hi all,

On Aug. 20th when i got my period, i noticed a deep ache in the lower back on the left side, no biggie, i've had that a million times before, but THIS was bad, and made me feel nauseas. By the next day, it had crept up to the kidney area, and the waist, and even up the back more, right along the spine. Around that same time, my whole family came down with sme kind of intestinal bug or bacteria or whatever...and we've been dealing with that awfulness now for 13 days! My husband is practically over it, and so is our youngest son, but my second oldest, and myself, are having this thing hang on. The CONSTIPATION is unbelieveable, so bad...that two nights ago i gave myself an enema! i had never doen that before, and so i was nervous, and so only used half the bottle (i had bought that pre-made FLEET enema)...but at least it did help somewhat. But before then, i hadn't had a bowel movement in about 3-4 days! maybe tiny little dribs and drabs, but really nothing. There is no fever that has accompianied this thing either. Just a very sickly feeling, very drained, weak, tired, and bad intestinal "churing".....

NOW, the thing that mostly worries ME, is this ache that is still there with me.
like i said, it started the first day of my period, and hasn't left....it HAS BEEN ON AND OFF, some days better, some days worse. But as of about 3 days ago, i've been spending my days and nights, on the couch, trying to find a good position to sit or lay in, so it doesn't hurt..or ache. My husband says it's muscular, since it seems to be positional, and if i find a certain way ot sit or lay, it helps. Yet, this ache can almost make you burst into tears, NOT bec. of any horrble pain....but because the ache is so deep, and makes you feel queasy. It isn't tender to the touch, and the area is not hot! I hadn't eaten in 2 days, so yesterday, when my son ordered pizza, i lost it, and ate three slices! well, still, no bowel movement from the pizza. i also am noticing since this intestinal thing came, that my urine output is less than what it was before it. So, for instance, before, if i drank a glass of water or whatever..within say, an hour i'd have to go!!!! NOT NOW! now, i can drink that same glass of water, and not have to go for maybe a few hours! and then, maybe not even that much! the urine color is ok, it's basically light yellow, sometimes a little darker. Both my son and i are still very bloated, and gassy, and feel awful really, and just have to keep laying down. BUT FOR ME.....that waist ache, and ache around the kidney and lower (and now upper) back area, is really driving me nuts.....i guess i get panicky that it's my kidney, yet most of my friends and my husband seem to think it's muscular.

you should know, i've had this twice before in the past year and a half.
the first time, was in May of '06, when i had had a UTI for a few days...but that was it, it went. WEll, a few days after, this ache in the waist and kidney area was there, and it lasted prob. about 3 weeks! that was not good! i laied around then too, on the couch, in diff. positions to help the ache. Sometimes, tho, NO POSITION can help. The second time i had it, it came from nothing, just for no reason, and lasted about maybe a week or so. So, this is the third time in a year and a half.
Now it obviously can't be something super SERIOUS like kidney failure, or i'd be dead by now. Then, i don't THINK it's kidney infection, but I'd like some opinions here!!!!!! Also, maybe the intestinal thing is affecting my kidney???????
Or, this is all NOT my kidney,,,,and it's muscular! I do sit in a bad position in my car, and i drive a lot....well, not since this hit! My bed is very soft with little support, and for the past week i've been sleeping on the couch, bec. i can sort of sit up in a certain position that helps it, but the couch cushins are also very soft , and the positions i have to end up sitting in, are kind of crunched up...but that helps that waist feeling.

ok, i can't think of anyting else.....I'm 49 yrs. old, and right now, i'm MID CYCLE with my period. As i'm typing this, it's aching RIGHT NEXT TO the spine, on the left side, mid back. I had called my dr.'s office the other day, got his nurse, i can never actually get him on the phone......i described this (he's basically our new dr., so he's not that familiar with me yet, but he does have my history), and she seemed to think, that sicne i don't have a fever, and i've had this before...and it went away...it's no biggie! she also mentioned muscular. i'd love to believe that, but this is driving me nuts! i feel like running to the ER just to gt them to test the urine to see if i have an infection or something.....

please give me any info. and adive!!!!! thank you all.