Medical Suffering from Kidney Stones: My Story

[Jimmy Snyder]

Who here suffers from kidney stones? I have been passing them from time to time since I was 30. I started out slowly, but in the past few years it's been two a year. I had a couple removed surgically including one that was an inch in diameter. I mention it because I just passed one earlier today that was half a centimeter. It was the sixth one since October.

 

[Moonbear]

A half centimeter?! OW!

Have you made any alterations to your diet to try to prevent them? Avoiding certain types of foods can help avoid some types of stones. If this isn't something you've done or considered, talk to your doctor about that possibility. I don't know if it will work for the type you have (there are different types of stones, as you probably know well if you've been dealing with this for a while and so frequently).

 

[Evo]

Who here suffers from kidney stones? I have been passing them from time to time since I was 30. I started out slowly, but in the past few years it's been two a year. I had a couple removed surgically including one that was an inch in diameter. I mention it because I just passed one earlier today that was half a centimeter. It was the sixth one since October.

The can disintegrate those with lasers now. I know they're extremely painful to pass.

 

[turbo]

1/2 cm? OUCH! I suffered from them briefly about 15 years ago when I was traveling in my work, eating in restaurants, and just generally not getting proper nutrition. I started avoiding milk, ate more salads and fresh vegetables and fruits and juices and haven't had a problem since. The worst was when I was on a road trip with co-workers from Atlanta to the Gulf Coast of FL and I was crippled with pain. I was the featured presenter at a proposal meeting the next morning and when we got to our hotel, I told my manager that if he wanted any kind of presentation, he'd better go out and buy me a few 6-packs of beer. He did it, and I drank beer until I had to urinate so badly, I was in almost as bad pain from the stretched bladder as from the stone. The pain was pretty intense (though localized, and believe me, I knew where that stone was every mm of the way) and I heaved a big sigh of relief when I heard it "ting" against the toilet. I do not recommend this method of self-treatment for others, but if you are in intense pain and you've got a contract worth maybe $1/4M hanging on a meeting, you might want to consider giving it a try.

 

[JasonRox]

I would recommend looking into your diet too. Also increasing water intake is known to help too.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

The first stone I had was made of uric acid. As a result I was told to reduce my protein intake, take alipurinol and drink lots of water. The second stone was made of calcium and I was told to reduce my calcium intake and drink lots of water. My current urologist thought he would get at the root of the problem and had me take a 24 hour urine test. He sent that along with a stone to the FBI somewhere in Washington, but the result was that he doesn't know why I make stones, but I should drink lots of water.

I've had surgery in combination with laser treatment, and a couple of ultrasound treatments. But most of the time they pass without medical attention. I just need pain killer for the ride down. The pain can be quite eye-opening. I use oxycodone, but the medicine makes me foggy, constipated, and nauseous. It beats me how people can take it for recreation.

 

[turbo]

The first stone I had was made of uric acid. As a result I was told to reduce my protein intake, take alipurinol and drink lots of water. The second stone was made of calcium and I was told to reduce my calcium intake and drink lots of water. My current urologist thought he would get at the root of the problem and had me take a 24 hour urine test. He sent that along with a stone to the FBI somewhere in Washington, but the result was that he doesn't know why I make stones, but I should drink lots of water.

I've had surgery in combination with laser treatment, and a couple of ultrasound treatments. But most of the time they pass without medical attention. I just need pain killer for the ride down. The pain can be quite eye-opening. I use oxycodone, but the medicine makes me foggy, constipated, and nauseous. It beats me how people can take it for recreation.

Yep! I have had codeine-based cold medications, oxycodone, etc for broken bones, post-surgery pain, and I can not figure out why people think that stuff is fun or pleasurable in the least. I'm always puking my guts out or wishing I could, and just for the record, I'd rather have a broken leg than a session with the dry heaves.

 

[Mallignamius]

Okay, I'm feeling very light-headed reading this stuff. I stopped drinking soda years ago and have a vegetarian diet. I drink lots of water.

