Kidney Stones!

Dregor Thule · Post by **Dregor Thule** » December 16, 2007, 7:26 pm

It would figure on the day of one of the worst snowstorms we've had in several years I'd double over in pain from my abdomen! I've heard a few horror stories about passing these buggers, so far I've only had 15 minutes of agony then it passed. Doctor said I had a bit of blood in my urine and either I've passed it and it was very small, or it's still inside there. Either way I get to strain my piss through a coffee filter for the next couple of day, so it's win/win in my book.

So in the interest of making myself miserable and dreading each minute, let's hear some particularly unpleasant kidney stone stories!

Zaelath · Post by **Zaelath** » December 16, 2007, 8:13 pm

Once you start getting them, odds are you keep getting them.

My doctor (now dead) was a particularly stoic sort that once drove himself to hospital 40 miles away with one eyeball disloged and resting on his cheek.

Anyway, back to kidney stones, he used to pass them on a regular basis. Once when my mum was working reception for him, he brought one in that was about an inch long; I don't think he needed a coffee filter for that.

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » December 16, 2007, 10:16 pm

Just go back and watch the two episodes of Deadwood when Al Swearengen had kidney stones! That was enough to keep me drinking lots of water each day!

noel · Post by **noel** » December 17, 2007, 12:48 am

Jesus. Honestly, I hope they're rare as hell for you, Dreg. That sucks.

Mak · Post by **Mak** » December 17, 2007, 1:20 am

I have a buddy that just had surgery on Wednesday for a 15mm stone. They broke it up, and inserted a stent in his urethra to help pass it, but he's still been popping percoset like they were M&M's. He's fucking hating life right now.

Dregor Thule · Post by **Dregor Thule** » December 17, 2007, 1:25 am

I'm afraid to pee right now

*~*stragi*~* · Post by ***~*stragi*~*** » December 17, 2007, 1:35 am

did the doctor look at your penis

Demags · Post by **Demags** » December 17, 2007, 3:02 am

Generally once its to the point where you piss it out the pains done. Its not the part where it goes through your johnson that hurts, its the part where it goes between your kidney and bladder. Those passages are very tiny and the pain is excruciating lol. I had a 4.5 mm stone about 6 years ago, hurt like hell on and off for about 4 days before I finally went to the doctor, of course that was the last day of the pain. I guess if it blocks your bladder like Al thats another story though.

Haven't had another since, but I do drink more water and cranberry juice since then.

Tyek · Post by **Tyek** » December 17, 2007, 4:58 am

Hope you get better.

On percocet myself right now. Forgot how strong it was.

Drink lots and lots of water and get better.

Sabek · Post by **Sabek** » December 17, 2007, 9:10 am

When I had one a good number of years ago the urologist told me that pain is about as close as a man can get to childbirth.

Seebs · Post by **Seebs** » December 17, 2007, 1:44 pm

I just know I have a few brewing - I am one of the few in my peer group that has not dealt with this yet.

Your urethra must be the size of a garden hose. Grats on your massive member and grats on getting through this so quickly.

Dregor Thule · Post by **Dregor Thule** » December 17, 2007, 2:46 pm

Seebs wrote:I just know I have a few brewing - I am one of the few in my peer group that has not dealt with this yet.

Your urethra must be the size of a garden hose. Grats on your massive member and grats on getting through this so quickly.

Haha, well, not to toot my own hose or anything...

Likely they were just very small stones. I pray they were and that I won't get anymore pain

Fairweather Pure · Post by **Fairweather Pure** » December 17, 2007, 2:55 pm

I code kidney stones and extractions on a daily basis. As a force of habit, I always check age and sex of diagnosis to see if I'm at risk. Once in awhile I'll code a male, but I'd say it's 95% females.

It's not even on my radar.

Sorry to hear about your pee pee pain. I've always thought they sounded pretty painful.

Lalanae · Post by **Lalanae** » December 17, 2007, 4:09 pm

Had 1 major stone that put me in the emergency room, but finally passed. Had one minor that passed pretty quickly. The pain is worse than childbirth so I've heard from women who've experienced both.

Make sure you are properly hydrated first off. There is a formula out there that tells you how much you should drink based on body weight.

Also, I read a study that people who added lemon juice to their water had less likely a chance of developing stones. Cranberry juice is fine and all, but thats a lot of calories and sugar. A tsp of lemon juice in a large glass of water is more practical.

