Kidney Stone(s) - 0 out of 5 Stars, Do Not Recommend

[Scuzz]

I have had my gall bladder out after passing a few gall stones and that was painful but from what I gather nothing like Kidney stones. I would not wish something worse than gall stones on anyone.

Gall stones (for me at least) were a whole different kind of pain than kidney stones. A lot of pressure in the upper chest, radiating out to the spine, but as soon as the stone passed, it was like it never happened.

When my gallbladder detonated, that was a different story. That was the worst pain I’ve ever experienced and caused vomiting and hallucinations. But that was because I basically had appendicitis, except the gallbladder version.

I imagine kidney stones are still worse than that, and I don’t care to find out.

I got my gall bladder out real quick. I think I had a couple attacks and had a doctor who was right on it. I have also had my appendix out, which I recognized as a problem early because, at least for me, it manifested like a gall bladder attack and so I knew something was going on.

The worst pain I have ever suffered was from a cyst in my rectum, which got infected.

[Daehawk]

hehehe. Had a cyst on my tailbone once. Swelled up good and hurt like heck. Couldn't sit. One day as I was cleaning the dog kennel I was mopping and bent over and backed into a door frame right on that angle. %#^@$%#%$^&. Solved that problem. Ewww. Went to the ER for some antibiotics anyways. The nurses kept coming in in pairs to view my butt crack. Felt like a art project.

Tailbone was fine for many years until that fall down the front steps and that REALLY was painful.

[Tine]

I had my first kidney stone 25 years ago when I was only 19 years old; it was a calcium oxalate one, measured 1/3 inch long and it came out 'naturally' two days before my scheduled surgery. Fast forward to May 2019 when I had surgery to remove 3 calcium phospate stones out of my left kidney and 8 out of my right kidney. I ended up with a stent in my right kidney for a week - so painful when I had to pee. During the post-op CT scan 6 months later, I had 3 new small stones again in my left kidney and I was scheduled for laser blasting. Then COVID hit... and all procedures were cancelled. When they resumed, I got a surgery date for July 9. The weekend before my surgery date, I had a major kidney crisis with excruciating pain on my right side - rolling on the ground, throwing up from the pain. I got an emergency MRI and it turned out that I had two new big stones in my right kidney and the three small ones on the left had grown exponentially. I had the bilateral surgery and had two stents for a week. Because of COVID, they left the wires 'hanging out', taped to the inside of my leg so that I could remove the stents msyelf at home after one week instead of having to go to the hospital again. My husband did the honours. Each stent was like a foot long...

My specialist is definitely on the ball and wanted to get to the bottom of this and send me for more testing. Long story short, a 4D colour contrast CT revealed that I have benign tumours on my parathyroid which leads to increased parathyroid hormone in my blood what leads to elevated calcium levels and...tatata... kidney stones. So, if all of a sudden youa re suffering from kidney stones (other symotoms include lethargy, depression, high blood pressure, concentration issues etc), you might want to encourage your doctor to look into possible parathyroid issues. https://www.parathyroid.com/kidney-stones.htm

Edit to add: I had two long, complicated deliveries but child birth felt like a walk in the park compared to the pain associated with my kidney stones.
Also... I'm fortunate that I'm Canadian so all of the tests and treatments have been completely free! Thank you, Universal health care.

[LordMortis]

...

My stones have been the worst pain of my lift and I spent nearly 24 hours in and out of consciousnesses to prevent having a shattered arm amputated. I can't even imagine what you went through.

[Brian]

Thought that I might be ready to pass them last night as the pain had moved down into the groin.
Nope.

So now I've got pain in the groin and in my back. Today is going to be a fun day at work, I'm sure.

[Paingod]

Whenever kidney stones are mentioned, it always brings me back to Al Swearengen's scenes of excruciating agony on HBO's Deadwood.

I had never seen the show and only heard a smattering of good things about it - and then a "friend" sent me the clip of Al "passing" his stones in a bloody trickle while being 'milked' and just ... ugh.

I can't imagine what "medicine" was like for people even 100 years ago. I mean, it seems like doctors were working in the stone age just 30 years ago.

For all y'all kidney stone sufferers, I tip my hat in condolences and pray to the deities of aspartame-free soda and bodily minerals that I never get these things.

[Ralph-Wiggum]

Thought that I might be ready to pass them last night as the pain had moved down into the groin.
Nope.