How long after it passes before the pain goes away?

 

[turbo]

Okay, I'm feeling very light-headed reading this stuff. I stopped drinking soda years ago and have a vegetarian diet. I drink lots of water.

How long after it passes before the pain goes away?

Pain is relative. When a stone is gone, you can have a migraine, a broken rib, and lower-back pain, and never notice them.

 

[Mallignamius]

Pain is relative. When a stone is gone, you can have a migraine, a broken rib, and lower-back pain, and never notice them.

So if someone beats the crap out of me, all I have to do is pass a stone and I'll feel better?

 

[turbo]

So if someone beats the crap out of me, all I have to do is pass a stone and I'll feel better?

You may not feel better, but your pain will be in a new perspective.

 

[Moonbear]

The first stone I had was made of uric acid. As a result I was told to reduce my protein intake, take alipurinol and drink lots of water. The second stone was made of calcium and I was told to reduce my calcium intake and drink lots of water.

You could stop eating anything and just drink plenty of water and you'll stop getting kidney stones.

I don't understand why people abuse the drugs they do for recreational use either. I've used ketamine to immobilize animals, and as you sit there watching them paralyzed and drooling with their tongue hanging out, you just have to wonder who saw this and thought they'd want to try injecting themself with it.

 

[FredGarvin]

I can't imagine what those must feel like. My brother in law is going through one right now which they have measured at just under a millimeter. He has doubled over in pain because of it.

A build up of uric acid is also a sign of the onset of gout. Watch yourself there as well. Stay away from things like red wine if you are still having that problem. I know. That is not fun either.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

My brother in law is going through one right now which they have measured at just under a millimeter. He has doubled over in pain because of it.

Size isn't everything. Stones tend to be crystaline with very jagged edges. The path they must travel is just about 1mm in diameter. So even a stone this small can be pure torture. There are two different pains associated. One is the scraping and scratching on the inside of the path from kidney to bladder (the ureter), and the other is the pressure of blocked waste. Years ago I had a very bad stone that dilated most of my right ureter permanently. As a result, I sometimes pass stones on that side without pain.

If your brother in law's stone doesn't pass on it's own, his doctor may recommend that it be removed. If it has passed a certain distance, it can be yanked out (sorry if that's too much information). If not, ultrasound would probably work.

 

[waht]

I'm sorry, I've never had kidney stones, but I know people who had even my dad.

But there is an old school remedy passed by grandma that even many doctors never heard about. You have to drink a lot for boiled potato skin every day. No kidding. It not only alleviates the pain, but actually dissolves the kidney stones.
This little therapy helped by dad, and other people. Thought something you might try.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

I just passed my 7th stone since Nov. last year. At 3 mm, the stone was smallish for me, yet the pain was considerable. Fortunately, I had my trusty oxycodones. The manufacturer of these pills was ordered to pay a $634 million fine just last Friday for failing to tell people the risk of addiction. As I said before, this drug makes me nauseous, constipated and dull. Apparently, you can heighten these effects by crushing the pills before you take them. Instead of a timed release, you get all the effect at once. I intend to forego this pleasure.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

I just passed my 8th stone this year. This one was about 1 mm and comparatively smooth. There was no pain, and in fact, I wasn't even aware of its existence until it was already mostly passed. My urologist said 8 in one year was the record for his patients. I have until October to beat it.

 

[Huckleberry]

Let's hope you don't have to.

 

[Evo]

Isn't there some kind of medication to prevent those from forming?

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

Isn't there some kind of medication to prevent those from forming?

This thread is old, message #6 has info on that.

 

[Astronuc]

It's only 3 mo and 2 wks old.

My mom was passing kidney stones this weekend. She does watch her diet and takes medication, but she is still susceptible. She's planning to find a new internist.

