Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
My husband suffered from kidney stones most of this past week. He had two, according to the MRI, and passed one of them. His pain has decreased greatly. He was in a great amount of pain, writhing on the floor type pain, and vomiting. He did not go to a urologist as suggested, because we have no health insurance at the present time and will be hard put to pay the ER bill. I have been making pitchers of lemonade for him, with fresh squeezed lemons, and making him drink it. I think that has helped him pass it.
Do you reccommend having lithotripsy on a 7mm stone if it's not causing pain right now? It is not really bothering me (kinda floating around in my kidney right now) but I'm afraid to let it get stuck! It was 2mm over 2 years ago and it has grown to 7mm....my dr. suggested lithoptripsy so I scheduled it but I'm nervous! I've had stones in the past, so I know how painful it can be but I've always passed them on my own (they've never been 7mm though) Any advice/suggestions would be appreciated!
Four days ago I had my first (and hoping last) lithotripsy. Originally I was scheduled to have the 6mm stone in my left kidney treated but when the procedure started they couldn't find it so instead went after the 9mm stone in my right kidney. In the recovery room I had a horrible reaction to the anesthesia (vomiting, shaking, etc.) which continued for about 5 hours. I also had a stent in for three days after and passed minute pieces which resembled sand. I thought that after having the stent removed life would return to normal--WRONG. I wasn't five minutes down the road and started having terrible discomfort. Considering prior to the lithotripsy I had never experienced any pain just blood in my urine, I was soon to learn the discomfort a kidney stone can cause. When I couldn't urinate I called the urologist and he prescribed flomax along with not one but two oxycodones. Fortunately that did the job and I passed little tiny dark pebbles. The next day I had one episode again where I needed to take the pain pill but thought probably by tomorrow I'll be fine. Wrong again, I had a repeat episode this morning, and then decided to search the internet to try to figure out how long until the stone fragments finally pass. That's when I went to this site and read Caladium's posts. Thank you, thank you, thank you for taking the time to share your experience. It is a comfort to know from another person that I'm not alone here ....in fact your statement regarding planning to take the next week off after a ESWL was extremely helpful.
My next inquiry will be what is the best way to prevent getting calcium oxalate stones again (99% certain that is the kind I have). What I find ironic, is that the very foods listed as being high in oxalates are the same foods that are known as being good foods; spinach, sweet potatoes, even chocolate is being promoted as a "good" food. In fact, about five months ago I started "juicing". I made a juice extracting beets, green apples, ginger root and lime. Juicing was being promoted as being one of the healthiest nutrition rich behaviors one can do. What food is one of the highest in oxalates--right--BEETS! Needless to say, never again. Living in Florida I was always watching to make sure I was hydrated but I'm convinced there are other factors at play here in particular the combination of calcium and oxalates. Bottomline, thank you Caladium for sharing your story. I now have joined this forum and will be an active participant. Unfortunately I don't think even the best physicians have all the answers we need especially when it comes to how diets and nutrition affect our health.
I have a 7mm stone in my left kidney, and a 3mm stone in my right kidney. I have no idea how many years they have been in there, my urologist found them when I was there for something unrelated (found blood in urine during the normal test). I have never had any pain from them.
The urologist suggested to leave them alone for now and come back in a year (now 11 more months). I wasn't so sure about that, so I went to my family doc to get his opinion, he said to listen to the urologist and wait.
Anyways, I'm hoping mine stay put and don't move for the next year. From what I have read about lithotripsy, they're not recommending it much any more since it could scar the pancreas, which could then lead to diabetes. I think ureteroscopy is the preferred way now, with a laser to break up the stone, and a net to remove the fragments.
I just got a rep point for this old post and thought I'd look through it. FWIW, it's now been 2 1/2 years since this procedure. I haven't had any other problems with kidney stones.
I've made the lifestyle adjustments and now drink a gallon of water every day--in fact it seems quite natural. On days when I can't drink that much (travel days for a long trip, for example) I get thirsty. I've mostly kept the weight off that I lost immediately after the surgery.
