I had Lymphoma 10 years ago. I have had Acidic Kidney Stones for the past 3 years of and on. The stones have seemed to go away in the last several months. Possiblly from drinking Distilled Water. I have had my Urethra stretched a couple of times. I have used a Dilator and caused my urethra to bleed, which was given to me by the Doctor. I seem to be urinating O.K. now, but sometimes it burns a little, not often. My Urine is never really discolored, unless I am Passing a Stone. I have had several stones Caught in the left Ureter. I also have Cysts on my Kidneys. Can you take a stab at what might be causing the Occult Blood in the Urine. The reason I know I have the Blood, is because I have Hemo-Stixs. The Stixs Test from Light to darker at various times. Is there anything else that can cause the Stixs to change color, other than blood.

Dr. Joshua’s Answer:

In your case, my guess would be that the renal (kidney) cysts are to blame. Kidney or ureter stones are another strong possibility, given your history. They are known to cause asymptomatic hematuria (=occult blood in urine). The sticks are not conclusive however; a complete lab analysis should be done. Since you have had lymphoma, I think you should consult an oncologist if it does turn out you have microhematuria. Lymphoma can sometimes be associated with renal conditions which may cause microhematuria. Also, may I recommend you consult an urologist to see whether he is satisfied that all the necessary investigations (e.g. cystoscopy) have been done.?

Other possible causes of microhematuria include prostate hyperplasia, infection of the urethra or bladder, and kidney or ureter stones. Microscopic hematuria can also be caused by bladder tumors and kidney tumors. These should be ruled out. There are of course various rare diseases, including a Sometimes, no cause can be found whatsoever, and then the condition is known as “benign essential hematuria”, meaning just that the cause is not known, and that the condition is harmless.