Kidney stones... a new level of pain

[Blah114aa]

Originally Posted by tyler1980

or the size of the exit point

now people are going to get really sensitive admitting how big of a stone they could successfully pass

True. I know a radio guy that on air says he has had a stone “not pass” for 16 years. He’s had X-rays... has pain every month, but he does t want surgery. His stone is 5mm but is prong shaped. So, it’s stuck in his kidney.

[JMtimes5]

I had 3 episodes in two years. Each time I just wanted to either be unconscious or dead. The pain was excruciating. I was writhing on the floor. Thankfully each episode only lasted a day.

[Blah114aa]

Originally Posted by emersm

I can relate, for sure.

I had two procedures done last year; one in March and one in December, right before Christmas.

Here is my thread.

https://www.rolexforums.com/showthread.php?t=592925

Thank you. I wish I’d have seen this before my stone

[El-Duderino]

Yup. I now have a good answer for the doctor when they ask my level of pain on a scale of 1-10. Kidney stones are as close to a 10 as I’ve ever been.

I had one, hit in the middle of nowhere while on the interstate about 200 miles from home. Had to try and make my way about 15 miles to the nearest small town that had a hospital. Took all of my self control to stay on the road. Doctor couldn’t give me much in regard to pain meds since I was operating a vehicle and had to drive back home. Pain subsided but I never did pass the stone.

Fast forward a month and the day before I was scheduled to see a doctor at Mayo Clinic about where the little sucker was, it moved and got lodged in my ureter.

Pure agony but I was stupid enough to keep my appointment instead of going straight to the ER. One night just lying on the hotel bathroom floor. Then one day of tests with intermittent lying on bathroom floors. The doc looks at me, looks at my chart, and says “Why the hell aren’t you in the ER?” He then proceeds to show me the MRI that showed where it was stuck (too far down to break it up with sonic pulses) and that the blocked kidney was twice the size of the other. He gave me pain pills that I popped like tic tacs (didn’t help the pain much at all) until surgery the next morning where they had to go in and grab it and pull it out. Looked like a little cat’s tooth.

Seems like every female nurse who saw me said that they would take child birth over a kidney stone any day of the week. It is just such an all encompassing, nauseating pain that is hard to describe to those that haven’t had one.

0/10. Would not recommend.

[swils8610]

Originally Posted by achenator

Going through this now. I went to ER with 9mm stone in kidney blocking the passage out. Mild pain but not too bad. Some infection so they put in stent to keep things flowing. Stent is so uncomfortable, constant pulling and hurts like hell to pee and a few minutes after. Fast forward 5 days I had lithotripsy. They tell me it was very successful but I haven't passed much except for some "sand." Still have stent in and it's as aggravating as ever.

Oh man I feel your pain...I had the stent in for a week. I remember the nurse telling my wife...and I tolerate pain well...if you hear yelling or screaming from your husband he’s not faking it, he’s going to be in some serious pain. The first time I took a leak...OMG. Dropped me to my knees. Whenever a took a leak with the stent in I sat down. Jeez...I’m quivering just thinking about it.


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[junamuan]

I swear to God hope this does not happen to anyone. I had gout attack once and it was so painful that I called 911. Never experienced kidney stones yet (knock on wood 3x).

[swils8610]

Gout sucks too! I’ll take it over stones though any day.


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[wisguy]

Oh yes, new level of pain all right.

Been there, dona that!

[Linzjnr]

Yep, had a 5mm stone rip me in half

Screamed in the house, the car and right into emergency where they pumped me full of (very welcome) drugs!

The stone was made of calcium oxalate and I was told to stop eating all my vegetables raw and to drink more water.

No reoccurrence in three years but I live in fear of it happening again

[wesdaniel]

I had chronic kidney stones from the time I was 21 until I was 35. Had lithotripsy four times.

The major pain is when they're passing from the kidney to the bladder - the time they're in the ureter is excruciating. Once they get to the bladder, the rest is easy.

I currently have one in my kidney, but, it's not bothered me, so, unless it starts to pass, I'm leaving it alone.

[milov]

I chose to recover from my hip replacement without opiates. But the kidney stones had me begging for morphine.

My commiserations to anyone who has, who is and who will endure kidney stones.