I've had about ten of them, at approsimately 4-year intervals, which seemed almost regular. Each one lasts longer, because it takes longer for it to pass through the ureter, which is where the pain comes from. Eventually, they would take about a year to pass, with intermittent episodes of pain and relief. Once they fall into the bladder, there is no more pain, only a degree of burning discomfort, as it rolls around for a few days looking for the urethral opening, and they go through the much wider urethra quite easily. Most were about the diameter of a pencil.
I've never had lithotripsy nor surgery, as those are relatively new remedies. I have now been stone-free for about 15 years, after a village pharmacist in the mountains of Taiwan gave me four different pills, one each, and that was the end of my kidney stones. That one passed with no more pain, and I never had another one. My doctor says he sure wishes he knew what was in those pills.
Well the lithotripsy did not work for me - had it done 2 times and that stone must be harder than a diamond. So, I am going in on April 21 to have percutaneous ultrasonic lithotripsy - basically, the poke a hole in your back, make a tunnel down into your kidney, blast the stone with some ultrasonic waves directly and then suck out all the debris, run a ureter stent and then sew you up with a drainage tube running from your kidney out of your back. The drain tube will stay in place for about a day and then the ureter tube will stay in about 2 weeks. Frankly, I am more terrified of the ureter stent than the actual surgery. I hope I have an easy time like you did with your stent. I am terrified of when they remove it also. But, my doctor told me he could sedate me if I wanted him to for the removal, but we would decide closer to the time to remove it. I have passed kidney stones in the past and it was much worse than having a big one lodged in my kidney. I have had pain with this one, but nothing like passing one which is excrutiating and requires pain meds. Luckily, I passed the prior ones quickly, so it only hurt for a few hours. At one time, they almost gave me morphine, but I passed it right before they gave it to me. This is the fourth kidney stone I have had and the only one I could not pass due to size. I have probably scared myself to death watching the surgery on youtube, reading about people and their stents - I am glad yours was more positive. But in all seriousness, I wish the ESWL would have worked on me so I would not have to get punctured. Since it didn't work, I went back to work the next day because I wasn't passing any stones, so I had no pain. I hope recovery will be quick with the puncture surgery. wish me luck!
Anyone know the cost difference between Nephrolithotomy (stone removed through the back) versus shockwave lithotripsy? I'm thinking the former seems like the more attractive option, but I'm not sure.
I had my lithrotripsy done in a outpatient hospital facility. The facility billed my insurance carrier Blue Cross/Blue Shield approximately $21,000. The doctor billed BCBS $3,980 and the anesthesist (sp?) billed $1,586. The total amount allowed was $15,224. Needless to say I blew through my deductible and met my total out-of-pocket maximum immediately.
After doing a little research, I learned of a facility in the area which performed lithrotripsy as an ambulatory center for a total cost, I repeat a total cost of $6,700. At the time of my procedure however, I just wanted to get rid of my stones. For future reference, which I hope I never have, obviously, I will most definitely look into using an ambulatory center.
I would assume with your procedure having to be done in a hospital your costs would probably even exceed the costs of an outpatient hospital facility and most certainly exceed the costs of the lithrotripsy performed in an ambulatory center.
For now, I avoid oxalates like the plague, try to drink lots of water and have at least one glass of lemonade per day.
Good luck to you-----getting rid of these stones is just the pitts!
Thanks for your informative post. I had my second lithotripsy today for a 8mm stone that is lodged in my ureter. I pray that it works this time. Love your tip about lemon water. I plan to start this tomorrow.
I had lithotripsy about 3 weeks ago for the 7mm stone in my left kidney. I was supposed to have a stent, but when I woke up the nurse told me they accidentally pulled it out when they removed my catheter. Had to stay in outpatient until I pee'd, which came out looking like pure blood and felt like hot lava.
I felt okay when I left the hospital and when I got home I took a nap for a few hours. When I woke up I was nauseous and I started vomiting, then the severe pain started in my side and back. I ended up in the ER (still vomiting while in the lobby) and was given diluadid for the pain. I never did really pass anything so I'm assuming the vomiting made my inflamed ureter start spasming, I really don't know.
After all of that, I go back for a follow up with the urologist and he says I still have a good sized fragment left in there, but that I should be able to pass it. Just great!
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Costs of lithrotripsy
