I've spent the last 6 days fighting kidney stones

[Steptide]

If you have ever had kidney stones, you know exactly what I'm talking about, if you haven't, pray you never have to experience what I would consider the worst natural pain man can feel. 

 

This all started last Thursday. I have had kidney stones once before about 6 years ago. As bad as it was 6byears ago, it passed rather quick (1 day) and that was the end of that. I THOUGHT it couldn't be any worse than that, up until last Thursday. I'm leaving work around 5pm, I can feel that pain slowly creeping in, but keep telling myself it's not happening again. Fast forward 15 mins, I'm stuck in rush hour traffic, sweating perfusely and trying not to vomit. It was happening again. Get home and do only what you really can do, which is drink a ton of water and grin and bear the pain. The pain persists throughout the night until about 1 am. Finally some relief, however I then start vomiting what would seem to be a weeks worth of food and drink. My wife even said she's never seen some puke like that before. Anyways. I manage some sleep, but the pain keeps returning, more and more intense. My Dr tells me to keep pounding water and pass it. By Saturday morning, the Agony was so bad my wife forced me to go to the er (she has a friend who works there and they litterally walked us straight into a room). I was finally able to get some pain relief, but long story short, I end up being there until Monday, where they put a Stent in my kidney/urethra to help me pee. Here I sit on weds still waiting to pass this stone, and the worst is I have to go back and get the Stent out once I do

[row_33]

some colleagues carry around opiates just in case, some have signed up for that fish-tank therapy as well

 

i can't imagine how awful this must be!

 

 

[Nextmanup]

I am literally feeling your pain as I read this.

Good luck and I hope you are back to normal quickly! 

 

 

[BillsFan4]

I just had my first one ever about 2 months ago. It was awful. I pride myself on having a high threshold for pain, but this was ridiculous. The pain came out of nowhere right around 5pm and just keep getting worse and worse. I finally went to emergency care first at about 11pm and the ER afterwards (and that’s something I don’t do unless I absolutely have no other choice). Puked all over myself on the way there. Was shaking like a leaf and moaning in pain. Ghost white. Dripping sweat. I actually almost passed out as I was being escorted to a room at emergency care. Thankfully the nurse caught me and stoped me from falling. 

 

Very glad I went to emergency care because they got me back there FAST, and got the pain under control pretty quickly once they realized it was a kidney stone with a shot of toradol (I refused the narcotic pain killers). They then sent me to the ER, where I had to sit for about 3 hours before they finally took me back (thank heavens I had that pain shot!). 

 

It took me a week to finally pass it. But, all things considered, I was pretty lucky because at about 5am the next day (after drinking a crazy amount of water) I felt the stone move out of my ureter canal and the pain was much more manageable after that. 

 

 

 

I was hoping to never have to repeat this, but at my 2 month follow up at the urologist last week, I found out that I have another kidney stone on my other kidney. Yay! lol 

 

 

Good luck! Just keep pounding as much water as you possibly can. Hopefully you pass it soon! And Hopefully they’re at least keeping you somewhat comfortable... 

 

 

 

Edited September 25, 2019 by BillsFan4

[T&C]

I was under the impression that they can bombard these with a laser or something to basically turn them into sand. No?

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

all I got is 

 

You poor bastard !!!  

 

the painful ones were visits to hospitals 

 

knock wood  none in a while for me 

[Augie]

Oh, I feel for anyone who suffers through this! I know it’s incredibly painful! Best wishes in getting thru it!

 

Years ago I worked at a bank with a guy who had them. All they could do for him was tell him to drink a ton of water and medicate the begeezus out of him in an attempt to dull the pain. I remember sitting in loan committee one day and he was really suffering, and pounding the pain killers. I did get a brief chuckle out of hearing “Rick is drooling a little bit, so he will not be voting today.” Funny now, but it was real life then and uncomfortable for others just to see someone in that much pain. 

 

Lots of water helps with a lot of things, including gout (also no day in the park). Drink your water! 

 

 

.

Edited September 25, 2019 by Augie

[Boca BIlls]

I just go to the hospital where they give me a morphine shot and fluids till it passes.

[RochesterRob]

  A terrible experience that I only had once.  Thankfully.  I wound up being hauled to the hospital in an ambulance as I was physically helpless.  About ten minutes after I got to the ER it passed and I caught it in the screen they gave me while peeing in the restroom.  Proper hydration is important and reduced caffeine intake may help.  Been kind of a sucky past few days with a bug.  Puked up quite a bit and could not control my bowels for a few hours.  On the bright side I lost 7 lbs the past couple of days.

