I'm just sayin'....

[Leonidas]

I feel for you. Just had a killer one about 3 weeks ago. Most of mine I don't know about until I see them. The ones that hurt... I had them pass in 3 or 4 hours. Or 3 or 4 days! Not very encouraging, I know. But like I said earlier, for me, a HOT bath is very soothing. Helps the narcotics work. I've slept in the tub many times, cause that's the only place I could.

May sound strange, but sometimes I've skipped the prescription stuff and gone with 3 or 4 ibuprofen and a Tylenol PM and actually gotten more relief.

You'll be surprised when it passes, that the pain ends immediately (like pulling a sliver), and that LACK of pain is an actual feeling.

Good luck and hang in.

 

[XD-GEM]

Dave,
there are 2 types of stones - uric acid or calcium. Either one can take its own sweet time to leave via the urinary tract, but uric acid stones are more likely to dissolve into almost nothing. There's no way of telling which kind of stone it is unless you can catch a piece of it in a strainer as you pee.

What causes the pain is that the stone, or stones, have little spikes on them that cause them to snag in the ureter (the tube between your kidney and bladder). When they stick, the ureter starts to contract and relax in very quick spasms as it tries to push the things along. Unfortunately, sometimes they get embedded into the wall of the ureter, and the spasms simply force the thing in deeper. Sometimes they free themselves, sometimes they don't. Sometimes it takes lithotripsy to shake them loose or break them up.

If these don't work, you have two options: a trans-urethral "basket" procedure where they literally shove a probe up your urinary tract and try to grab the stone; the other is surgery where they go in from either your side or back and slice things out the old-fashioned way.

 

[gocoastal]

Dave,
there are >4 types of stones

They all hurt.

Calcium stones are by far more common (my text says 83%) which are not affected by protein, but may be linked to the phosphoric acid content on soda.

People who have problems with protein might have a disorder in metabolizing amino acids. Those stones are not made of calcium.

Then there are the stones that are associated with gout and chemotherapy because the body makes extra uric acid.

And also there are stones associated with certain infections.

 

[Dave328]

Saw the urologist today. He says if they (I apparently have three) don't pass by next tues, he's going to go in after them.

 

[W1nds0rF0x]

Saw the urologist today. He says if they (I apparently have three) don't pass by next tues, he's going to go in after them.

You know, after what's been described here and to me by someone I used to work with compared to the gallbladder removal I had a year ago, I think I would choose the "go in and get'em" option...

 

[XD-GEM]

Saw the urologist today. He says if they (I apparently have three) don't pass by next tues, he's going to go in after them.

Make sure to bring someone with you to kiss the bo-bo.

Seriously, though, they do have to come out before they build up too much backflow pressure into your kidneys. We'll keep you in our prayers.

 

[my-rifle]

What causes the pain is that the stone, or stones, have little spikes on them that cause them to snag in the ureter

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!

 

[XD-GEM]

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!

Yeah, after my wife's 6th stone, I told her that if she was going to go through all that pain, then she should concentrate on making stones with some value - gold, diamonds, or at least rubies.

 

[CloudStrife]

Yeah, after my wife's 6th stone, I told her that if she was going to go through all that pain, then she should concentrate on making stones with some value - gold, diamonds, or at least rubies.

Make her start eating charcoal.

 

[Leonidas]

Hey Dave,

Been thinkin' 'bout ya. How you doing? Any progress?

 

[Dave328]

Hey Dave,

Been thinkin' 'bout ya. How you doing? Any progress?

Thanks!
Been about the same. No movement from those buggers since monday night. Been drinking like a fish this week. I'm a mechanic and work outside so I've been sweating it out as fast as I can pour it in. I have a sneaking suspicion, (and hope ), that they may have broken up or dissolved since I've been hyperhydrating cuz there has been no sign of them. I've strained every drop for over a week! The doc is damn sure gonna get some xrays to confirm they're still in my bladder before he does the roto-rooter routine! I just don't think they're there.

 

[LACamper]

Sorry Dave.... hopefully everything works out OK.

My other half suffers with kidney problems (actually lost a kidney some years ago...). Dr. Raju Thomas at Tulane is incredible (you'll see his name all over the WWII museum). If you need a second opinion give him a call.

 

[XD-GEM]

Well, if you're not feeling pain and if they were uric acid stones, they may have dissolved. That's the best outcome - no more intervention necessary, but you need to watch your water input to stay hydrated. BTW, the high concentration of uric acid can also lead to gout, as the uric acid crystals can float around your body and they like to get wedged into the joints of fingers and toes.

My doctor told me to check the color of my urine - the darker the yellow, the greater the concentration of uric acid and the more need for drinking water, even if you're not thirsty. The clearer the urine, the less likely it will be that you will have a uric acid stone (of course, that doesn't mean you can't still get a calcium one).