Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => All things menopause => Topic started by: Mummytron on August 16, 2025, 10:17:41 AM
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Hiall,
Back again,
Just getting on top of my anxiety and I've had a urology telephone appt today which has sent me into a spiral.
I've had a trace of blood in my urine (not visible) for as long as I can remember and its a little bit more (still microscopic) and an ultrasound last year showed slightly enlarged kidneys. After a years wait for today's call, he's putting me on a 2 week referral!
I told hom I have health anxiety and that will panic me and he said he didn't expect to find anything serious and jot to worry. But he doesn't know does he and now I'm in a spiral. What if leaving it for a year has left it too late. I'm always ill, put it down to hormones. All blood tests ok so should take reassurance from that but woth my anxiety like it is, I cant cope :'(
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Hi mummytron, I too have microscopic blood in my urine samples (last time was about 6 weeks ago)and also visible blood in October 2023. It seems to be very common after menopause especially if you have VA.
It was all investigated, had a ct scan and cytoscopy....all clear.
I don't have enlarged kidneys....but surely if that was concerning to the drs it would have been investigated further last year.
Like you say all your blood tests were clear so take comfort from that, that is good news.
Please try not to worry, I know it's easier said than done.....believe me I've been were you are now and I know the wait is agonisingly slow but the ladies on here offered me brilliant advice and I got through it.
Good luck with everything and keep us updated x
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Hi Northerngirl,
Thanks for your reply.
I guess the only thing I can be positive with is that is a 'subtle' enlargement and its both kidneys. Presumably it would be unlikely to be cancer in both.
I'm perimenopause rather than menopausal.
I've got to have a ct scan with contrast, never had contrast before so a hit anxious about that.
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Have you had any help for your anxiety? If you haven't maybe write a list of your fears & another list that you add to every time you think about your health throughout the day. Alongside each time you thought about your health (or anything connected to it) make another list about how you reacted to each thought.
It's not so much your thoughts about your health that cause the anxiety but how you react.
That will probably take up quite a bit of time for a start & is a very good distraction. Then after a few days you can look back & you should see a pattern emerging: specifics you worry about, how often you think about then & how you react.
Then you can tackle each in turn. Worry no 1: write out the worst case scenario & what's being done to address the potential health condition.
Next how often did you think about it during 1 day & what were the consequences of thinking about it.
Then how did you react.
It's a huge amount if work & writing but it does help build a picture of what's going on, helps focus your mind & helps you to see what you are doing that contributes to the anxiety. Focusing on these lists does distract you from the anxiety.
There are lots of videos on YouTube about health anxiety & again watching those can help you learn to overcome this & also again distract you. It's something that you have to work very hard to be free from but it is possible. I realise when your paralysed with anxiety it's hard to do anything but you need to be determined to get on top of it.
Things will be OK. You're getting the right help & attention. You can work to be free from this.
Wishing you the very best.
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Try not to get too anxious blood trace is VERY common, I've had it several times had all the tests and nothing,like northerngirl says,va can be the cause,it's good they're checking it but it IS quite common :)
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Hi Northerngirl,
Thanks for your reply.
I guess the only thing I can be positive with is that is a 'subtle' enlargement and its both kidneys. Presumably it would be unlikely to be cancer in both.
I'm perimenopause rather than menopausal.
I've got to have a ct scan with contrast, never had contrast before so a hit anxious about that.
A ct with contrast is nothing to worry about, I've had a couple. You just get a hot feeling like you're going to wee yourself as they let the contrast flow in ...they do tell you about this and let you know when it's about to happen. Don't worry you definitely won't wee yourself 😊
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Have you had any help for your anxiety? If you haven't maybe write a list of your fears & another list that you add to every time you think about your health throughout the day. Alongside each time you thought about your health (or anything connected to it) make another list about how you reacted to each thought.
It's not so much your thoughts about your health that cause the anxiety but how you react.
That will probably take up quite a bit of time for a start & is a very good distraction. Then after a few days you can look back & you should see a pattern emerging: specifics you worry about, how often you think about then & how you react.
Then you can tackle each in turn. Worry no 1: write out the worst case scenario & what's being done to address the potential health condition.
Next how often did you think about it during 1 day & what were the consequences of thinking about it.
Then how did you react.
It's a huge amount if work & writing but it does help build a picture of what's going on, helps focus your mind & helps you to see what you are doing that contributes to the anxiety. Focusing on these lists does distract you from the anxiety.
There are lots of videos on YouTube about health anxiety & again watching those can help you learn to overcome this & also again distract you. It's something that you have to work very hard to be free from but it is possible. I realise when your paralysed with anxiety it's hard to do anything but you need to be determined to get on top of it.