Dregor Thule · Post by **Dregor Thule** » December 17, 2007, 4:43 pm

Yea, I'm gonna be starting to have some lemon water now and then, but it's not something I'd want to drink all the time. I'm a big fan of water and already drink a decent amount, but not enough I guess. Probably all the coffee I drink that's messing it up.

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » December 17, 2007, 5:22 pm

Dregor Thule wrote: Probably all the coffee I drink that's messing it up.

I found this link during a quick search to determine how much water you should drink:

http://www.emaxhealth.com/76/575.html

Truant · Post by **Truant** » December 17, 2007, 6:01 pm

Lala,
My mother takes a daily cranberry vitamin (Just a gel pill that is concentrated cranberry). She takes it for reasons other than kidney stones, but they have worked very well for her. It would probably be a good alternative to drinking the sugar loaded juice.

Canelek · Post by **Canelek** » December 17, 2007, 6:19 pm

Winnow wrote:Just go back and watch the two episodes of Deadwood when Al Swearengen had kidney stones! That was enough to keep me drinking lots of water each day!

was thinking same thing--damn that was good television!

Good luck on yer wang, Dreg!

Sheryl · Post by **Sheryl** » December 18, 2007, 12:53 am

Truant wrote:Lala,
My mother takes a daily cranberry vitamin (Just a gel pill that is concentrated cranberry). She takes it for reasons other than kidney stones, but they have worked very well for her. It would probably be a good alternative to drinking the sugar loaded juice.

i take the cranberry supplements in lieu of the juice, too. not for kidney stones, but the pills seem to be just as effective as juice for my purpose. i just burned myself out drinking cranberry juice on the daily.

Chidoro · Post by **Chidoro** » December 18, 2007, 12:46 pm

My father had a pertty major one some 15 years ago. Apparently the pain sarted in the late evening but he refused to get an ambulance until my mother made him about 8 hours later. The driver said that most people who feel this pain call in minutes not hours. Dad's a glutton for punishment I guess. The doctor also had a sense of humor advising me that it's typically hereditary.

Different foods cause it in different people. That's why your straining to see it pass as they can get a composite of shat it's made of. Amongst a number of odd things that the doctor said to stay away from was poppy seeds. But it's different for everyone.

Bojangels · Post by **Bojangels** » December 24, 2007, 5:45 am

I had a bout of kidney stones a while back. It's unpleasant, but bearable. Just go to the handicap stall whenever you have to pee, and hold on to that hand rail they put in for the folks on wheelchairs. As long as you don't have people monitoring your bathroom breaks, you can get through it.

The worst part of it was not knowing what it was; I thought I had an STD until I went to the doctor.

If you can pass em and go back and do your job while you're still crying, you've got nothing to worry about.

Cracc · Post by **Cracc** » December 27, 2007, 8:24 am

Cranberry juice is usually what you drink for urinary tract infections. No idea if it helps with kidney stones.

Lalanae · Post by **Lalanae** » January 1, 2008, 1:15 pm

One of my new years resolutions was to start taking better care of my kidneys, to prevent any more stones, and so I did some research. Something interesting about cranberry juice that kind of shatters the idea that it helps prevent kidney stones:

http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides ... ntion.html

Cranberry and Apple Juice: Apple and cranberry juice contain oxalates, and both have been associated with a higher risk for calcium oxalate stones. Cranberry juice has properties that may increase the risk for both calcium oxalate and uric acid stones. On the other hand, cranberry juice helps prevent urinary tract infections and so may be helpful for reducing the risk for struvite and brushite stones. (These stones are far less common, however.)

The stone I passed was calcium oxalate, so I'll be avoiding cranberry supplements. Unless you know that your kidney stone is one of the rarer varieties, I would avoid it also. They recommend lemon juice, but note they say "might protect" and that much lemon juice daily can damage your tooth enamel over time, I imagine.

Lemon Juice: Drinking one-half cup of pure lemon juice (enough to make eight glasses of lemonade) every day raises citrate levels in the urine, which might protect against calcium stones. (While orange juice also increases citrate levels, it does not lower calcium and it raises oxalate levels. Therefore, it is not recommended.)