I knew she's had them now and then, but she just mentioned she's had them on and off since she was a teenager! I'll have to quiz my brother and sister to see if they've had recurrent kidney stones, but I'm sure I've never had one.

http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/stonesadults/index.htm

Hope you feel better jimmy.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

Hope you feel better jimmy.

Thanks. I feel fine. This stone didn't hurt at all. In fact, I felt a slight twinge when it was coming down, so subtle that I wasn't sure it was a stone. Only when it came out was I able to think back and realize what I had felt.

I've paid my dues. Years ago I had a nasty stone that got stuck in my right ureter and blocked my flow for a week. The pain was amazing. That dilated the ureter permanently and now even 5 mm stones tumble out on that side relatively painlessly. This stone was puny.

My best to your mom. My mother passed one in the hospital when she had me, and a second one 55 years later. My brother passed one while in the navy and was laid up with it, I forget why. My cousin passed one and was butchered by the urologist. When he passed a second one, it opened up old scar tissue and created a world of trouble for him.

 

[Tsu]

I'm the one who does your cat scan when you go to the hospital with one of those. (Sorry about all of your stones! The pain -I'm sure you've heard - is similar to childbirth labor pains.) I'm also in surgery with you watching with real-time xray as the Dr. places the laser tip in your ureter before he/she blasts your stone to smitherines. :biggergrin:

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

I'm the one who does your cat scan when you go to the hospital with one of those.

We're old friends. I've been x-rated and ultraviolated too.

I'm also in surgery with you watching with real-time xray as the Dr. places the laser tip in your ureter before he/she blasts your stone to smitherines.

I've been through a lot, but not that one. I've had a nephrostomy in which he/she cut through my back into my kidney and then used a laser to cut up a stone and remove it from the quarry piece by piece. I've had something called a basket in my ureter to pull a stone out. And I've had stones blasted with ultrasound.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

I just passed another kidney stone, the first since September. For the first time in my life, I passed a stone all the way through to the bladder without any sensation whatever. It was .3 cm in diameter and with a very smooth surface. Up till now, my stones have always had a jagged crystaline surface.

 

[DaveC426913]

You should start collecting them and put them in a display. You could make the world's smallest museum.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

You should start collecting them and put them in a display. You could make the world's smallest museum.

I've got about 20 in a small case. I thought I might make a necklace out of them.

 

[DaveC426913]

Awesome!

 

[moose]

This is the only thread I've ever read on PF that has made me cringe.

 

[edward]

I just passed another kidney stone, the first since September. For the first time in my life, I passed a stone all the way through to the bladder without any sensation whatever. It was .3 cm in diameter and with a very smooth surface. Up till now, my stones have always had a jagged crystaline surface.

Jimmysnyder

I notice that your stones appear in the warmer months. I went through that for a number of summers. My Doc finally sent one in for analysis. It was a calcium oxalate stone. They have the very rough surface.

To help prevent oxalate stones there are a few foods and drinks to avoid. Among them are tea and colas.

When I first started having the stones and before one was analysed my doctor told me to drink plenty of fluids, and I did, I drank a lot of iced tea and cola.

Most stones are calcium based yet ironically being low on calcium can cause kidney stones.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

I notice that your stones appear in the warmer months. I went through that for a number of summers.

Thanks edward, I hadn't noticed that angle, I will keep an eye on it. I had an ultrasound test about 2 months ago and 6 stones were found in my kidneys. Today's is likely one of the them. I have had several of my stones sent off to the FBI to find out what they were made of. Basically it's calcium and uric acid. This last one is different so I will probably get it analysed too. Also, I have had extensive tests to determine the root cause of the problem but with no result. I don't know what to do about preventing them, and I no longer treat treat them but just take the pain when it comes. Like I said, this one not only gave me no pain, I had no clue I was passing it until it was in my bladder.

