my vagina Could all of this be cause by the kidney stone that they found? Could you give me any information on possible cancer or what could be wrong?

Answered by Dr. Vjollce Mbiarra (2 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Pain can be due to urinary tract stone

Detailed Answer:
Hi dear and thanks for your query at HCM.

I have read your question and understand your concern and I will try to help you:

In my opinion and from your data you have mentioned ,all your signs and symptoms can be due to urinary tract stone and not from bladder cancer,because:

1.Pain isn't continues but interrupted
Continued pain is symptom of bladder cancer
2. pain moves from one part of body to another
(now your pain is located near vagina)
3.sometimes you have blood in urine and some
times not(you have blood in urine when stone
move from one part of urinary tract to other part,if it was cancer you would have continues blood in urine)
Doctor have recommended you to do CT because it is the best method to examine stones and it's location.

Try to use much more fluids especially water(3-4 liter per day) and when you have pain you can use painkillers.
Hope I was helpfully.

Please feel free to ask further questions.

Best regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T

Follow up: Dr. Vjollce Mbiarra (45 minutes later)

i read online that the pain can come and go. Is there a point where I shoukd go back to my dr? i firgot to mention that my dr did a pap smear and found bacterial vaginosis. can this be a source of lower abdominal pain?

Answered by Dr. Vjollce Mbiarra (26 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Explanation is given below....

Detailed Answer:
Hi dear again!

I understand that you are concerned but please do not read too much on line because you can misread information.

You should go back to doctor if you will have frequency with or not burning urination ,because stones favors urinary tract infection.

Yes bacterial vaginosis can cause lower abdominal pain .

Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T

Follow up: Dr. Vjollce Mbiarra (1 hour later)

do you know what may have caused my thickened bladder?

Answered by Dr. Vjollce Mbiarra (17 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Infectious cystitis or artifact

Detailed Answer:
Hi dear again!

Two main reasons that may have caused bladder thickening to you are :
infectious cystitis (inflammation of bladder that cause scares)
Artifact( a blood clot that may seem as thick bladder on ultrasound examination)

Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Yogesh D

Follow up: Dr. Vjollce Mbiarra (27 hours later)

so if it were something like cancer the pain would stay the same not come and go? how long does it take for a kidney stone to pass?

Answered by Dr. Vjollce Mbiarra (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
Explanation is given below....

Detailed Answer:
Hi dear again!

I have read your question and understand your concern.
Yes in most cases pain during cancer is continues and doesn't come and go.

While your stone is small ,only 3 mm you should drink enough fluids per day to pass the stone outside the body.
You should drink enough water to make your urine colourless.
If your urine is yellow or brown, you're not drinking enough.
Do you are still in pain?!

Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad