So frustrated

[cpe1978]

I am so annoyed with myself. For the past week or so I have been doing just fine, have even found I have spent more time on here reassuring other people and trying to offer some practical thoughts. Then bang!

Went to the toilet this morning and it was really foamy, like someone had put a drop of bubble bath in there. I travelled to London and two hours later it was nowhere near as bad but still there. Then as the day progressed I drunk normally it has cleared itself.

I tried desperately to rationalise, but for the first time in weeks I am really struggling. My HA started when I learned that my father had renal cancer at my age. I started visualising telling my kids I had a terminal illness etc. so anything to do with kidneys is kind of stock HA for me.

I even resorted to weeing into a cup, which of course created no froth, similarly to urinating against the bowl. But no matter how hard I try and tell myself that it is simply down to height (I am 6ft4 it is a long way down), pressure after a long sleepy night, and concentration through not drinking enough over night, I am failing.

One of the major problems with HA is that you know too much. So I know for instance that foamy urine can be a sign of protein. What I can't find is answers to questions like, would foam caused in this way be alleviated by drinking water? And if there were an issue with your kidneys would it reliably show up in a blood test?

I am so annoyed with myself - but ever the one for small victories at least I have not descended into panic, just underlying anxiety.

Arrrrggghhhh

[emlica]

Guessing it was the first wee of the day, was it? Most likely to just be the force of the first urine of the day hitting the water, especially as it was better later in the day. Also I think being slightly dehydrated can make it look a bit more foamy. If it was protein in your urine I would assume it would be more consistently foamy, not just one morning of it (also even if it IS protein in your urine it's not necessarily a cause for panic!). As for whether a kidney problem would show up in a blood test - depends on what tests you've had, I'd have said! If you've had blood tests for kidney function, and they're fine, then you're unlikely to have a serious kidney problem. I think docs would usually do the dip urine test if you went and said you were worried, though. You just give them a sample and they dip a thing in it, and it shows up if there's anything there that shouldn't be (blood, protein, glucose...). So I guess if you keep getting foamy urine (not just first thing in the morning), might be worth going to the doc as it's such a quick test...

[Fishmanpa]

Yeah CPE... you've been doing great! Hopefully it's a minor blip for ya. And pertaining to your post? Bubbles in your pee in the morning along with the height thing sounds pretty normal to me.

Good Luck!

[katesa]

Babe, I believe that kidney problems are one of the things that do usually show up in blood tests - obviously no way near diagnostic, but because they deal with waste etc then it tends to throw other things off balance in the electrolyte tests or even FBC.

Now relax. You are fine. I get this loads (and it is a sign of our friendship that I will own up to this in a public forum - I normally deny to everyone, including my husband, that I have bladder or bowel movements cos like, I'm a lady) and while I'm 6ft, I don't stand.

Now come on. This is but a blip. Back in the saddle with you

[cpe1978]

Thanks guys, as I say (or at any rate meant to say) I just needed to get it out so to speak. Have had a long day, all the trains are cancelled from Kings Cross back north so am on some convoluted route via Manchester and Leeds!

I know it is illogical. Yes Kate the blood test did test for kidney function as my fab GP knows my history and that it was something that played on my mind. She just said I was filtering fine . I believe her (rationally) because the only measure that was even slightly not perfect was liver function and she told me about that even though it was just the upper end of normal (probably due to metbolising medication or a glass or two of merlot .

I am re-saddling as we speak. Thank you for putting up with the blip!

Psychologically it is interesting that I often get wobbles before I do something nice with my family. Next week we are going for a week by the coast in the rain - which will be great - but it is almost sometimes as if my brain is scared of being happy.

OMG reading that back I sound a bit bonkers

[Annie0904]

I agree that morning wee is more likely to be cloudy, frothy or darker in colour. If was normal the rest of the day than no need to worry.
I hope you have a good week away next week