Kidney stones SUCK- Question page 5

[kimblebee]

So, because some force in the universe has decided I haven't suffered enough this past year, I spent five hours in the ER tonight with a kidney stone. OH MY GOD how much it hurt.

I was home alone, as is normal most days, and woke up in bad pain on my right lower quadrant. I still get rare gas pains since my surgery so I though that's what it was. It usually resolves once I go to the bathroom but nothing helped.

I was scared that it was my appendix and the through of having another surgery while still recovering from this one was too much to think about.

I called my husband at work and he dropped everything to come home and take me to the ER. It was Monday so it was packed (24 before me) and they all saw me bawl my eyes out as I made my way to the triage desk. Luckily I was seen right away and sent off for blood work and a pee sample.

Then, OMG, I was sent to the waiting room and I waited for 1 1/2 hours before my husband went up and told them my pain was getting worse. It was at about 8 1/2 and I have a very high tolerance. They called me up for a check and they saw the way I was walking and clutching my side and pushed me to the top of the line.

The dr asked a bunch of questions and poked and prodded (why, WHY do they have to push the hardest on somewhere I just told you hurt?) and then said I think it's a kidney stone but let's do some x rays. So, off to x rays where they did 6 or 7. The results showed that yes, it was pretty sure to be a stone but lets do a ct scan just to be sure and how big. So, I have to call in tomorrow morning to get an appointment. They gave me a
Shot of something which is my
New favourite drug because it gave me relief.

So, tomorrow is the ct scan and then I guess I'll learn how to treat it. I was given some filters to pee into to see if anything is caught.

The pain was almost worse than anything I'd ever experienced. I hope passing the stone won't be that bad.

Anyone with experience can feel free to share. I don't mind horror stories, it helps me to know what to possibly expect.

 

[sonnyjane]

The only time I've ever thrown up from pain was a kidney stone. Mine hit at about 2 AM. I thought it was my appendix at first as well but then I started feeling the pain in my back and put two and two together. I was tempted to go to the ER but my mom had just undergone kidney stones a few years prior and I took her to the ER and there was nothing they could do for her, so with my bad insurance, I just stayed home. I drank a ton of warm water, took a bath, threw up a few times, slept on the floor of the bathroom, and took a leftover Percocet that I hadn't from a prior surgery. By the next morning I had passed it. NOT FUN!

 

[kimblebee]

The only time I've ever thrown up from pain was a kidney stone. Mine hit at about 2 AM. I thought it was my appendix at first as well but then I started feeling the pain in my back and put two and two together. I was tempted to go to the ER but my mom had just undergone kidney stones a few years prior and I took her to the ER and there was nothing they could do for her, so with my bad insurance, I just stayed home. I drank a ton of warm water, took a bath, threw up a few times, slept on the floor of the bathroom, and took a leftover Percocet that I hadn't from a prior surgery. By the next morning I had passed it. NOT FUN!

Sorry you had to go through that. I haven't thrown up but did get waves of nausea. TMI but when I had to do my urine sample it pretty much looked like Dr Pepper in colour so that's when I started to think it was a kidney issue, not appendix. I've read that when the stone moves to the bladder it's the most painful part. I hope so because that was awful.

 

[Mizzoufan]

I'm so sorry you have been more then you share.

 

[mamamary]

I feel so bad for you I've had kidney stones on and off for many, many years. They are horrible! I hope it can pass on it's own for you and that it will be soon. Hang in there!

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

Ugh Kimblebeee my thoughts are with you(***Not to be confused with "I'll pray for you"). Drink lots of water and rest up! I wish had more advice but it's just one of those things that you have to let the pass(no pun intended) even with medical intervention.

I had a kidney stones once. Like you it was just a pain in my side but when I went to pee I couldn't. My mother has a history of them so I was like, "Great... Here we go.". I called my regular doctor and she sent me right to the ER. By the time they got around to doing and reading all of my tests I had passed it on my own. It was so uncomfortable for DAYS with the constant full bladder/UTI feeling. It was even more fun because we had to drive to FL from central TX the next day. DH thought the toddlers were bad with their bathroom breaks!

 

[dish rag]

Yes, they do.

 

[Kingdome8]

My be the worst thing in the world. I have had stones 3 times. Threw up every time. I remember sitting in ER and watching like six nurses just talking around desk and I asked them what they were doing cause I was dying. Awful pain. And yes once u get that drug it's the greatest feeling ever.

My last one didn't pass. Had to go up and get it. Lol. No fun. I know barley drink and dark colas.

The passing of the stone isn't as bad as it is coming from kidney to front.

 

[kimblebee]

My be the worst thing in the world. I have had stones 3 times. Threw up every time. I remember sitting in ER and watching like six nurses just talking around desk and I asked them what they were doing cause I was dying. Awful pain. And yes once u get that drug it's the greatest feeling ever.

My last one didn't pass. Had to go up and get it. Lol. No fun. I know barley drink and dark colas.

The passing of the stone isn't as bad as it is coming from kidney to front.

I totally felt like I was being ignored last night. I was in obvious pain and while I was waiting to get my blood drawn I was sitting in a hallway where doctors and nurses were passing me by. No one even slowed down to give me a sideways glance. I know they're busy helping other people, and I'm glad they do but my feeling is that if someone is in such obvious pain, stop and see if they're ok.

