MissyP89 Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 Fair warning, the following post includes talk about my organs. If you're not into that, escape now. A week ago, I was rushed to the emergency room with excruciating back and belly pain. I was given a shot of dilaudid and taken for a CT scan, which revealed I have two kidney stones, 1 mm and 3 mm, as well as a UTI. Armed with painkillers and antibiotics, I was discharged and told that I'll be able to pass them on my own. I had two more "attacks" of pain, once that night and again Wednesday morning. After that, I had a few days of pressure, but nothing since. I went to the urologist last week and he said they were very close to being out and he expects no problems, but to come back in two weeks if I don't pass them. So it's been a week, I have no pain whatsoever, I've been drinking well over a half gallon of fluids daily, and .... nothing. I'm a little paranoid, honestly. I move back to campus on Monday, and if they don't come out, I'll need to have them removed with an outpatient procedure under anesthesia. The recovery process would likely involve me missing class. And the thought of being invaded with a camera and basket gives me the creeps. So, friends...if you've had these nasty things, how long did it take to pass, how big were they, and what did you do? Please say some prayers for me. This is nerve-wracking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rachael Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 My fiance had them. He peed them out. He said a few words as he was explaining them to me. Sorry, girl. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homeschoolmom Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 If it's any consolation, I've heard kidney stones are worse than labor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissyP89 Posted January 11, 2011 Author Share Posted January 11, 2011 [quote name='rachael' timestamp='1294782732' post='2199091'] My fiance had them. He peed them out. He said a few words as he was explaining them to me. Sorry, girl. [/quote] I said a lot of words, too. In front of my mother. It was pretty ugly. [quote name='homeschoolmom' timestamp='1294782777' post='2199092'] If it's any consolation, I've heard kidney stones are worse than labor. [/quote] The nurses told me that. I felt proud of myself. I can't say it was the worst pain of my life because I've had major leg surgery with killer muscle spasms, but it was pretty close. And apparently they're about the size of a grain of salt. It blows my mind, haha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southern california guy Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 I've had kidney stones. I passed one the first day I noticed anything wrong (I had kidney stones in both kidney's... ). The other one took over a week. The hard part -- for both guys and girls -- is to get the stone through the ureter that connects the kidney to the bladder. That's the pinch point. Once they make it into the bladder you're home free! If you've felt good for a week than I would bet that you've passed them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BG45 Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 Dad's had them numerous times, and swore a lot each time when they got peed out. I'll always remember when he passed one when we were going down the interstate at seventy miles an hour and I nearly got a concussion from hitting my head against the window so hard as he pulled off slamming on the breaks. One time he had to have the outpatient procedure to have it blasted with a laser of some sort or something. Anyhow, as I said on J's wall when you asked for the prayers the first time you went to the ER, I'll keep you in my prayers about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southern california guy Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 (edited) [quote name='BG45' timestamp='1294795301' post='2199188'] Dad's had them numerous times, and swore a lot each time when they got peed out. I'll always remember when he passed one when we were going down the interstate at seventy miles an hour and I nearly got a concussion from hitting my head against the window so hard as he pulled off slamming on the breaks. One time he had to have the outpatient procedure to have it blasted with a laser of some sort or something. Anyhow, as I said on J's wall when you asked for the prayers the first time you went to the ER, I'll keep you in my prayers about it. [/quote] That sounds weird because you know um.. the urethra -- the tube that goes out the male penis -- is rather large. So there is rarely any problem at all there. No pain and it comes out easily. Absolutely zero pain for me. In case anybody wondered.. (People wonder about these things right?) Edited January 12, 2011 by southern california guy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BG45 Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 Dunno, it's always hurt a lot for him. Made me afraid of it, that's for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elizabeth09 Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 Some have to have take them out by a doctar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Normile Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 I have had about a dozen stones over the past twenty years, little ones like that are easy, well nothing about a stone is easy, but the small ones will pass. If you are out of pain you either passed them already or they have stopped moving. There is a book called the kidney stone