Looking for advice on Kidney Stones

[100AcreWood]

In April I passed a kidney stone in the emergency room. Two weeks ago I went to an urgent care convinced I had a bladder infection. They treated me with three different antibiotics and finally decided I needed to see a urologist. The urologist said he thought I was experiencing the need to go because of a kidney stone near the bladder. They did a CT scan that confirmed I do have a kidney stone that is 5mm sitting at the end of the tube leading into the bladder.

I'm hoping it will pass soon. If anyone has experienced this, I would like to hear your experiences. I never had a kidney stone until this year. I'm planning to get a 2nd opinion from a different urologist soon because the one I saw wouldn't show me my x ray or answer my questions. He just said oh it's easy to go up there and take them out. Any advice or experience you can share is appreciated.

 

[amcnj]

My father had them. Some he passed, but one was too large so they used lithotripsy. Sound waves are used to break the stone up into smaller pieces that can be passed. This was a while ago now, so not sure if this is still used today.

His were uric acid stones and I don’t know if the type also influences how they are dealt with.

 

[tinkerbellandeeyor]

It is they almost did the sound wave on me

 

[kimblebee]

They are the most pain I’ve ever had in my whole life. I thought my appendix had burst because it was on my right side. Then they asked for a urine sample and saw that what I peed out looked like Coke..

I passed two stones, each 5 mm. I am scared every time I even have a twinge on my right side. I never want to go through that again.

After all that, good luck lol

 

[lorimay]

I have had them and they are the worst pain ever.
Drink plenty of water to help them pass.
Stay away from soda too.

My 8 yr old granddaughter was taken to the ER twice over the summer for vomiting and severe stomach pains, my daughter thought for sure it was appendicitis.
When the test revealed no appendicitis, they said it was a virus. She was still so sick, my daughter took her to her pediatrician who again sent her to the ER and requested a battery of tests, we were shocked when they came back and said she had a small stone.
Thankfully she passed it that day and no issues since. We sit on pins and needles that she doesn't get another one.

 

[bcla]

My father had them. Some he passed, but one was too large so they used lithotripsy. Sound waves are used to break the stone up into smaller pieces that can be passed. This was a while ago now, so not sure if this is still used today.

My dad had that surgery years ago (I was still in college). In fact he said that my school's men's basketball head coach was in the same urologist's office when he got diagnosed. He said it felt like he'd been repeatedly slammed.

Apparently endoscopy is also pretty common to remove stones these days, although that does involve cutting through the kidney and removing the stones with a laser.

 

[JaneBanks]

I just had surgery (Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy or PCNL) in July on my left kidney and I'm getting my right kidney done in October. They were supposed to do both in the same week but I ended up getting a fever, then had an allergic reaction to Penicillin so they sent me home and scheduled the second surgery for another time.

First, I haven't passed a stone or felt any kind of pain. My stones were discovered accidentally. I have many and they are really big, so big that they didn't even try to use the sound waves to break them up on me. Instead, they went in through my back into the kidney, broke them up and took out the pieces. I had the surgery on a Tuesday, was supposed to have the other on Thursday and I was sent home on Saturday. I had a drain coming out of my back but other than being uncomfortable because of that, I really didn't experience any kind of pain. By the second day I was taking tylenol during the day and a percocet at night just to help me sleep better with the tube coming out of my back.

I have to say that I'm glad that they found the stones when they did and that I'm getting them removed before I feel any type of pain from them. If they suggest that you go through this procedure, I wouldn't hesitate to do it.

 

[Lori74]

i've had about 10 so far. worst pain in my life. id rather give birth. any time i feel back pain, i'm scared. i've never had one stuck in my bladder though, usually once they are in my bladder, i have a short time of relief. i have had 3 stuck between kidney and bladder though and had to have surgery, where they went up through my urethra. every one i go in for, they always say there's more in my kidneys. this is my life. they should be able to give you flo-max, i think its called, to help you need to pee more often. and drink lots and lots of water. best of luck to you!

 

[100AcreWood]

i've had about 10 so far. worst pain in my life. id rather give birth. any time i feel back pain, i'm scared. i've never had one stuck in my bladder though, usually once they are in my bladder, i have a short time of relief. i have had 3 stuck between kidney and bladder though and had to have surgery, where they went up through my urethra. every one i go in for, they always say there's more in my kidneys. this is my life. they should be able to give you flo-max, i think its called, to help you need to pee more often. and drink lots and lots of water. best of luck to you!

Thank you! So this one is stuck at the end of the tube just before the bladder. I'm nervous about the surgery so I'm trying to stick it out and hoping it will pass. Did you have the stent put in? The nurse said it would feel like I'm peeing razor blades after the surgery for 2 days. Then she said I would feel the stent until they removed it and it would give me the constant need to go.

I tried flomax for 5 days but I couldn't handle it - I felt dizzy, had horrible headaches and nausea.

 

[100AcreWood]

They are the most pain I’ve ever had in my whole life. I thought my appendix had burst because it was on my right side. Then they asked for a urine sample and saw that what I peed out looked like Coke..

