Kidney stone

[jfoofj]

I got to spend the better part of yesterday in the ER with a kidney stone. I went in with really horrible pain that was so bad I was vomiting. An ultrasound showed I had left hydronephrosis and a CT confirmed a stone, and it showed it was in my bladder. The ER Dr said that the worst of the pain would be over since the stone had made it to my bladder (I guess traveling from the kidney to the bladder is the worst part). They gave me Toradol when I first got there for the pain, which worked wonderfully. I also got some medicine since I was nauseous which was seriously the best drug ever. Pain is horrible, and nausea is horrible, but when you combine them.... well, that is just wretched.

So, I am home today and I still feel pretty awful. The pain is a lot lower and duller and comes in waves now. I assume the stone is working its way down, planning to makes its grand exit. This is NOT what I had planned to do today. I am drinking a ton of fluids, and they gave me pain med to take, but I am trying to just take OTC stuff because I hate pain pills and how they make me feel (and how they make me drink prune juice for a week later ). I'm wondering how long it will take for the stone to pass, and when it does pass is the pain be immediatley gone? I'm really hoping it is a quick process.

 

[mamamary]

I have been in your position many times. I am a life long kidney stone sufferer. If indeed your stone is getting ready to leave then yes the pain will be gone immediately. I hope this will be soon for you. I had never heard of drinking prune juice for stones. I know it is now recommended to drink lemonade/lemon juice.

 

[SnowWtch]

The more you drink the quicker it will pass if it's a small stone. The serious pain will go away once the stone passes. However, you will still feel some discomfort for a bit after it passes b/c basically it's a stone scraping your insides so it's going to leave some pain from the path it took.

 

[jfoofj]

I have been in your position many times. I am a life long kidney stone sufferer. If indeed your stone is getting ready to leave then yes the pain will be gone immediately. I hope this will be soon for you. I had never heard of drinking prune juice for stones. I know it is now recommended to drink lemonade/lemon juice.

Hi there... I can't imagine doing this multiple times! That is awful.

The prune juice is not for the kidney stone... it is for the side effects that I get from taking pain pills. They tend to really slow things down for me on the digestion front. It is good to hear that the pain will go when the stone goes... hopefully it will be soon. I have a hair appt tonight for a cut and highlights that I REALLY don't want to miss . My hairdresser is SO hard to get an appt with since she cut her hours down. I know that is a minor thing, and I am seriously just glad that the worst of this is supposedly over. It is not a fun experience at all.

 

[mamamary]

Hi there... I can't imagine doing this multiple times! That is awful.

The prune juice is not for the kidney stone... it is for the side effects that I get from taking pain pills. They tend to really slow things down for me on the digestion front. It is good to hear that the pain will go when the stone goes... hopefully it will be soon. I have a hair appt tonight for a cut and highlights that I REALLY don't want to miss . My hairdresser is SO hard to get an appt with since she cut her hours down. I know that is a minor thing, and I am seriously just glad that the worst of this is supposedly over. It is not a fun experience at all.

OK - thanks for setting me straight with the prune juice (I don't think I could drink that let alone for a week - lol). I have some stones now but luckily they aren't causing any trouble. I usually go once a year to have them evaluated. I've wound up in the ER way too many times. It's been about two years since my last attack. Most people agree that Kidney stone pains is pretty high on the list of worst pains to have.

Hope you are able to keep your hair appt. tonight

 

[dislaney]

Kidney stones are the worst! Hope it passes as quickly and painlessly as possible.

 

[Liberty Belle]

I've been in your shoes many times. I know how awful it is.

Yes, from kidney to bladder is when you get the excrutiating pain (and it varies on how long it takes to get to the bladder). Then when it actually comes out (and for a little bit before it does), you'll probably feel stinging, but it's nothing compared to the earlier pain. You're over the worst of it now. Are you using a strainer to try and catch the stone?

ETA: Don't be afraid if you see a little blood. And, unfortunately if you get a kidney stone you're likely to get another. But if you can find out what yours are made of, your doctor can tell you how to avoid them. That's why it's important to try and catch it.

 

[jfoofj]

I've been in your shoes many times. I know how awful it is.

Yes, from kidney to bladder is when you get the excrutiating pain (and it varies on how long it takes to get to the bladder). Then when it actually comes out (and for a little bit before it does), you'll probably feel stinging, but it's nothing compared to the earlier pain. You're over the worst of it now. Are you using a strainer to try and catch the stone?

ETA: Don't be afraid if you see a little blood. And, unfortunately if you get a kidney stone you're likely to get another. But if you can find out what yours are made of, your doctor can tell you how to avoid them. That's why it's important to try and catch it.

The ER Dr didn't send me home w/ any instructions to strain my urine, but I have been reading stuff online about kidney stones and that seems like it would make sense to do... I'm waiting on a call back from my primary care Dr to set up a follow-up so I will ask her her when I hear back from her. I didn't realize that dietary changes could prevent them.

 

[lucas]

I had a small kidney stone about 2 years ago. It was horrible - thank goodness it was only a small one.

To get it to move, I tried jumping up and down, all kinds of turning side to side and laying down and putting my legs over my head to get the thing to move. I don't know if that worked, but I did pass the stone.

I did strain my urine and caught the stone. For all that pain it was so tiny! And it felt like a little rock and was all jagged.

I drink fresh squeezed lemonade now when ever I think of it and squeeze lemon into coke and tea. And drink lots of water.

 

[Frantasmic]

How far down your side is the pain? For me, the pain starts in the back and rotates to the front as it goes down the ureter. The ureter is about 13 inches in length and varies in circumference from person to person. I've passed a 7mm stone before where 4mm is excruciating for some people.

If the pain is within 3 inches to the side of your belly button, you are mostly there. If it is higher, then you have about another day to go. If it is lower, you will have a last twinge of pain and then it will enter the bladder. You may have more than one stone involved. My first bout of kidney stones was 3. I passed the first one and had to have the other two sonically blasted with lithotripsy.

 

[Art 1]

When mine got into my bladder the pain was gone instantly other than some minor muscle pain. Soon it came out in my urine and there was no pain in that.