[blacklabel]

Yowza, that sounds horrible.

 

It's kinda concerning me so many other people are chiming in with, "Oh yeah, had those too." How common are they? How does one prevent them?

[Johnny Hammersticks]

1 hour ago, Boca BIlls said:

I just go to the hospital where they give me a morphine shot and fluids till it passes.

 

This is what I would do.  Sweating, vomiting and lying awake all night in pain?  No thanks. That’s why I have insurance.

 

Sorry you are going through this Bills brotha...

[OldTimeAFLGuy]

3 hours ago, Steptide said:

If you have ever had kidney stones, you know exactly what I'm talking about, if you haven't, pray you never have to experience what I would consider the worst natural pain man can feel. 

 

This all started last Thursday. I have had kidney stones once before about 6 years ago. As bad as it was 6byears ago, it passed rather quick (1 day) and that was the end of that. I THOUGHT it couldn't be any worse than that, up until last Thursday. I'm leaving work around 5pm, I can feel that pain slowly creeping in, but keep telling myself it's not happening again. Fast forward 15 mins, I'm stuck in rush hour traffic, sweating perfusely and trying not to vomit. It was happening again. Get home and do only what you really can do, which is drink a ton of water and grin and bear the pain. The pain persists throughout the night until about 1 am. Finally some relief, however I then start vomiting what would seem to be a weeks worth of food and drink. My wife even said she's never seen some puke like that before. Anyways. I manage some sleep, but the pain keeps returning, more and more intense. My Dr tells me to keep pounding water and pass it. By Saturday morning, the Agony was so bad my wife forced me to go to the er (she has a friend who works there and they litterally walked us straight into a room). I was finally able to get some pain relief, but long story short, I end up being there until Monday, where they put a Stent in my kidney/urethra to help me pee. Here I sit on weds still waiting to pass this stone, and the worst is I have to go back and get the Stent out once I do

 

 

 

...don't they remove them with some type of hook apparatus or have to ability to pulverize them to make eventual passing easier?....never had them but have read about them....good luck and feel better bud.....

[Albany,n.y.]

aI had really bad kidney stones 11 years ago.  I had a couple of minor incidents with kidney stones before then, but they were never as bad.  Ended up with 2 emergency room visits & 2 operations.  1st time I went to the emergency room they gave me some morphine, took some blood tests, sent me home to pass the stones & scheduled an appointment with a urologist 8 days later.  4  nights later I hadn't passed the stones, was in total agony and couldn't sleep from the pain.  I called the doctor's office the following morning & was told that instead of waiting 3 more days until my appointment to go back to the emergency room.  I went to ER, it turned out my kidneys had stopped functioning properly so they did an operation to put stents in to get my kidneys back to normal & scheduled another operation about a week later to surgically remove the stones because they were too big to pass.  I had the 2nd operation, they kept the stents in for about a month.  I missed 3 weeks of work and had to get a note from the doctor before they'd let me back at work.  

 

I had a 2 or 3 more incidents after that, but I was able to pass the stones and I haven't had any kidney stones in the past 7-8 years.  I take Potassium Citrate every day & drink lemonade every day.  

 

I never found out why I had such bad stones, but I think it was caused by eye vitamins, although I could never prove it.   If anyone is taking Clear Eyes with lutein and develops stones stop taking them & never take them again.  

Edited September 25, 2019 by Albany,n.y.

[BuffaloBill]

Sorry you are experiencing this.

[Steptide]

I do not believe they blast them anymore. They can go in with a laser and blast it, or I think they go in and physically grab it. Either way, they go in through your... Ya know, and get it. 

 

Also, someone asked about preventing them, supposedly a glass of lemon water everyday keeps the stones away. Apparently the acidity in lemon prevents them from forming. I guess lemon can also help if u have a stone, by helping to break it down 

 

The iv pain meds they gave me at the hospitol were the bomb. Started with a D I think. It took the pain away almost instantly and actually let me sleep. They were giving me alot of percoset in pill form, which would drop the pain from a 10 to maybe a 7, which really isn't all that great. The iv meds I really had to tell them I was in Agony to get. 

Edited September 26, 2019 by Steptide

[JohnC]

1 hour ago, Steptide said:

I do not believe they blast them anymore. They can go in with a laser and blast it, or I think they go in and physically grab it. Either way, they go in through your... Ya know, and get it. 