[Rock]

It is certainly an experience.
I had never had one before but I knew right away what it was.
My GP let me huddle in a corner of the treatment room for over an hour before he bothered to come in and casually suggest some pain meds. I have never really forgiven him for that.
They did 3 X-Rays before the Ureteroscopic procedure (so I was thoroughly irradiated) and then the surgeon could not find anything - so the whole thing was for nothing.

[Langnam]

Most painful thing that ever happened to me! I knew I had a stone as I went to the Dr. after pissing blood for a while. No pain then and subsequent examination s revealed I had a 6mm stone. Still no pain.

Then a few weeks later I had the “attack.” It was like a seizure. Uncontrollable pain, could not even think of driving to the emergency room. Wife drove me there. Against Dr.’s wishes I tried to pass the stone for a couple of weeks. Excruciating pain.
Finally decided for laser surgery. Worked like a charm, but then needed a stent in the ureter. Very uncomfortable for a week.

I haven’t had any problems since, changed some habits (quit drinking) and have been fine.

But, I still remember the pain. Damn...

Stone free for 3 years now.

Knock wood.


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[Blah114aa]

has anyone tried the pills on amazon? my doctor says they won't and don't work.. stone breaker.. he says that chanca piedra (whatever it is called) has not been proven to do anything. I will do everything I can hereon to avoid this. it was an ordeal and I am disappointed I am not alone, as I don't want anyone to endure pain.

What is interesting is.. when the stone is stuck in the ureter.. the pain travels straight to the tip of a male's... we all know.. it's a pain that prevents sleep.. I was vomiting when it all started, too.

[Langnam]

Originally Posted by Blah114aa

has anyone tried the pills on amazon? my doctor says they won't and don't work.. stone breaker.. he says that chanca piedra (whatever it is called) has not been proven to do anything. I will do everything I can hereon to avoid this. it was an ordeal and I am disappointed I am not alone, as I don't want anyone to endure pain.

What is interesting is.. when the stone is stuck in the ureter.. the pain travels straight to the tip of a male's... we all know.. it's a pain that prevents sleep.. I was vomiting when it all started, too.

The nausea was so strong with me, the ER Doc put me on some pill used for chemo patients to stop the feeling. Horrible time.


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[EliseoSey]

Never experienced this myself, but I once watched my dad going through the kidney stone attack. Did no look like fine at all...

[Lgear080]

Ahhh kidney stuff :/
I “had” polycystic kidney, with multiple ruptured cysts over the years. Ended up on dialysis for the better part of three years, but just got a transplant late last year. I cant imagine having a stone stuck up there ... ugh.

[tyler1980]

Originally Posted by Blah114aa

has anyone tried the pills on amazon?

half the time you think your are buying from amazon and you get a delivery from china with the shipping label filled out by hand written totally in Chinese, from some random individual.

no way i get meds that way.


Seriously though, they make it hard to know who you are even buying stuff from

[swils8610]

My dr claims anything bigger than a 5mm stone is nearly impossible to pass. Lithotripsy was walk in the park. Having them have to go in and get them is pure hell.


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[csfischer20]

Worst pain i ever experienced. First the pain... and then the uncontrollable puking. I don't wish it on anyone. I stopped drinking soda totally and no more stones.

[SunTzu]

Originally Posted by Vamp

That’s one of my most feared ailment to ever get! I hear it’s the closest thing to a man giving birth! I remember what my ex wife went thru! It was horrible!

Nothing worse than getting kicked in the nuts. If a woman tells you you don't know what pain is, tell her she doesn't know. These women endure all this pain yet say, "I want another baby." But you never hear a man say "I'd like to get kicked in the nuts again." Case closed

[Blah114aa]

Originally Posted by tyler1980

half the time you think your are buying from amazon and you get a delivery from china with the shipping label filled out by hand written totally in Chinese, from some random individual.

no way i get meds that way.


Seriously though, they make it hard to know who you are even buying stuff from

for this reason, despite the positive reviews, I won't try them. On an old thread here.. listed above in THIS thread, some people responded stating they'd tried medications or supplements that "break up" stones.. I am not saying it's impossible.. I am just saying my doctor advised, strongly, against it... it's amazing there such little information on kidney stone prevention. I guess they're not common enough, being 1/10 in Americans have them.