It looks like the only definitive way to help prevent stones is drinking enough water that your piss never looks yellow, taking potassium/magnesium citrate (blech), avoid ~~calcium supplements,~~ cutting out all sodas (diet too), reducing your salt intake, and in some cases reducing protein intake or restricting certain foods. Of course it depends on what kind of kidney stone you passed when you get past the water thing.

Edit: I'm seeing some conflicting opinions on calcium supplements, so best to go with whatever your doctor recommends

Lalanae · Post by **Lalanae** » January 1, 2008, 1:29 pm

OK this may be gross to some people, but I thought it was pretty crazy seeing the different ways stones can look

http://www.herringlab.com/photos/index.html

The one I passed was just a little black pebble looking thing. I'm glad mine wasn't all spikey!

Dregor Thule · Post by **Dregor Thule** » January 1, 2008, 8:16 pm

I never did recover a stone so I don't know what kind it was. I've got an ultrasound scheduled just to make sure it's not still in there somewhere. A bit of lemon water daily seems like the best choice atm, along with a ton of water of course! Aaaand another reason to cut out soda. Maybe that'll be my new years resolution.

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » January 2, 2008, 1:48 am

Lalanae wrote:It looks like the only definitive way to help prevent stones is drinking enough water that your piss never looks yellow, taking potassium/magnesium citrate (blech), avoid ~~calcium supplements,~~ cutting out all sodas (diet too), reducing your salt intake, and in some cases reducing protein intake or restricting certain foods. Of course it depends on what kind of kidney stone you passed when you get past the water thing.

Edit: I'm seeing some conflicting opinions on calcium supplements, so best to go with whatever your doctor recommends

Drinking enough water is the key because everything else mentioned on that list I do to excess in the wrong direction. I have a bottle of water by my side almost 24 hours a day...in the car, at work, at my PC. Have one by my bed in case I get thirsty at night. The only time your urine should be yellow is if you load up on B-12. I drink around 72 oz of water a day which still probably isn't enough but is better than most non exercising people.

I go through about 1.5 quarts of Ice Cream and a Gallon of Milk a week so I don't think calcium is an issue.

I drink a cup of coffee in the morning, a large soda at lunch, and besides that, it's all water except for the rare wine or beer these days.

Pee clear, pee often, and be healthy!

------

My New Year resolution is to eat healthier so I picked up some "light" ice cream tonight. There's something that cracks me up about buying Chocolate Fudge Chunk "light". lol. yeah right.

I also bought some paper bowls made from recycled material thinking I'd help the planet...fuck that! Damn things get soggy and smell. I can't even finish a bowl of cereal before the bottom starts to leak. I swear I could taste "cardboard" as well in my food. Back to Styrofoam! (conserving water by not washing dishes!)

Lalanae · Post by **Lalanae** » January 2, 2008, 2:14 pm

I go through about 1.5 quarts of Ice Cream and a Gallon of Milk a week so I don't think calcium is an issue.

It may not be for you, but often people who have kidney stones have them because of a problem absorbing calcium properly. My research on preventing kidney stones pertains only to people who have had them before, since they are likely to have them again.

Neziroth · Post by **Neziroth** » January 2, 2008, 11:51 pm

Oh man some of those stones look painful...

If the ones that were photographed on the blue and white checkered background were all taken on the same blue and white checkered background, how big is the Calcium Oxalate Dihydrate stone? Ugh. Ow.

Dregor Thule · Post by **Dregor Thule** » February 13, 2008, 4:31 am

Well, I had another "attack" tonight for lack of a better word. Once again ~15 minutes of pain and discomfort and then it dissipated. Wasn't quite as bad as last time. I had ultrasounds and x-rays done so I'm guessing something didn't come up on them or else I would have been informed. Guess it's to the doctors with me tomorrow!

Zamtuk · Post by **Zamtuk** » February 15, 2008, 4:39 pm

Tyek wrote:On percocet myself right now. Forgot how strong it was.

Heh, I just got prescribed those for the first time last week due to a root canal, (my dentist is the best!) and I get more next week. What a phenomenal pill. I take two at a time (as per orders) and feel like Peter Gibbons on Office Space after being hypnotized.

I have nothing of value to add about kidney stones.

Asheran Mojomaster · February 15, 2008, 9:04 pm

Sabek wrote:When I had one a good number of years ago the urologist told me that pain is about as close as a man can get to childbirth.

