Anyone Ever Have Shockwave Treatment for Kidney Stones?

[Michelemouse]

I will be having this procedure next Thursday and was wondering if anyone here has been through it. I'd be interested in hearing your stories...good, bad and otherwise...if you'd like to share them.

 

[alabamaalan]

Michele, I had the procedure done earlier this year and it worked great!

I was not put in the tub of water, but laid on my stomach (not normal but necesssary due to the location under a bone) and shocked through the back.

I was asleep for the entire process and it broke up an especially painful stone that had been moving around and too large to pass.

I'm sure everything will go fine and good luck!

 

[Kelsie]

Yes, I have had it done a few times. You are sleeping and it is virtually painless.

Just don't think about the fact you are placed in water, nude in a room full of people. When they took me in, all I could think is PUT ME OUT NOW!

Good Luck and you will be fine.

 

[snoopy]

Ditto the above two responses - a piece of cake, they give you great drugs to get you through, and most of the time its successful. I haven't had any problems with kidney stones since I had the procedure done 4 months ago, but if I have them again, I won't hesitate to have this procedure done again. BTW, I had the same procedure as alabamaalan had,not in water, just laying on a table where it felt like they were banging on my back, but not so hard where it was painful.

 

[jamsmom]

I have had it done several times and personally think they should ALWAYS do this no matter how small the stone might be.

My son had it once this summer, but he was too small for them to get it targeted and had to have another procedure done later.

ESWL.....expensive, but OH so worth it! Oh, I never had it while in water.

I do not like that they make me keep a stent in because I have spasms 24/7 as long as I have a stent.

 

[Michelemouse]

Thanks so much for all of your responses. I have a fairly large stone (8mm) that is blocking the tube from my right kidney to my bladder. (TMI?) It's been there for a long time...possibly even a couple of years...but hasn't caused me any pain at all. It did, however, cause some permanent damage to my right kidney which is not good....but at least you only need one.

I am guessing that I am also having the non-water version of the procedure as the RN that called me today mentioned that I might feel some banging on my back.

Thanks again for your stories. They have put my mind at ease.

 

[Pembo]

I had the water version, twice, The stone was too big to get all at one time. The weirdest part was waking up and you are wet! I don't remember alot of pain after, just being sore.

I didn't know I had the stone(s) until I got the flu once and went to the ER and they did an xray and it showed up. The dr said it had been there a long time. My only symptom was if I didn't drink enough water in the day I had that "urge to go" and didn't really have to. (like when you have a bladder infection.)

Good luck.

 

[December99]

DH had both sides done. First side was a breeze - not bad. Second side was a problem. We were in the ER that night and he was in alot of pain. He was a wake for the first one (but drugged) and I think he was out for the second one which wasn't suppose to happen (he was suppose to be done the same as the first one because of severe sleep apnea). We think some of the problem with the second one was he couldn't keep any pain pills down because he kept getting sick which may have been from the anesthesia. But he's been much happier having it done as he had two very large ones also. He had one piece that apparently never moved out however and this past November, while out on business in DC, he had an attack of the piece trying to move. Took him a week to pass it and it wasn't that big. He had the same procedure as alabamaalan and snoopy.

The best advice he and I would tell you - if the doc says to make contact with them if you have any problems or questions - DO IT!!!! Listen to the doc and follow his orders.