Kidney Stones

Kodiak450 · January 3, 2009

Has anyone here ever had a kidney stone? I had one months ago (my first one too). I also was not able to crap for over 5 days! Not that I had to go, just nothing there. I wasn't sure if that not having to go for 5 days had anything to do with the stone, but all I know is when the stone finally passed, I was able to finally go a half hour later. In the meantime, I took a bunch of laxatives to try an help me go, but it didn't have any effect. So I noticed yesterday I didn't have to go all day, and so far today, nothing. I am hoping this is not a precursor to another stone? The pain is unbearable and had me hunched over at times when walking to the emergency room.

For those of you who had never had a kidney stone, it is mainly caused by dehydration according to waht Doctors told me, but the funny thing is I was not dehydrated at the time when I had my first. The Urologist said to watch salt intake and to avoid eating food that has alot of salt, like pizza, ect..

VMax2007 · January 3, 2009

I don't get Kidney Stones...I get Kidney boulders.

Some of you may have heard this story already...

I had surgery in the summer of 2007 to have a 5mm stone removed after it dropped and would not pass through the Ureter (tube between kidney and bladder), they also went into the kidney and got a 4mm stone that was still hanging on. Any stone over 2-3mm max is typically unpassable and requires surgery.

I got my first stones back in 2000, twice in 6 months. The first time I went to the ER and they gave me morphine and I was fine after a few hours, never even felt it pass. The 2nd time, I got the morphine, but after it wore off, the pain returned. Turns out the secondary pain was not the kidney stone though. The kidney stone pain created enough tension that it sent my lower back into muscle spasms and I went through months of back pain.

Well, 7 years went by and no sign of any more kidney stones...but I guess it takes 7 years to make a 4mm and 5mm stone.

In case anyone is wondering, the surgery required NO incisions..guess where they went in? I was put out for the surgery, and afterward they had to put a stent in one entire ureter (see pic), about 12 inches long, between my right kidney and my bladder for about 10 days. Yes, it hurt the entire 10 days. Here's the kicker...when I had it removed, I was not even given a sedative. He went in through the front door while I sat back on his table and let me tell you....that f*cking hurt like you wouldn't believe...first when he went past the Prostate and into the bladder, then when he yanked that garden hose out past it again. It was intense and left me breathless for about 20 minutes.

If I ever have to have that done again, they WILL be putting me under. They put me under to put it in, they can put me under to take the f'ing out too.

I have been seeing a urologist since and he tried a couple of prescriptions to control kidney stone production, but nothing was working (based on my urinalysis results), so I am on my own and am supposed to limit my sodium and drink at least 100 oz of water/day. I do drink alot of water, but have not been very good about limiting my sodium.

The loops on the ends are to keep it in place, oneloop in the kidney, the other in the bladder. It is about 3/16" dia.

dlstewart01 · January 3, 2009

I have never been blessed with a kidney stone, knock on wood, but you haven't lived till you have had prostate surgery. had that 2 years ago. No good way to get to it either.

Don

txab · January 3, 2009

I don't get Kidney Stones...I get Kidney boulders.

Some of you may have heard this story already...

I had surgery in the summer of 2007 to have a 5mm stone removed after it dropped and would not pass through the Ureter (tube between kidney and bladder), they also went into the kidney and got a 4mm stone that was still hanging on. Any stone over 2-3mm max is typically unpassable and requires surgery.

I got my first stones back in 2000, twice in 6 months. The first time I went to the ER and they gave me morphine and I was fine after a few hours, never even felt it pass. The 2nd time, I got the morphine, but after it wore off, the pain returned. Turns out the secondary pain was not the kidney stone though. The kidney stone pain created enough tension that it sent my lower back into muscle spasms and I went through months of back pain.

Well, 7 years went by and no sign of any more kidney stones...but I guess it takes 7 years to make a 4mm and 5mm stone.

In case anyone is wondering, the surgery required NO incisions..guess where they went in? I was put out for the surgery, and afterward they had to put a stent in one entire ureter (see pic), about 12 inches long, between my right kidney and my bladder for about 10 days. Yes, it hurt the entire 10 days. Here's the kicker...when I had it removed, I was not even given a sedative. He went in through the front door while I sat back on his table and let me tell you....that f*cking hurt like you wouldn't believe...first when he went past the Prostate and into the bladder, then when he yanked that garden hose out past it again. It was intense and left me breathless for about 20 minutes.

If I ever have to have that done again, they WILL be putting me under. They put me under to put it in, they can put me under to take the f'ing out too.

I have been seeing a urologist since and he tried a couple of prescriptions to control kidney stone production, but nothing was working (based on my urinalysis results), so I am on my own and am supposed to limit my sodium and drink at least 100 oz of water/day. I do drink alot of water, but have not been very good about limiting my sodium.

The loops on the ends are to keep it in place, oneloop in the kidney, the other in the bladder. It is about 3/16" dia.