My mother passed a kidney stone (pretty large one) once when I was 11. She was in the bath tub and started screaming for someone to come so I had to go in and see her naked puking up bile (though I do not remember seeing this, repressed memory maybe?)...she later told me that it was much worse than having either me or my brother. I weighed nearly 9 lbs when I was born, and my brother was right at 8.

But like I said, hers was large and pretty serious. I'm not sure why she was puking bile but she was and the paramedics rushed her to the ER. You would think after that she would have started drinking lots of water, but nope. She still does like she always has and drinks pretty much only coke and coffee with some apple or orange juice thrown in from time to time. She HATES water, which makes no sense to me. Still no more stones though.

Asheran Mojomaster · February 15, 2008, 9:07 pm

Zamtuk wrote:
Tyek wrote:On percocet myself right now. Forgot how strong it was.
Heh, I just got prescribed those for the first time last week due to a root canal, (my dentist is the best!) and I get more next week. What a phenomenal pill. I take two at a time (as per orders) and feel like Peter Gibbons on Office Space after being hypnotized.

I have nothing of value to add about kidney stones.

I agree! I have a leftover bottle of these with probably 4 pills left in it. I save them for special occasions haha. Nothing like popping a perc and vegging out all day.

Lalanae · Post by **Lalanae** » February 15, 2008, 9:23 pm

Asheran Mojomaster wrote:
Sabek wrote:When I had one a good number of years ago the urologist told me that pain is about as close as a man can get to childbirth.
My mother passed a kidney stone (pretty large one) once when I was 11. She was in the bath tub and started screaming for someone to come so I had to go in and see her naked puking up bile (though I do not remember seeing this, repressed memory maybe?)...she later told me that it was much worse than having either me or my brother. I weighed nearly 9 lbs when I was born, and my brother was right at 8.

But like I said, hers was large and pretty serious. I'm not sure why she was puking bile but she was and the paramedics rushed her to the ER. You would think after that she would have started drinking lots of water, but nope. She still does like she always has and drinks pretty much only coke and coffee with some apple or orange juice thrown in from time to time. She HATES water, which makes no sense to me. Still no more stones though.

Puking is common with kidney stones that block the urethra. It happened to me when I had one and it was sudden and violent puking. I think it has to do with your body not being able to pass fluids due to the blockage, but not sure.

Warheart · Post by **Warheart** » February 25, 2008, 12:16 pm

Was driving 5 days before Christmas in 05, when I began getting this nagging pain that hurt like a bitch, so needless to say I couldn't drive anymore. I pull over and the pain just got worse (ended up puking before an ambulance came and swept me up from my car.) got me to the hospital set me up on an IV and got a fuckton of morphine in my system. fell asleep while they did all the tests only to wake up when my morphine ran out hahaha. The stone was stuck in the tube connecting to my bladder to this day I never passed the stone, I'm hoping it just broke down in my bladder, really wish I don't go to piss and a fuckin ball of protein decides to pop out. I had to strain my piss too, waited till the strainer got so clogged to decided that I’m not doing that shit anymore. You’re SO lucky that shit lasted for 15 min.

Sirensa · Post by **Sirensa** » February 26, 2008, 12:00 am

Blech, kidney stones sound horrid.

I drink at least 80oz of water every day - have as long as I can remember. My pee is usually clear, which I prefer! I drink coffee and diet coke too, but on top of all that water. So I pee a lot. Haven't had problems yet, so I will knock on wood now.

Good luck with your passings!

Dregor Thule · Post by **Dregor Thule** » February 26, 2008, 12:29 am

My last ultrasound showed a possible spot on it, possibly a stone, so I'm going in for another this week. This is SO MUCH FUN!

But yes, as far as pain goes I know I'm getting off way easy and am very thankful for that.

Siji · Post by **Siji** » February 26, 2008, 1:40 am

This thread sucks.

Not one mention of shooting a rocky nut into a chicks mouth.

fukuall

Pherr the Dorf · Post by **Pherr the Dorf** » March 14, 2008, 2:59 am

When I saw this thread I was secretly hoping Seebs had kidney stones and started the thread just so I'd get to hear another tale of his misery.

Arsecn · Post by **Arsecn** » March 16, 2008, 3:43 am

we can only hope...

sorry Seebs but your stories so amuse me.