 

Also, someone asked about preventing them, supposedly a glass of lemon water everyday keeps the stones away. Apparently the acidity in lemon prevents them from forming. I guess lemon can also help if u have a stone, by helping to break it down 

 

The iv pain meds they gave me at the hospitol were the bomb. Started with a D I think. It took the pain away almost instantly and actually let me sleep. They were giving me alot of percoset in pill form, which would drop the pain from a 10 to maybe a 7, which really isn't all that great. The iv meds I really had to tell them I was in Agony to get. 

I hope you are feeling better and the stones are passed. Last year, I got a phone call from my brother who was in agony. I rushed to his apartment to provide some assistance. He was in excruciating pain. I told him that he needed to go to the emergency room because whenever there is such internal pain it can be a life and death situation. He stubbornly said no and said that he would call his primary doctor in the morning and see what he says. I told him that he is going to tell you to immediately go to the hospital. He called and the doctor told him to go to the hospital.

 

It turned out that he had stones. They gave him some potent pain medicine and told him to see a urinary doctor. He eventually passed the stone. As you can attest this stone blockage can be excruciatingly painful. I hope that very soon this issue will be resolved and you will be in good health. I wish you the best.   

[eanyills]

I’m blessed to have a chemical imbalance that improperly processes crystals so I’m prone to kidney stones.

 

So a couple summers ago I worked summer school in agonizing pain, just a sharp shooting pain, all day every day, that never got better. I have an extremely high pain tolerance, I’m very stubborn when it comes to things like going to the doctor, and I’m used to kidney stones, so I tough it out. Eventually, it’s just getting gradually worse and it becomes too much to ignore.

 

And that’s when I learned that my kidney needed to be surgically sliced into to remove the 3cm + stone. Pretty quick two day hospital stay but for two weeks after, it was like being crippled. Just sheer pain existing in trying to lie absolutely still. 

 

tl;dr: I’m an idiot and don’t ignore those kidney stones. 

 

 

 

Edited September 26, 2019 by eanyills

[Hammered a Lot]

Had em 25 years ago. 6pm on a Friday sharp pain in my back.  As I was remodeling upstairs, At the time I was having major back problems so I thought I threw my back out. I had to crawl down stairs. Could barely reach the phone on the wall to call for help. Slept two days standing up draped over the back of a chair. Sunday 3pm went to hospital. Did the meds until on Wednesday the pain got worse. I told the doctor I think the nurse is doing some of my pain meds! Nope, the rocks were moving so I got a cocktail, Demerol & Darvin. So buzzed I ate dinner with my fingers! They passed at 7pm. Out of hospital by 8:30pm. Good Times, NOT

[Canadian Bills Fan]

Feel better buddy!

 

I hope I never experience this 

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

18 minutes ago, Canadian Bills Fan said:

Feel better buddy!

 

I hope I never experience this 

 

Imagine someone flicking your left testicle every second for 3 or more hours before you get to see the doc in an Emergency Room and pain relief (if you don't puke it up) 

[Canadian Bills Fan]

1 minute ago, SlimShady'sGhost said:

 

Imagine someone flicking your left testicle every second for 3 or more hours before you get to see the doc in an Emergency Room and pain relief (if you don't puke it up) 

 

 

Ouch!

[Gordio]

F*ck, I am sorry I even opened this thread.  This sounds excruciating.  Good luck to the OP, hope you feel better soon.

[row_33]

yeah, just get on your magic carpet and go get the miracle cure without pain, also take days and weeks off from other responsibilities.....

 

hope you are feeling better.

[BillsFan4]

21 hours ago, blacklabel said:

Yowza, that sounds horrible.

 

It's kinda concerning me so many other people are chiming in with, "Oh yeah, had those too." How common are they? How does one prevent them?

Drinking the proper amount of water every day is one of the biggest, and easiest things you can do to prevent them. 

 

That is what they believe caused both of mine (as of now, anyway). I’ll spare you the details on the test specifics, but I had numerous tests done to see what caused mine and the only thing they found (so far) was that I didn’t drink enough water.

 

There are other things that can put you at greater risk (like high uric acid levels or genetics as I believe they can run in the family. They definitely do on my mom’s side of my family. Almost Everyone has had them. Grandma, 2 aunts, an uncle, 5-6 cousins + my mom and I). If you ever have one they will do tests to see what caused it and if you are doing anything that puts you at greater risk as there are numerous types of kidney stones (calcium, uric acid, costing, struvite) and each can be caused by different things. Mine were/are calcium stones and appear to be caused by me not drinking enough water. 