I passed two stones, each 5 mm. I am scared every time I even have a twinge on my right side. I never want to go through that again.

After all that, good luck lol

How long did it take to pass those? My stone is also 5mm.

 

[Lori74]

Thank you! So this one is stuck at the end of the tube just before the bladder. I'm nervous about the surgery so I'm trying to stick it out and hoping it will pass. Did you have the stent put in? The nurse said it would feel like I'm peeing razor blades after the surgery for 2 days. Then she said I would feel the stent until they removed it and it would give me the constant need to go.

I tried flomax for 5 days but I couldn't handle it - I felt dizzy, had horrible headaches and nausea.

yes, the stint wasnt nearly as bad as the stones! it was uncomfortable mostly. i could barely go the bathroom before the surgery. i was just happy to not be climbing the walls. best of luck!

 

[Frantasmic]

If you can pass this to the bladder, the rest is not as much pain. The plumbing from bladder out is bigger than the plumbing from kidney to bladder. I've had several. I am a large, tall person, so my stones are in the 7mm size (like a small pearl), so it hurts a lot. It sounds like you are able to pass 5mm stones until the end for some reason.

Make sure you get a chemical composition of your stone so you know how to prevent. Many are calcium oxalate stones which can be somewhat managed by diet (reduce tea and other oxalate foods), increased water, and addition of lemon juice (I think that is still a preventative measure that hasn't been debunked yet).

 

[kimblebee]

How long did it take to pass those? My stone is also 5mm.

I don’t know for sure because I wasn’t straining my pee. It stopped hurting about a week later. My dr did give me a prescription for Flomax to make me want to pee more.

Good luck

 

[100AcreWood]

yes, the stint wasnt nearly as bad as the stones! it was uncomfortable mostly. i could barely go the bathroom before the surgery. i was just happy to not be climbing the walls. best of luck!

How long did it take for you to recover?

 

[martinm]

In April I passed a kidney stone in the emergency room. Two weeks ago I went to an urgent care convinced I had a bladder infection. They treated me with three different antibiotics and finally decided I needed to see a urologist. The urologist said he thought I was experiencing the need to go because of a kidney stone near the bladder. They did a CT scan that confirmed I do have a kidney stone that is 5mm sitting at the end of the tube leading into the bladder.

I'm hoping it will pass soon. If anyone has experienced this, I would like to hear your experiences. I never had a kidney stone until this year. I'm planning to get a 2nd opinion from a different urologist soon because the one I saw wouldn't show me my x ray or answer my questions. He just said oh it's easy to go up there and take them out. Any advice or experience you can share is appreciated.

I get them,,,, mine get to about the size of a large green pea. I had five last time.
Water, water, water.
If you can catch one you should be able to find out what is making them. If you drink lots of soda or coffee switch them out for water and cranberry juice.

May you have less pain than I.

 

[nkereina]

About 15 years ago, my dad had a fall from height at work and fractured his back. About a month later while he was still recovering, he experienced a kidney stone. I remember him being on the floor writhing in pain, thinking for sure he did something to his back. He had never had kidney stones before. We called the ambulance and they suspected back spasms, given his injury. Once he got to the hospital, they determined it was a kidney stone that was likely knocked loose from his fall. It was a large one so they admitted him and kept him on pain medicine until he passed it. I believe he was in the hospital about two days, chugging water, and peeing into cup each time to see if it passed. Luckily for him, he didn't feel it when it passed due to the medication he was on. He was discharged same day it passed and never had one again!

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

My father had them. Some he passed, but one was too large so they used lithotripsy. Sound waves are used to break the stone up into smaller pieces that can be passed. This was a while ago now, so not sure if this is still used today.

His were uric acid stones and I don’t know if the type also influences how they are dealt with.

They still use it.

My husband has had numerous stones. He has passed all but one of them. One was blasted with sound waves.

He has also had a stent. He said at the time that he would never have another one if he could help it. He had it until the machine was available and then after the blast, he had it removed. According to him, it was awful. He was limited in what he could do. He felt like he had to pee all of the time. And he was very uncomfortable, shall we say, for the entire time.

 

[Mika02]

I've had numerous stones and I've had to have numerous surgeries due to them being fairly large. I would work with Urologists and Nephrologist on what is your best options.

 

[Lori74]

How long did it take for you to recover?

id say about a week, really it was much better than dealing with the stone.

 

[100AcreWood]

They still use it.

My husband has had numerous stones. He has passed all but one of them. One was blasted with sound waves.

He has also had a stent. He said at the time that he would never have another one if he could help it. He had it until the machine was available and then after the blast, he had it removed. According to him, it was awful. He was limited in what he could do. He felt like he had to pee all of the time. And he was very uncomfortable, shall we say, for the entire time.

See that's my worry with the stent. The pre-op nurse told me I would feel like I was peeing razor blades after the surgery and the stent would make me feel like I had to go all the time until they removed it. Honestly, I'm not in a bunch of pain right now - this isn't like the first one. It's irritating my bladder really bad and I'm going to the bathroom every 20 minutes. I'm drinking 24 oz. of water every hour hoping to pass it.