Things will be OK. You're getting the right help & attention. You can work to be free from this.
Wishing you the very best.
Thank you,
I've just referred myself for cbt. Perimenopause has really heightened it. Your tips are great, thank you.
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Try not to get too anxious blood trace is VERY common, I've had it several times had all the tests and nothing,like northerngirl says,va can be the cause,it's good they're checking it but it IS quite common :)
Thank you 😊
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Hi Northerngirl,
Thanks for your reply.
I guess the only thing I can be positive with is that is a 'subtle' enlargement and its both kidneys. Presumably it would be unlikely to be cancer in both.
I'm perimenopause rather than menopausal.
I've got to have a ct scan with contrast, never had contrast before so a hit anxious about that.
A ct with contrast is nothing to worry about, I've had a couple. You just get a hot feeling like you're going to wee yourself as they let the contrast flow in ...they do tell you about this and let you know when it's about to happen. Don't worry you definitely won't wee yourself 😊
Oh crikey, 😆
Thank you, that's reassuring.
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Blood in urine is 'common' with vaginal atrophy because the lining may be very thin = trace on testing.
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I've had the odd trace in urine. My bladder retained water above the level so I was referred. Urology looked inside the bladder and said it had a type of eczema. Suggestion was antihistamines and failing this a bladder installation. I suspect the trace was due to the bladder skin. It's very common the traces. Keep all the positives in mind and keep yourself busy. Your not alone in the anxiety over such things.
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Thank you all,
My anxiety is making me feel quite physically unwell at the moment.
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Please try not to worry it’s just a trace and good they are taking precautions . Please remember 1in 2 people aged over 75 have mild kidney disease it’s common as we age . Over age of 40 they decrease 10 %in function every 10 years . We are all aging . I have a friend who had kidney transplant 20 years ago age 40 and even she functions perfectly . I feel your anxiety and understand but this will get sorted and 2 weeks will fly and make no difference . If they were concerned last year they would have acted. They are honestly double checking for you . Feel reassured nothing else showing up and microscopic blood in urine very common . Sending warm reassurance to you
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Thank you.
Its been a rough few weeks with lots of peri symptoms, feeling rough all the time. Need to catch a break.
I love this forum, its so supportive and so helpful. ❤️
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Thank you.
Its been a rough few weeks with lots of peri symptoms, feeling rough all the time. Need to catch a break.
I love this forum, its so supportive and so helpful. ❤️
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Physical issues for me = intense anxiety. If my guts stay quiet and I can eat then I'm OK ........... anything 'shown', i.e. blood, can be dealt with .
Somewhere - but I can't find it - we have a thread similar to 'what I have diagnosed with this year'.
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Update,
Cystocopy was fine, bladder ok
Went for the ct scan today and had it without contrast. I know its silly but I couldn't do it with contrast 😭
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Well done, thank you for letting us know,bet you’re relieved :)
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I am. Bit disappointed that I didn't manage the contrast but hopefully it will be enough.
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Can I ask why you didn’t want it with the contrast?
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I was really anxious about it and just couldn't get past it. Ridiculous I know but it just wasn't going to happen today.
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I've had invisible blood and had cystoscopy. Also had CT scan when I was in hospital for an infection. It's iodine I think and you just get a warm feeling. Hardly anything at all. It's so that they can locate things, almost like a map. If you managed the cystoscopy ok, the contrast dye would have been ok. Well done for getting through the cystoscopy. It's a bit daunting. I was so nervous but found it was fine. Often the worry is the worst.
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I didn't worry about the cystocopy weirdly! But the thought of contrast was too much. Hopefully, it will be enough
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I didn't worry about the cystocopy weirdly! But the thought of contrast was too much. Hopefully, it will be enough
It's probably the idea of something being put in your blood stream. I understand the anxiety. I have two friends with cancer and I'm paranoid about every pain I get. I think menopause brings a lot of change, aging does too and we're exposed to so much information about our health that it can be overload at times. I hope your scan is ok.
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Don’t beat yourself up mummytron,anxiety does stupid things to us and there’s no controlling it sometimes.
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Thank you both, you've no idea how your understanding is welcome. I do feel it was right for me at that time and I just hope they are happy with what they can see. Ive been waiting for a year so I would assume anything that was there a year ago would be quite noticeable by now!!
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Good thinking and if necessary, U can discuss the ins/outs with contrast . How do U feel overall?
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Health wise?
I'm a bit of a wreck, I've got labyrinthitis although coming through it now. Perimenopause kicking my you know what.
But the reason for the cystocopy was because of non visible microscopic blood in urine (which I've had forever!)and because of that they did an ultrasound last year which showed both kidneys have a subtle enlargement. I have fibroids so I wonder if they are playing a part.