 

My doctor said to make sure I drink at least 2 liters of water each day. He also said Lemon on water is great. Unsweetened. Just straight lemons/lemon juice in water. 

 

 

 

[Ted Striker]

22 hours ago, Boca BIlls said:

I just go to the hospital where they give me a morphine shot and fluids till it passes.

 

The hospital! What is it?

[DaBillsFanSince1973]

had my first one last year. worst pain was when it passed through the ureter. when passing through the ureter it has some kind of squeezing reflex and when it squeezes the pain is pretty  intense wrenching pain.

 

I went to the hospital and they did some xrays and by the time the dr came in with the diagnosis the pain had subsided. 

 

she said it likely had passed in to the bladder was why I wasn't hurting anymore and sent me home with a screened cup to piss in and the next morning I passed it.

 

 looking at the damn thing it was no wonder it was so painful, it looked like a sand spur with all these pointed edges.

 

thing was, it didn't hurt much at all when it took its final departure from my body.

 

good luck OP.

Edited September 26, 2019 by DaBillsFanSince1973

[Steptide]

36 minutes ago, DaBillsFanSince1973 said:

had my first one last year. worst pain was when it passed through the ureter. when passing through the ureter it has some kind of squeezing reflex and when it squeezes the pain is pretty  intense wrenching pain.

 

I went to the hospital and they did some xrays and by the time the dr came in with the diagnosis the pain had subsided. 

 

she said it likely had passed in to the bladder was why I wasn't hurting anymore and sent me home with a screened cup to piss in and the next morning I passed it.

 

 looking at the damn thing it was no wonder it was so painful, it looked like a sand spur with all these pointed edges.

 

thing was, it didn't hurt much at all when it took its final departure from my body.

 

good luck OP.

Reason for that is, your urethra that goes from your bladder out is bigger than the ones that connect from the kidneys to the bladder. Generally once the stone reaches your bladder, you're home free. Mine unfortunately is still in my kidney. I actually have to go back to the hospital next Tuesday so they can go back in and blast it with a laser. Just found out this morning. This sucks. 

[DaBillsFanSince1973]

Just now, Steptide said:

Reason for that is, your urethra that goes from your bladder out is bigger than the ones that connect from the kidneys to the bladder. Generally once the stone reaches your bladder, you're home free. Mine unfortunately is still in my kidney. I actually have to go back to the hospital next Tuesday so they can go back in and blast it with a laser. Just found out this morning. This sucks. 

oh, I know it is. it took about two days to pass for me when all was said and done. your situation is obviously worse. since then I drink plenty of water each day to keep things flushing through smoothly.

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

3 hours ago, Ted Striker said:

 

The hospital! What is it?

 

It’s a place you go to when you are doubled over in a fetal position moaning in agony.  

 

The sooner the better 

[Augie]

There are a lot of things in life you wish you never had to learn about. This is high on that list. 

[ICanSleepWhenI'mDead]

Want possible relief (I stress possible)?

 

WebMD is a respected medical information web site, so this isn't a joke - - it's real:

 

https://www.webmd.com/kidney-stones/news/20160928/kidney-stone-roller-coaster

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

38 minutes ago, ICanSleepWhenI'mDead said:

Want possible relief (I stress possible)?

 

WebMD is a respected medical information web site, so this isn't a joke - - it's real:

 

https://www.webmd.com/kidney-stones/news/20160928/kidney-stone-roller-coaster

Small stones.  

 

I’ve had 4 or 5 minor ones.  Sure I can credit a roller coaster ride.   I can blame the same ride for making me puke ? too.  

 

? 

[DC Tom]

1 hour ago, ICanSleepWhenI'mDead said:

Want possible relief (I stress possible)?

 

WebMD is a respected medical information web site, so this isn't a joke - - it's real:

 

https://www.webmd.com/kidney-stones/news/20160928/kidney-stone-roller-coaster

 

Wouldn't surprise me.

 

First one I had, I got so dehydrated they had to put me on two IVs in the ER.  They ultimately gave me a contrast dye for tests, and the dye was heavy enough to force it out.  They told me "Yeah, that happens a lot."

 

The most remarkable thing for me was that it's immediate relief.  I went in five minutes from absolute agony to being perfectly fine.  I went straight from the ER to a bar, and felt none the worse for it.