Also, about 10-12 people were called while I was in the waiting room (it's an urgent care centre but it's in a hospital). If I saw someone in such obvious pain..I'd let them go ahead of me if I was called. Most people go to the urgent care clinic because it's in the neighbourhood so a lot of people show up with colds and minor issues. No ambulances stop at the hospital because they don't do surgery or handle major trauma.

 

[Meriweather]

So sorry you are going through even more Hope you get it passed soon

DD had one a couple years ago.....horrible. She passed it in 24 hours and then just rested and slept another day before going back to work. She is young and healthy and it really did her in.

 

[Micca]

Yikes! This sounds awful. Sure hope they can get you more/better pain relief to begin with and find a permanent fix for the stones.

 

[dish rag]

I totally felt like I was being ignored last night. I was in obvious pain and while I was waiting to get my blood drawn I was sitting in a hallway where doctors and nurses were passing me by. No one even slowed down to give me a sideways glance. I know they're busy helping other people, and I'm glad they do but my feeling is that if someone is in such obvious pain, stop and see if they're ok.

Also, about 10-12 people were called while I was in the waiting room (it's an urgent care centre but it's in a hospital). If I saw someone in such obvious pain..I'd let them go ahead of me if I was called. Most people go to the urgent care clinic because it's in the neighbourhood so a lot of people show up with colds and minor issues. No ambulances stop at the hospital because they don't do surgery or handle major trauma.

My experience in the US is you would have been taken back immediately, given an IV and once evaluated given pain medication.

 

[mamamary]

My experience in the US is you would have been taken back immediately, given an IV and once evaluated given pain medication.

I've been in the ER a few times with kidney stones and have had to wait like everyone else - even when I had a kidney stone while being 9 months pregnant. Last time I had a stone I decided to just ride it out at home (I did have a painkiller). This way I had my own bathroom since I was throwing up nonstop for a while. Luckily it passed. Only once did they have to go in and get it and that's the one when I was 9 months pregnant.

 

[kimblebee]

My experience in the US is you would have been taken back immediately, given an IV and once evaluated given pain medication.

If I went to an actual ER at a hospital, that's probably what would have happened. Since I was technically at an urgent care centre its first come first serve. Our closest hospital had 27 people waiting (we can check wait times online) so it was a coin toss. I wanted to get somewhere so we chose the closest place.

 

[tzolkin]

A few years ago I had to have my husband drive me to the ER. I told them it was a 9 on the pain scale and even said I have had three non-medicated births and it was worse.

I had to pee while in the waiting room and had no choice bit to go even though they wouldn't give me a cup for a sample. Of course, when I get taken into a room they won't do ANYTHING or bring in the doctor until I provide a urine sample. Spent a few hours writhing in pain on the toilet (nothing would come out). Finally start vomiting and they want to rush me in for a CT scan, but insist on a pregnancy test first (had to wait for a blood test). Get the CT scan and then the doctor comes in with results. He says, "This didn't present like a kidney stone because YOU WEREN'T IN PAIN". What part of "9/10-- worse than childbirth" gave them that idea I will never know.

Later, DH told me that next time I need to "act more like I'm in pain" because apparently if you're not screaming and uncontrollable you are not taken seriously. Also, the nurses said "everyone always says 11, so 9 isn't that bad". I'm a rational person-- 11 is not part of the scale of 1-10! And, to me, nothing can even be called a 10 because I can always imagine that there must be something that is potentially worse.

The stone was too large to pass so I was sent home and scheduled for a lithotripsy procedure the following day. It took several days before everything did pass and I was pretty miserable. I did not use any pain medication.

 

[bcla]

Triage is supposed to figure this out at most ERs. However, their primary concern is life threatening stuff and then things that must be done quickly. It's probably different with urgent care, but you'll be less likely to be dealing with car crash victims. It sucks, but pain doesn't necessarily mean you're going to die.

My dad had stones. Had to go to the ER twice when I was in college and I lived with them. After the first visit he insisted on going back again for the same shot of narcotics - probably morphine or a similar synthetic. I guess the general advice is don't get used to it.

 

[STLDisney_Freak]

I have had them once. Went to the ER 3 times before they finally got sick of me and took me into surgery to get it out. The stone was stuck in place and wasn't coming out. Worst pain ever. Worse that having both of my children.

 

[lucas]

Hate them!!!!!

 

[amberpi]

I hate that you're having more issues pile up, @kimblebee. I'll be thinking of you and hope you get better in all regards very soon!

 

[bcla]

I have had them once. Went to the ER 3 times before they finally got sick of me and took me into surgery to get it out. The stone was stuck in place and wasn't coming out. Worst pain ever. Worse that having both of my children.

How long ago was that? Since the mid-80s the most common way to treat them has been with sonic blasting in water (or at least when my dad had it done). I looked up the medical term, which is "extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy". The way I heard his was done, they targeted two shock waves to collide right where the stone was.

http://www.webmd.com/kidney-stones/extracorporeal-shock-wave-lithotripsy-eswl-for-kidney-stones

He felt pretty bad after it was over, but it's noninvasive and is supposed to turn them into little chunks.