Handbook full of all the info you need to learn about them. They run in families, so your fanily members have probably had them. Anything that is a diuretic needs to be avoided, the reason is that you do not flush well like you do when you have a normal urination leaving the substances that form stones behind. Caffeine is a diuretic, stay away from coffee, soda etc. so is alcoholic beverages. Another thing to keep in kind that sweating allows the fluid in your kidneys to pass through ducts in your kidneys to become sweat leaving the minerals like calciums etc, that form kidney stones to stay in the kidney to form stones. People who sweat a lot from exercise or hard work tend to form large stones! I had one about 15 years ago that was 44 mm, the doc thought it was a tumor at first, it closed down my uretha causing me to go into renal kidney failure, supposedly the worse pain known to medical science, all I know is that it was agonizing. I lost 25% of my right kidney from that stone, they did a procedure called E.S.W.L which used sound waves to break up the stone into 38 pieces I retreived by urinating into a screen funnel over the course of 32 days with a stint in my uretha the whole time to help keep it irritated so it would stay enlarged and not clog again. I also passed a bunch of sand grit and blood clots. The main thing you can do to help keep them from becoming large stones is always drink plenty of clear liquids, preferably water. Most stones are made of calcium oxylate another is Uric there are other types that are formed because of other factors such as disease, the docs like you to keep them so they can determine what type you form so they can tell you approachs to lessen the chance to form them. My first one occured when I was twenty after a six mile run I felt like I neede to take a leak and notjing but pain and a little blood came out, I thought it was from running in the 98 degree heat. I went home took a shower and drank a bottle of gatorade then had to go again and I heard the stone hit the tiolet then I bled and urinated. You have to be careful of urinary track infections as the stones when viewed under a microsope look like the southern sand spurs, or like a sea urchin, the have sharp spikes sticking off them, the pain you feel is them ripping up your insides as they move, which can lead to infection. Its not uncommon to have sever nausea when passing a stone either. Good luck and God bless you, once you have had one chances are about 90% you will have them throughout your life, so take care of them, and above all drink lots of water all the time, you will find yourseld thanking God everytime you have a normal urination. ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissyP89 Posted January 12, 2011 Author Share Posted January 12, 2011 (edited) Thank the baby Jesus I didn't read this before my shower. Y'all are telling me horror stories! The good news is I think the extra prayers worked...I passed something very, very small just an hour ago. It was like a grain of sand, but it was definitely hard. My parents both agree that it's something kidney-related. May be just a small piece of the stone or "gravel" as they say, but I'm okay with that. At least my body is cooperating. *huge sigh of relief* Phil, for what it's worth, what just happened only hurt a tiny bit. The crazy, terrible pain I had last week was when the stone started its long journey into the world. Thanks for thinking of me. My urologist determined last week that I got these from being constantly dehydrated. I never drink enough, and therefore don't flush out my system like I should. I've made some lifestyle changes and am now drinking my 8 glasses a day like a good girl. I'll do virtually anything to avoid that mess again. :weep: You guys are wonderful, as always! Edited January 12, 2011 by MissyP89 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BG45 Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 Definitely glad it didn't hurt that much! Will keep praying that it all sorts out easily. And quite welcome, J and I were both thinking appendix at first... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissyP89 Posted January 12, 2011 Author Share Posted January 12, 2011 So was my mom. I was actually in the waiting room at my other doctors' for a followup for a sinus infection (it's been one of those months), and I just doubled over like someone hit a switch. A few hours later I was running a low fever and mom called Mom-Mom, who wondered the same thing. Though I learned at the hospital that if it were my appendix, if you pressed on my belly I would have screamed bloody murder. With your kidneys, you can't really make it hurt or massage the area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BG45 Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 *wince* I'll keep that in mind in case I ever find myself in a similar situation...the belly thing. Still so glad it wasn't though! And hopefully you'll get better soon for the start of the final semester, no sinus infections, no more kidney stones; just work, friends, and fun and then Graduation! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Normile Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 I did not mean for it to sound like a horror story, I feel that knowing is better than guessing. Its good that you are drinking lots of water now, that will keep them from getting large and if you have anymore they will be passable. I am glad you are feeling better. ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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