+1 Been there done that. Perhaps we can ll post pics of our kidney stones.... I had one, and to this day, I don't know how the f*** I passed that thing.

BTW Jeff, I've got a friend in the same boat as you when it comes to size and numbers of stones. Does your family have a history of this problem. My friends family sure did.

VMax2007 · January 3, 2009

+1 Been there done that. Perhaps we can ll post pics of our kidney stones.... I had one, and to this day, I don't know how the f*** I passed that thing.

No can do, they had to bust mine up to get it out. 5mm!!! That is almost 1/4" in dia, and they are NOT round. They are crystalline, meaning it's kinda like sticking hundreds of chards of glass into a styrofoam golf ball and then trying to force it through a garden hose.

MarkD · January 3, 2009

I had two on May 13, 1998.

I went with a bud to play golf. When I put my foot up on the golf cart to tie my golf shoe, I felt a small pain in my lower back. I figured...it'll work itself out. It didn't. During my drive swing on hole #6, the little bugger moved. My drive went about 20 yards, my driver went about 40 yards, and I went down on my face.

The ER nurse asked for my insurance information until another pain spasm (and I know of no other way to describe) hit and I fell again (imagine tazer testing). The orderly gave me a shot right there on the floor beside the nurse.

3 days on a morphine pump with them using a sonar (?) machine that looked like a dentists x-ray machine to try to pulverize the b@st@rd so it would fit into the catheter. The 4th day was spent back and forth between x-ray and the sonar (?) machine (about once every 30-45 minutes). Day 5 I passed something 4mm that looked like a "nerd" candy with a wicked hook (kinda like an apostrophe from he11). Then they took out the catheter. Let me tell you...there is a special place in he11 for people that remove catheters that have been in place for 5 days.

They said they wouldn't let me go home until I peed and crapped. They said that the procedures and the drugs my have inflamed the part of my nervous system that controls my ability to do these two things. By day 6 I had taken 7 different laxatives and was talking to the doctor through the bathroom door.

We went home late on day 7. After peeing blood for 3 days, I passed either the second half, or the second stone and was rewarded with another script for pain killers.

This was truly the worst 14 days of my life. I have cut off fingers, broken a thumb, collarbone, torn ligaments in my knee and shoulder, had toenails removed, not to mention a 4 inch piece of wood (splinter is not accurate)in my foot. Nothing else compares. My heart goes out to anyone that has had kidney stones.

Zembonez · January 3, 2009

+1 Been there done that. Perhaps we can ll post pics of our kidney stones.... I had one, and to this day, I don't know how the f*** I passed that thing.

No can do, they had to bust mine up to get it out. 5mm!!! That is almost 1/4" in dia, and they are NOT round. They are crystalline, meaning it's kinda like sticking hundreds of chards of glass into a styrofoam golf ball and then trying to force it through a garden hose.

OUCH!

UMMM.... JEFF? Not liking that new avatar at all. I think you can do better.

After all I AM supporting your Vikings.

Kodiak450 · January 3, 2009

Damn! My urologist told me about if you have big stones and waht has to be done, I surely would want to be out for the insertion and excursion. When I went to the ER, I told them I have a very high tolerance for pain meds because I take them everyday for back pains for years. They shot me up with their strongest pain med, but it didn't help. Finally the pain got even more intense and they gvae me another shot, and still nothing, pain was bad as can be. Finally gave me a third and then pain eased up and eventially went away. they gave me a script for some pain meds I never heard of, they insited that they were stronger then my oxycotin 40mgs, but I begged to differ. They said the amount of pain drugs they gave me would prevent me from driving home that morning, well after 3-4 hours in the ER, I was able to drive home just fine, had no buzz from all the meds, felt normal to me.

I know that too many pain meds can make it difficult to make a crap, but I think something else is going on here. I also know that the stone going into utery track has nothing to do with making a crap, but it somehow stopped me from going. I wasn't constipated, just had nothing there inside of me. So I questioned then where the hell is all the waste then? Everytime you eat, you eventially have to crap it out. So, so far I am closing in on 48 hours and still haven't went #2, it has gotten me paranoid now, thinking am I about to have another stone? I sure hope not.

txab · January 3, 2009

Just calm down and relax. You're only getting yourself worked up that this point. Not going #2 for a couple of days doesn't mean there is anything wrong. You may be out of whack for other simple reasons. Your diet during the holidays, alcohol, pain meds, STRESS can all cause you to be "irregular". Have you been getting much exercise or have you just sittin' on your butt? Get out and take a walk. Main thing is to not worry at this point.

MarkD · January 6, 2009

Get out and take a walk. Main thing is to not worry at this point.

+1

ALange · January 8, 2009

Just the mention of kidney stones congers up vivid memories of exquisite pain. I was afflicted a couple years ago while here in Iraq. The pain woke me up out of a sound sleep and the first thing I looked for was a bullet hole in my back and gut. I figured a round came through the roof (it happens) and took me out. I have made hydration a religion ever since.