Kidney stones - my review

Yes, was a brutal few years. I now have been kidney stone free since October 2010 due to the medication.

 

Just gave birth two weeks ago to my 17th child, 4mm. Dang stones

 

Just about every year in January mine start moving, it gets cold and I don't drink enough water. My back friggin hurts like a mofo

 

Been there and done it so many times im losing count.Last one was a few weeks ago.They blasted it.

 

It might have more to do with the 'not enough water' thing but actually, it doesn't really run in my family, nor do I drink soda. I've switched over to seltzer water.

 

Wow, seeing stories of those with 10x25mm stones, I guess I should shaddap about my 3mm stone. LOL!

Good thing is that a CT scan is on order for next Monday, which'll tell us what's going on in there; and lemme tell you, I've already started talking to my wife about how to modify my diet so this doesn't happen again (or doesn't happen MUCH). Even a 3mm stone is NOT fun.

 

Had a catheter put in once and I’m pretty sure the nurse didn’t deflate it fully before pulling it out. Was a solid 12+ months before I was peeing through Cheerios again..

 

The size of the stone doesn't matter as much as the make-up of the stone. A smoothe 10mm stone will move through the ureter better than a 3mm stone shaped like a jagged piece of glass, which tends to cause damage and scar tissue as it moves through, making the next one typically worse.

 

The only times I have ever been to the ER are from Kidney Stones and Gall Stones, both very painful. I was told by the ER nurse, they only give morphine to trauma patients like gun shot wounds and kidney stones.

 

they all suck

 

I had stones 3 different times. A combination of work stress and not drinking enough fluids. First and second time I was able to pass them with the help of Flomax (relaxes the ureter) and the third time had them broken up via the Ultra sound method.

For me, the worst part was the stones being in the kidneys. the pressure build up was the most sever pain I've ever experienced. Passing them to my bladder wasn't terrible, and when they left my body, I was urinating through a screen, to catch the little bastards. That was surprisingly not painful at all.

I wish you the best...

 

Way back when, I was training to be an EMT in St. Louis. Had a guy come in with kidney stones and the doc "trained" me on how to administer the morphine. I was that guys best friend after pushing down the plunger. Morphine is some serious stuff!

 

My wife had them while she was pregnant. Never seen her in that much pain. She says it made child birth seem like nothing.

 

I passed 5mm a couple weeks ago, have a 4.5mm waiting to say hello. Didnt even realize the 5mm had passed. 800mg ibuprofen and 500mg tylenol, I refused the "normally prescribed" pain meds that the doc wanted to give me.
Followed up with a different doctor and his suggestion is to up my intake of dietary calcium (said supplements arent anywhere near as good as natural stuff in food).

 

Actually that isn't true, and the best medication for renal colic is an IV/IM medication called Toradol, which is an NSAID. Also Morphine is not used much anymore, there are better options like Ketamine, Fentanyl, or Dilaudid. Morphine is actually the weakest option!

-T

 

Morphine is actually a weak narcotic compared to Dilaudid and Fentanyl! Ketamine is also a good option for more severe pain, especially in kiddos, and it is far less addictive than narcotics. As stated in my other post a medication called Toradol, which can be given IM or IV is the best option for pain from kidney stones, and it is an NSAID.

Basic EMTs and Advanced EMTs, at least in the USA are not allowed to push narcotics.

-T

 

She deflated it, your bladder and urethra were just irritated and angry, and you can sometimes get painful spasming, which happens more after they remove stents.

-T

 

Hah she was a he. And he pulled pretty dang hard getting it out..

 

Yep, in 2018 that's what they gave me. I was blown away that Toradol was an NSAID.

 

Dilaudid works well but still wasn’t strong enough (at least for me) post pleurodesis. Felt like someone hooked up a shop-vac to my chest cavity and was trying to suck my insides out..

 

I had one on hit at work! Drove 25 miles to my docs office. Sweating the whole wsy. They gave me some pain killer and told me to sit in a room for awhile. The worst pain next to stones is having a TURP and a Green Light Eneaucleation on your prostate. Having to have a catheter for a week after they have run a telephone pole up your junk to do the procedures. With the TURP you pass chunks of prostate through the catheter. When it plugs up your are in total hell.

 

Had the Doctor go in and get them "THE HARD WAY" twice. Rather pass a dozen more than do that ever again. Passed 5 in the last 20 years.

 

My kidneys hurt just lookin at those!

No doubt about it, they suck balls.....

 

...then get ready for the massive headache when it wears off.

 

Threads like this are the reason I drink copious amounts of water. It's recommended that you drink half a gallon of water per day. I easily double that.

 

Yeah, well believe me, while I've never really had an issue drinking plenty of fluids, I'm making DAMN sure I drink at least a 1/2 gallon of water a day (not counting other fluids) from here on out; and will cut out coffee and *all* dark sodas, tea, etc. (Aside from the very occasional hot toddy.)

 

That was almost 20 years ago so things have obviously changed. The part that was interesting was that kidney stones are treated like a gun shot wound. I think the last time I was in the ER they did give me Fentanyl. They gave me Dilaudid for my gall stones.

 

funny I just found this thread. April 20th i had a 3.5mm stone as well. Luckily I was already at the hospital for PT. 5hrs and I was out. I got out on morphine within 30 min, don't remember much but the pain was definitely a new experience . Drank apple cider vinegar every morning and cut everything but water from my liquids, and did 2L a day. Mustbe broken it up because I never noticed passing anything. Stay healthy and hydrate!

 

Well, called telehealth (it's included w/our healthcare) last Thursday and they said "Well, I'm concerned about backpressure if it's been going on a month."

So called the dong doc (my term for the urologist) who ordered a CT scan; and glad I did. This 9mm x 6mm stone isn't going anywhere; it's just been sitting around in a place it shouldn't be. Doc says it's oddly shaped so I can whiz, but that it needs to come out.

So I go in tomorrow to get it zapped. Thankfully, he says that 100% of the horror stories you hear are because guys/girls wait until the pain is horrific to come in. One guy who'd had 18 stones tried to wait...and when he finally went in, they had a team of docs waiting around, placing bets on whether or not he'd turn septic or not. Anyways, he said that even with my low pain level, recovery/stent for a week shouldn't be anything compared to what I've had because I came in early.

 

Appreciate it, though I'm not worried. I'm in almost zero pain right now, which means no post-op discomfort due to pre-op inflammation.