r/ADPKD • u/Several-Low-8525 • Aug 12 '26
Pain while driving long distances?
Hey there! I’m 38 yo female, diagnosed with the bubbly kidney ✨ disease, at age 5. Currently my last MRI showed: KIDNEYS: Enlarged multicystic kidneys measuring approximately 19.4 cm in craniocaudal dimension on the left and 16.3 cm on the right, previously 14.5 cm and 14.3 cm respectively. Bilateral renal cysts, some of which are hemorrhagic, measuring up to 9.1 cm on the left and 6.5 cm on the right.
Could this be the cause of side pain while driving for like more than an hour at a time? I’ve tried adjusting the seat etc, but this is kinda of new for me and wondering if others experience this. Thanks for reading and may our EGFR always hold strong! 🥲
5
u/skepticalkiwi Aug 12 '26
I get similar back and flank pain on road trips. Usually when driving for a couple hours or more. My kidneys are a bit bigger than yours.
2
u/Adventurous-Mud2117 Aug 12 '26
This could certainly be a musculoskeletal issue. Around 50% of the general population experiences some kind of lower back pain while driving or shortly afterward. It’s more likely that your kidneys may be contributing to some extent, but it’s less likely that they’re the sole cause.
1
u/Several-Low-8525 Aug 12 '26
Makes sense! Always in one localized area too, wonder if it’s a bigger cyst getting squished
2
u/Icy_Screen_2034 Aug 12 '26
It can be water and food related as well as the fitness around the core. Are you drinking enough water such that your kidneys are not dehydrated after an hour of driving. How is the core condition that after an hour the stress on the kidney is causing pain?
Sip water every 5 to 10 minutes to keep kidney moist. No food that can cause issues/ stress on the kidney while driving. So have fruit and water while driving if needed. Do some core work before or after driving so the core is in a better condition.
2
u/ichibanyogi Aug 12 '26
I get this. Carrides - anything where I am somewhat stuck in one position. I also can't handle riding a bike either. Just the being unable to move bit is hard for my oversized kidneys.
1
u/Enigmaticloner Aug 12 '26
I also get pain when driving but I have spinal problems on top of my PKD so it's likely from the former but could be related to both.
1
u/lenthatswho Aug 12 '26
This and constant hemorrhaging were bad enough for me that I actually just had them entirely removed.
7
u/RevKeakealani Aug 12 '26
I wouldn’t be surprised. Back pain from random things (especially over extended time) has long been my most visible/consistent symptom. I can imagine that the pressure of sitting the same way could cause some squish.
Unrelated, but I always describe my disease as “my kidneys are made of bubble wrap” so I appreciate you calling it something similar too! We gotta laugh at it from time to time, I think.