[RochesterRob]

22 hours ago, DC Tom said:

 

Wouldn't surprise me.

 

First one I had, I got so dehydrated they had to put me on two IVs in the ER.  They ultimately gave me a contrast dye for tests, and the dye was heavy enough to force it out.  They told me "Yeah, that happens a lot."

 

The most remarkable thing for me was that it's immediate relief.  I went in five minutes from absolute agony to being perfectly fine.  I went straight from the ER to a bar, and felt none the worse for it.

  Same for me.  I went into the ER restroom and peed it out and almost instantly I was feeling fine other than a little fatigue. Very difficult to see with the naked eye and the inexperienced nurse had wondered if I had caught it with the screen until reminded of that possibility.  

[Steptide]

22 hours ago, DC Tom said:

 

Wouldn't surprise me.

 

First one I had, I got so dehydrated they had to put me on two IVs in the ER.  They ultimately gave me a contrast dye for tests, and the dye was heavy enough to force it out.  They told me "Yeah, that happens a lot."

 

The most remarkable thing for me was that it's immediate relief.  I went in five minutes from absolute agony to being perfectly fine.  I went straight from the ER to a bar, and felt none the worse for it.

That's how I was the first time I had them. Worst pain ever followed by being completely normal and feeling fine. This time however, it's been over a week and this stone refuses to move. Cannot wait for all this to be over and feeling normal again 

[BillsFan4]

On 9/26/2019 at 8:03 PM, ICanSleepWhenI'mDead said:

Want possible relief (I stress possible)?

 

WebMD is a respected medical information web site, so this isn't a joke - - it's real:

 

https://www.webmd.com/kidney-stones/news/20160928/kidney-stone-roller-coaster

 

Another fun way to gain some potential relief (in more way than one...lol) -

 

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/seriouslyscience/2015/10/12/having-sex-might-help-you-pass-a-kidney-stone/#.XY6kMRopBvI

 

 

[KRC]

On 9/26/2019 at 2:30 PM, BillsFan4 said:

Drinking the proper amount of water every day is one of the biggest, and easiest things you can do to prevent them. 

 

That is what they believe caused both of mine (as of now, anyway). I’ll spare you the details on the test specifics, but I had numerous tests done to see what caused mine and the only thing they found (so far) was that I didn’t drink enough water.

 

 

That was the cause of mine back in June. 

[BillnutinHouston]

I had my kidneys screened a few years ago and was told I have one sitting in my kidney.  Just waiting for the day the pain comes.  

 

Have had gout off and on for 20 years now and at certain times that pain was bad, to the point that I wanted to saw my own foot off.  Rough stuff.

[Buffalo Barbarian]

On 9/25/2019 at 1:38 PM, Steptide said:

If you have ever had kidney stones, you know exactly what I'm talking about, if you haven't, pray you never have to experience what I would consider the worst natural pain man can feel. 

 

This all started last Thursday. I have had kidney stones once before about 6 years ago. As bad as it was 6byears ago, it passed rather quick (1 day) and that was the end of that. I THOUGHT it couldn't be any worse than that, up until last Thursday. I'm leaving work around 5pm, I can feel that pain slowly creeping in, but keep telling myself it's not happening again. Fast forward 15 mins, I'm stuck in rush hour traffic, sweating perfusely and trying not to vomit. It was happening again. Get home and do only what you really can do, which is drink a ton of water and grin and bear the pain. The pain persists throughout the night until about 1 am. Finally some relief, however I then start vomiting what would seem to be a weeks worth of food and drink. My wife even said she's never seen some puke like that before. Anyways. I manage some sleep, but the pain keeps returning, more and more intense. My Dr tells me to keep pounding water and pass it. By Saturday morning, the Agony was so bad my wife forced me to go to the er (she has a friend who works there and they litterally walked us straight into a room). I was finally able to get some pain relief, but long story short, I end up being there until Monday, where they put a Stent in my kidney/urethra to help me pee. Here I sit on weds still waiting to pass this stone, and the worst is I have to go back and get the Stent out once I do

 

Cant they do ultrasound and break up the stones?? A friend of mine had it done.

 

 

[Steptide]

4 hours ago, Buffalo Barbarian said:

 

Cant they do ultrasound and break up the stones?? A friend of mine had it done.

 

 

I don't know if they do that anymore. I'm actually about to leave for the hospital to have them blasted with laser. They actually go in your kidney though