So the follow-up visit to the urologist was uneventful. He said he sees plenty of cyclists and runners this time of year from dehydration spells during the summer. I road/trail ride about 60-80 miles a week during the summer, and he said that it was a likely contributor. Drink more water every day was the prescription.
Yeah, but my pain was gone the next morning—your's will continue for at least the next 20 years.Originally Posted by sauce_racer
Congrats.
F- me! Just had first ever bout with a kidney stone last night! Absolute hell. It hadn’t passed yet so I’m going through cycles of discomfort (but not like last night). I’m thankful for this thread… some good info if not just affirmation that I’m not a total wimp…
That really sucks, Eric.
I have spent the last 3 weeks dealing with a relapse, too. The first time since 2016, strangely enough.
The first stone was mild and and in my left side, and I wasn't even aware that it was a stone until the pain vanished in a few minutes. The second was excruciating 2 days later in my right kidney. Two days after that I had another in my left kidney again. 24 hours later, another. I was clear for a few days before another hit. Each episode was 1-2 hours of unbearable pain that I somehow got through without meds. Multiple bouts of screaming, tears and a side dish of wrenching my already bad back into complete destruction.
Then last Tuesday I had 2 separate 3mm stones decide to pass at the same time from my left kidney while I was sleeping. Apparently one was sideways following the other. It woke me up at 1am in searing pain. I expected a 1-2 hour resolution that never came, and 8 hours later decided that the ER was the best course of action. Toradol, morphine and some other fun IVs and they had finally passed out of the kidney into the ureteral tube (the pain comes from this horrible process, not peeing the rocks out). I've been able to catch one of the little buggers in the screens, but not the other.
For now, the pain has gone, and I'm giving up on looking for the other stone that should have come out already. I still feel like I'm waiting for the next wave, though, so emotionally it has been really rough.
My general doctor told me last year to take probiotics and increase my fiber intake after my first colonoscopy. Turns out, the Gatorade I was mixing my water-soluble fiber into is essentially flavored sodium and electrolyte water that was likely adding to and growing whatever stones I had that hadn't bothered me in 6 years. They called it "kidney stone fertilizer." I'm a dumbass. I won't be doing that any more.
Hang in there. The one bright spot in this horrible process is that once you "pass" the stone, the pain and discomfort stops almost comically fast. Like immediately. You almost feel ridiculous going from, "just kill me now," to "oh, it's gone now."
Not gonna lie, though, the toradol was pretty awesome relief at the worst possible time. Not looking forward to the insurance bills regardless.
Kidney Stones
Have had 6 of them so far and a few still left. Lots of really bad pain and once you had one you know instantly when another is deciding this is time to torment you again. It's a grin and bear it and if you are lucky morphine!
I've had about a half-dozen events and two lithotripsy treatments, so I empathize. The pain is not the stone traveling but the kidney objecting to not being able to release urine, called renal colic. I take Potassium and allopurinol for my type of stone, haven't had one in several years now (knock wood).
Pro Tip: If there's a really big stone that won't pass, insist on a lithotripsy treatment. Don't let them talk you into a "basket capture" procedure. Nasty and may fail anyway. Just pound that sucker into sand!
Had my first bout in March 2019, a week after my knee replacement. My leg had that issue where once traumatized, it had decided not to work any more. Went to the ER on crutches.
Things to expect - they need to do a CAT scan with contrast to see the stones. You. are not going to get that until bloodwork is done to ensure you can tolerate the dye - it can damage kidneys. My dad's kidneys, damaged from years of HBP and diabetes, were finished off by the dye they needed to do his bypass. Fix a heart, go on dialysis.... so figure 2-4 hrs depending on the facility.
During this time I asked for morphine. Nurse said "OK, but it's not going to help". And it didn't.
Once they figured out they could give me the dye it was only about an hour and a half to get discharged. Gave me a shot of something like liquid Aleve - nurse said that's the only thing that works well for the pain. The pain relief was literally instantaneous. And naproxen is - hard on the kidneys....Just lost a cousin from kidney failure brought on from years and years of NSAIDS for arthritis pain.