 

[Moonbear]

Do you let yourself get dehydrated during the summer? Perhaps you should drink more than the average amount of water? Sometimes that can help reduce stones for those prone to them. Do you drink tea or iced tea? If so, avoid that...tea can worsen stones for those prone to them (I have a friend who had that problem...she's from the south and would drink LOTS of iced tea in summer, and had to give that up when she started having problems with kidney stones).

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

http://www.healthfinder.gov/news/newsstory.asp?docID=617474"

Mea culpa.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

I'm going in Tuesday for another procedure. This time there's a stone that got almost all the way down the ureter from the kidney, but got stuck about 1 cm from the bladder. The doctor wants to go in there and pull it out. Meanwhile, there are about a dozen stones of various sizes still in my kidney. The largest is 1.2 cm. I've been taking a drug called rapaflo which is normally prescribed for prostate problems. However, it has been found to help in situations like mine where a stone gets stuck in the ureter. Unfortunately, the drug did not ease the stone out and so the procedure. Now for the too much information part - they won't cut me.

 

[Evo]

I'm going in Tuesday for another procedure. This time there's a stone that got almost all the way down the ureter from the kidney, but got stuck about 1 cm from the bladder. The doctor wants to go in there and pull it out. Meanwhile, there are about a dozen stones of various sizes still in my kidney. The largest is 1.2 cm. I've been taking a drug called rapaflo which is normally prescribed for prostate problems. However, it has been found to help in situations like mine where a stone gets stuck in the ureter. Unfortunately, the drug did not ease the stone out and so the procedure. Now for the too much information part - they won't cut me.

Oh my, you must be in terrible pain!

I thought they could blow those up with lasers?

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

Oh my, you must be in terrible pain!

I thought they could blow those up with lasers?

This stone was very painful when it was on the move a few months ago. However, since it got stuck it hasn't caused me pain. However, it does cause constant irritation. The plan is to either literally pull it out using something called a basket, or failing that, to cut it into smaller pieces with a laser. Ultrasound is out because the stone has been irritating me for so long that the tube material is in bad shape. Ultrasound can shake the stone rather violently and that may damage the tube. After the stone is out, a stent goes in. I have had a stent before and it was nearly as painful in its way as the stone itself. I wasn't able to make water without first taking a pain killer.

 

[Evo]

This stone was very painful when it was on the move a few months ago. However, since it got stuck it hasn't caused me pain. However, it does cause constant irritation. The plan is to either literally pull it out using something called a basket, or failing that, to cut it into smaller pieces with a laser. Ultrasound is out because the stone has been irritating me for so long that the tube material is in bad shape. Ultrasound can shake the stone rather violently and that may damage the tube. After the stone is out, a stent goes in. I have had a stent before and it was nearly as painful in its way as the stone itself. I wasn't able to make water without first taking a pain killer.

Oh you poor thing! There just is no happy scenario.

If I was religious, you'd be in my prayers. I hope your lovely wife and wonderful children are pampering you.

 

[lisab]

Jimmy I'm so sorry...that's just painful to read. I hope it's better soon!

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

I hope your lovely wife and wonderful children are pampering you.

You mean more than usual? Thanks yes. My son is even doing his homework without waiting for me to ask him.

 

[Louise M]

I have suffered from stones my entire life. I happen to have a stone right now in my kidney but it is not causing me any pain. Due to its location they aren't doing anything until it moves.

I wish I could tell you what to do with the stones but I have no clue. Mine are calcium stones and yet I am calcium deficient. In fact, my calcium has been so low for so long that I am now 34 and have osteoporosis. So obviously reducing calcium is not an option for me.

Good luck.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

I have suffered from stones my entire life. I happen to have a stone right now in my kidney but it is not causing me any pain. Due to its location they aren't doing anything until it moves.

I wish I could tell you what to do with the stones but I have no clue. Mine are calcium stones and yet I am calcium deficient. In fact, my calcium has been so low for so long that I am now 34 and have osteoporosis. So obviously reducing calcium is not an option for me.

Good luck.