So now I've got pain in the groin and in my back. Today is going to be a fun day at work, I'm sure.

In my experience, I knew I was close to passing them when I could feel them in my bladder, which felt more like sharp pricks of pain rather than the intense deep ache like when they were in the kidney.

[Daehawk]

Dont forget using a heating pad on that area front or back or alternating. Also walking can help move them.

Brian you should have been a woman...rumor is its a little easier on them. I know my wife handled them better.

[dbt1949]

I found writhing on the floor and cursing helped some.

[MHS]

Brian you should have been a woman...rumor is its a little easier on them. I know my wife handled them better.

I've always wondered if this is true or if it's just that ya'll are bigger weenies.

[stimpy]

I found writhing on the floor and cursing helped some.

I once had a customer walk into my office and saw me laying on the floor with my pants down around my ankles and moaning.
That was a fun experience.

[Daveman]

I had a few relatively minor experiences and one not-so-minor that wasn't at all pleasant but they sound like I got off easy.

These were all within a 5 months a few years ago. First time I woke up in the middle of the night and really had to pee but nothing was coming out for a few moments until all of a sudden there was a sharp pain right at the tip followed by a flow of urine. The pain was brief but it made me jump... but it being 3am I just went back to bed. In the morning I noticed there was a little blood in my underwear. Same thing happened a month later.

Then a few months later I started feeling this uncomfortable sensation in my left side. Started feeling like a muscle ache but rubbing/massaging the area did nothing. Got bad enough I went to an urgent care, mostly because at the time I was on some medications and was worried about some reaction. I'm glad I got there when I did because in about 20 minutes the sensation turned into what felt like a knife in my side. I was nauseous, pale, sweating like crazy and eventually realized I had to pee but there was nothing coming out.

Long story short, they gave me a shot for the pain which worked wonderfully and my wife took me to the hospital. My stone was stuck in the ureter, the tube that connects the kidney to the bladder and I was feeling it scrape it's way down along the tube. They gave me an IV and a few hours later I was able to go without any issue. I was told the stone likely broke up when it got to the bladder and passed without issue.

I saw a urologist who did some tests, including one where he had pee in a jug for an entire day (that was fun to carry around at work when I had to go) and he said I wasn't drinking enough in general, and that I needed to get more citric stuff in my diet. Haven't had an issue since.

[Daehawk]

Every time I had to go to the ER for one they would give me IV with pain medicine. Some strong stuff. Id have to stay about 3 hours each time then they'd unhook me and my wife would drive me home. They would not hurt again and pass. My wife said it was because when I was in that pain my muscles were contracted so bad the stone couldn't pass easy and when they doped me up and I relaxed it could make its way out.

Now days I worry if I have another just how Id get home. She was my rock in everything. I guess Id have to sit there in the waiting room or in my car and wait a few hours to dose off. Hell they are pretty strict about even letting you leave. They make sure someone is there to take you.

[Brian]

So I'm back to work this morning. My job entails a lot of driving and having heated seats makes that part of the job somewhat tolerable.
It's the bending, lifting, and various contorting that comes with the job that really kicks the fire up.

The doctor gave me some hydrocodone as mentioned before and that helps a little but it now puts me in the situation where, thanks to all the water I've been drinking I have to pee every 30 minutes but haven't pooped in a couple days which causes it's own discomfort issue.

Fun times.

[Tine]

Brian you should have been a woman...rumor is its a little easier on them. I know my wife handled them better.

I've always wondered if this is true or if it's just that ya'll are bigger weenies.

I’m with MHS on this one.

[LordMortis]

From the TMI files, I can't have a bowel movement when I am passing a stone generally. Whatever nerve cluster having fits is going on, it seals me completely. And you're right, it's just one more bit of discomfort to lob on the pain.

Also, I'm a bigger weenie.

[Blackhawk]

Brian you should have been a woman...rumor is its a little easier on them. I know my wife handled them better.

I've always wondered if this is true or if it's just that ya'll are bigger weenies.

I’m with MHS on this one.

Well, to be fair, a male's urethra is about five times as long as a female's, and somewhat narrower.

[Brian]

Well, to be fair, a male's urethra is about five times as long as a female's.

Show off.

[Isgrimnur]

Some men are longer than others. [/Braveheart]