On a positive note, the massive dose of adrenaline I got from the pain must have awakened my leg. Walked out without crutches.
A month later, had another one. this time COVID was a full blown scare. They didn't have to do the bloodwork this time. CAT scan, shot, outta there.
Have gone to a nephrologist since. They test your urine and volume in a 24 hr study to try to figure out the chemistry of the stones. In my case it was oxalic acid + calcium. Oxalic acid is in a lot of food, in particular nuts, and I used to eat a lot of them.
If you eat nuts, it's suggested to chase them with a glass of milk. That way the oxalic and calcium combine in the gut instead of your bloodstream.
As a final measure the doc prescribed citrate tablets. The idea is to increase the acidity of your urine to reduce the stone if you get one, and it also helps in preventing them. They ramp you up in dosage and do urinalysis to see when it becomes acidic enough. Unfortunately a side effect is extreme leg cramping. So I take only 1/4 of what they want me to take, avoid nuts, don't drink a lot of milk, and drink more water. Beer counts.
When I feel a stone coming on I jack up the citrate and the water along with acidic juices. it's worked so far. Had two or three minor bouts since. Doesn't help that out here you can become massively dehydrated in just a couple of hours.
OBTW - the doc and nurse both told me that this is as close to feeling what a woman feels in labor. It's basically your body trying to shove an object that's too big for the hole. The rhythmic pains are contractions trying to move the thing along.
Forget morphine, Dilaudid is your friend!
Not this guy...
Follow-on to my previous note six years ago. You got to have humour in life and, when possible, in hospital.
I was in for a follow-up after a transurethral operation inside my prostate. Doctor was using a rigid cystoscope and I was watching on the screen. We both saw a small stone - he stopped and inserted another instrument. Next thing I saw was a pair of pliers "up there". He grabbed the stone, removed it and showed it to me - "If you have any pliers like this you could do it yourself next time".
I had never seen him even smile before. Happy memories.
Nuts? Nuts are a problem? I eat TONS of nuts. But I’m also very lactose intolerant so a dairy chaser ain’t an option…
This really sucks. Reminding me how I take feeling good for granted…
I was on Allopurinol but was one of the unlucky ones with side affects - possible neuropathy in my feet. or it could have been the statins, my bad back etc., but the Neurologist is partial to the allopurinol...
Now on Uloric (Febuxostat the generic) which the insurance companies give you a hard time covering - the neuropathy can act like gout (which is why you keep your uric acid level down anyway) so just keep it in mind.
I wish the drug companies would pay me for testing - one drug I had ALL the side effects!
Kidney stones can be diet or genetic - so if you have kids....and stay hydrated at the track.
ChrisZ
tums
Early last year I thought I might have been coming down with another round of stones. In talking with my coworkers one had said he had stones and was able to I guess dissolve them with a couple tablespoons of olive oil and real lemon juice chasers. I figured it was worth a try and damn if that didn't seem to make the occasional pains go away. When I really did have kidney stones about 9 years ago I thought it was back pain that came and went for no reason. these were the same type of pains just not as intense. Cranberry juice has been recommended as well and I did drink that too for this more recent occurrence. Good luck!
"My general doctor told me last year to take probiotics and increase my fiber intake after my first colonoscopy. Turns out, the Gatorade I was mixing my water-soluble fiber into is essentially flavored sodium and electrolyte water that was likely adding to and growing whatever stones I had that hadn't bothered me in 6 years. They called it "kidney stone fertilizer." I'm a dumbass. I won't be doing that any more."
I moved to Florida about three years ago. I started drinking Gatorade to stay hydrated during the summer months. Big mistake. I never had a kidney stone in my life until then. We determined the stones were being caused by the Gatorade and my high uric acid levels in my blood. I stopped drinking Gatorade and I haven't had a stone since.
Joe
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