Good luck to you too. Obviously, I can't give you medical advice. However, I think it's safe to say that you should see a urologist periodically to see if your stone is growing too large. I went through a period of about 5 years during which I was passing stones about 2 a year without pain and so I didn't see the urologist about them. Then I had a painful one and the x-ray revealed that behind it was a 1-inch diameter stone that had grown in the kidney.

I had extensive, but inconclusive tests about 10 years ago to determine why I produce so many stones. My urologist said he wants to investigate again and there was a set to his teeth that told me he was serious this time.

 

[Evo]

Good luck to you too. Obviously, I can't give you medical advice. However, I think it's safe to say that you should see a urologist periodically to see if your stone is growing too large. I went through a period of about 5 years during which I was passing stones about 2 a year without pain and so I didn't see the urologist about them. Then I had a painful one and the x-ray revealed that behind it was a 1-inch diameter stone that had grown in the kidney.

I had extensive, but inconclusive tests about 10 years ago to determine why I produce so many stones. My urologist said he wants to investigate again and there was a set to his teeth that told me he was serious this time.

The pain men feel is a hundred times worse than women, from what I hear.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

The pain men feel is a hundred times worse than women, from what I hear.

I can vouch for that. Oh, wait a minute, no I can't. A hundred might be too much though. Just by coincidence, my mother passed a kidney stone while she was still in the hospital having given birth to me. She always said that her stone pain was worse than the pain of childbirth.

 

[Evo]

GREG! When you move a thread, please leave a redirect!

I fixed it.

 

[gravenewworld]

Do you drink enough water?

 

[Proton Soup]

have you tried taking methionine? it seems to help my cat

edit: eh, maybe i joke too soon. seems it is used in humans, too.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1736401
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8766146

 

[Louise M]

@Jimmy. If your comment was directed to me, then rest assured I see a urologist and a nephrologist on a regular basis. Kidney stones is just the beginning of my urinary tract problems.

As far as it being worse for men, I am not sure how one could determine that. As no man knows what a woman feels and no woman knows what a man feels. Personally, I have passed out and stayed out due to the pain of a stone. Not sure how it can get much worse than that. But everyone is entitled to an opinion.

 

[Evo]

@Jimmy. If your comment was directed to me, then rest assured I see a urologist and a nephrologist on a regular basis. Kidney stones is just the beginning of my urinary tract problems.

As far as it being worse for men, I am not sure how one could determine that. As no man knows what a woman feels and no woman knows what a man feels. Personally, I have passed out and stayed out due to the pain of a stone. Not sure how it can get much worse than that. But everyone is entitled to an opinion.

Sorry to hear of your problems Louise, I hope that you can find some relief.

I think it's the anatomy of men. The stone, if passed naturally, has a bit farther to go through a very narrow tube in a very sensitive part of the male. So maybe they have a point.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

I think it's the anatomy of men. The stone, if passed naturally, has a bit farther to go through a very narrow tube in a very sensitive part of the male. So maybe they have a point.

The passage through the 'sensitive part' is painless, the pain is during the passage through the ureter, the tube from the kidney to the bladder. I think that's the same in men and women. Perhaps I'll get a sex change operation and settle the matter once and for all.

 

[turbo]

The passage through the 'sensitive part' is painless, the pain is during the passage through the ureter, the tube from the kidney to the bladder. I think that's the same in men and women. Perhaps I'll get a sex change operation and settle the matter once and for all.

I can vouch for that, Jimmy. I once passed a stone on a long road-trip from Atlanta to Dothan, AL. I commandeered the front passenger seat of the Caddy so I could slide it back and get all the leg-room I could muster. I had an early morning presentation to management, but was in no shape to pull it off. I got my project manager to buy me a lot of beer, and I drank beer and resisted urinating until I felt about to explode. Finally, I had to let it go, and never heard such a pleasing sound as that "tink" as the stone hit the porcelain. I was a bit hung-over during my presentation, but at least I was there and not in pain.