As for for pain levels.. it also depends on the passing of the stone.. we all know this. if a stone gets stuck in a ureter, there's risk to kidneys and massive pain. Mine got stuck, for example.

[Blah114aa]

Originally Posted by SunTzu

Nothing worse than getting kicked in the nuts. If a woman tells you you don't know what pain is, tell her she doesn't know. These women endure all this pain yet say, "I want another baby." But you never hear a man say "I'd like to get kicked in the nuts again." Case closed

love that picture.. Winthorp.

[tyler1980]

Originally Posted by Blah114aa

for this reason, despite the positive reviews, I won't try them. On an old thread here.. listed above in THIS thread, some people responded stating they'd tried medications or supplements that "break up" stones.. I am not saying it's impossible.. I am just saying my doctor advised, strongly, against it... it's amazing there such little information on kidney stone prevention. I guess they're not common enough, being 1/10 in Americans have them.

As for for pain levels.. it also depends on the passing of the stone.. we all know this. if a stone gets stuck in a ureter, there's risk to kidneys and massive pain. Mine got stuck, for example.

im not saying i wouldn't try it, but i wouldn't take anything without your Dr knowing and not purchased from amazon

[swils8610]

I know opioids are a hot topic in the US lately as far as abuse...but they were the only thing that would DULL the pain a bit, not eliminate it. Dilaudid in the ER is a godsend when the pain is so horrible. I had my gallbladder removed and another abdominal surgery done and only used Tylenol for the pain.


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[68camaro]

Originally Posted by milov

I chose to recover from my hip replacement without opiates. But the kidney stones had me begging for morphine.

My commiserations to anyone who has, who is and who will endure kidney stones.

When I got into ER with second stone I declined morphine while waiting for OR to get ready, I lasted about 15 minutes then agreed to morphine, it could of only been 1 minute though.....

After surgery declined opiates even though had stint put in, pain beginning of p$ssing was incredible for most of a week, then tolerable. As I said early, to p$ss had to bite down on thick gunbelt made with heavy leather and steel center to abosrb pain, teeth marks still in belt.

[joeychitwood]

I treated hundreds of kidney stone patients in the ER. Passing a stone is unofficially considered the gold standard for pain. (Though I imagine passing a stone during childbirth could beat it.) I could diagnose a patient with kidney stones from across the parking lot due to the contortions caused by the pain.

I once recall an NFL lineman lying on the floor in an ER exam room in a fetal position crying like a newborn. One it had passed, he said nothing in his career had come close to that pain.

[swils8610]

Lol. Funny you say that. The first stone I ever had was at 3am. Woke up and thought I’d been stabbed. Called my wife...she was my GF at the time to come get me. I couldn’t wait any longer and drove myself to the ER. It was close by. I half walked crawled across the parking lot into the ER and the doctor happened to be standing nearby. He looked at me and said “kidney stone” and took me right back. Skipped all the intake crap and stuff. He just asked me if I was allergic to anything which I’m not and pooped an IV in my arm and gave me an injection of something. Instant relief. I started to ask how long before the stuff would kick in...he just smiled. I couldn’t thank him enough!! All he said was don’t try to get up...no prob doc...I couldn’t even pick my head up!


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[cruise_bone]

Originally Posted by Rolex Essex

I know a few women who had them and they said it’s worst than child birth.

I have an Aunt who said the same thing. She's had 3 kids and 1 stone and said she would take 3 more kids over another stone.

Personally, I have had maybe 10-12, I don't know, maybe a few more. And I've not had one for several years so I fear that I am due.

I do not step foot on an aircraft without my Percocet prescription. I can not imagine getting struck with a stone mid air.

[cruise_bone]

Originally Posted by Blah114aa

True. I know a radio guy that on air says he has had a stone “not pass” for 16 years. He’s had X-rays... has pain every month, but he does t want surgery. His stone is 5mm but is prong shaped. So, it’s stuck in his kidney.

Lithotripsy is about the easiest surgery one can have. Not sure if that would fix this guy's woes, but it did mine.

And the final release of that procedure was one of the most amazing things my body has ever done. Sounded like a machine gun going off with metal pellets slamming against the porcelain urinal at the office. I means hundreds of rounds! Sooooooo glad no-one else was in there when that sucker went off.