Kidney Stones

[Rated21R]

Anyone had the pleasure of these? I wanted to curl up and die today. Thankfully the Lortab kicked in.

[Robb Jensen]

BTDT a couple of times now. Whats weird is that they're kinda common for people in VA.

[zenghost]

I feel for you.

My first time was within a week or so of finishing a basic SWAT school a couple years ago. I was not hydrating well during the class and was urinating blood for a short time after finishing. Thought little of it. A few days later I started to feel nauseous and generally ill and within an hour I thought I was dying. I had no point of reference for this type of pain prior to the occasion. I was thinking "abdominal aneurysm" or some kind of equally horrendous thing. Was just short of calling 911 when I realized it is a kidney stone. My father has a long history of them.

My wife (a massotherapist) did some abdominal massage, which seemed to help ever so slightly. I could not stand from the pain and was starting to vomit, but eventually made it upright. I ended up aligning myself with the corner of a dresser in my bedroom, and working the corner the into the lower left side of my abdomen to massage it as deep as I could. This apparently loosened up the stone and allowed it to travel down to my bladder. I might of just gotten lucky because I know of others that have had intense pain for hour upon hour. I could then feel the stone in my bladder (pinchy, stingy), but the worst was over. I passed it the next day with little pain.

Since then I've had another stone that was much, much less horrific (within a year). I usually stay pretty well hydrated and hope that helps to some degree. It is the most pain I've experienced so far in 42 years. Am hoping it is not a annual thing.

[M4arc]

Anyone had the pleasure of these? I wanted to curl up and die today. Thankfully the Lortab kicked in.

Dude I had a 6mm stone that they had to blast away with lithotripsy but not until I had been to the ER three times, had a stent installed and took more pain meds than I can remember. I had mine for a month and it was awful. We could win the war on terror if we could give AQ kidney stones.

BTDT a couple of times now. Whats weird is that they're kinda common for people in VA.

No it's not. We're in what's called the kidney stone belt. Stones are extremely high in Virginia (NC, SC, GA, etc). Ice tea is a huge contributor as is sodas. I have a whole list of foods and drinks to avoid or at least reduce if anyone is interested.

I drink water (and only water, except for my morning coffee) like it's going out of style now.

[SeriousStudent]

If kidney stones had a marketing slogan it would be "When morphine just isn't enough."

I have been shot, stabbed, bombed, and fallen off a cliff. The worst pain I have ever had is a kidney stone. Eff getting one of those again.

M4arc is right - water is your friend. Soda is not.

[John_Wayne777]

Anyone had the pleasure of these? I wanted to curl up and die today. Thankfully the Lortab kicked in.

My kidney stone was by far the most painful thing I've ever experienced, worse than my GSW. I discovered that I was allergic to morophine in the hospital when I had a nasty allergic reaction.

Diet apparently has a lot to do with it. Ease off on sodas, take it easy on dairy products, black pepper, and be sure to drink plenty of water. Water is all I drink unless I'm at a restaurant, and then I have iced tea. Sodas only rarely....I think I've had one coke in the last 6 months.

[Robb Jensen]

No it's not. We're in what's called the kidney stone belt. Stones are extremely high in Virginia (NC, SC, GA, etc). Ice tea is a huge contributor as is sodas. I have a whole list of foods and drinks to avoid or at least reduce if anyone is interested.

Well the Dr. didn't say anything about a kidney stone belt but did say that kidney stones way more common here in VA vs. say CO where they rarely ever see them.

I have been shot, stabbed, bombed, and fallen off a cliff. The worst pain I have ever had is a kidney stone. Eff getting one of those again.

M4arc is right - water is your friend. Soda is not.

I agree. My last my kidney stone was so bad it was worse pain than I had when I had appendicitis. My appendix almost burst on the way out during surgery and to me kidney stone pain is worse....for my last kidney stone they gave me Dilaudid through my IV and 20 seconds later all was right with the world.

[M4arc]

My kidney stone was by far the most painful thing I've ever experienced, worse than my GSW.

WTF? When did you get shot?

I can't remember what they gave me but it was supposed to be seven times stronger than morphine and I still was in so much pain I was throwing up uncontrollably in the ER. Even some fireman were shocked.

[VaeVictis]

The first time I had kidney stones was when I was 16. It is easily the worst pain I have ever felt. My parents had to take me to the hospital and I ended up laying curled up on the floor in the waiting room until they finaly hooked me up to a morphine pump. I ended up staying over night so they could break up the stone so I could pass it. Then last year I passed a few smaller ones which still hurt like hell but I was at least used to the pain. I think the worst part though is constantly feeling like you have to pee but being unable too.

[LOKNLOD]

I had one back in '06 right before my first daughter was born. It was 7mm and stuck in my ureter causing my right kidney to stay full of fluid. Had to have the lithotripsy to break it up.

My dad has had 22-23 of them now, though it's been quite a few years since his last. Two of them were on Christmas morning a few years apart. I sure hope I don't have that many...

Dr. Pepper (apparently serving as both my primary physician and dentist), iced sweet tea, and not staying hydrated well when working hard in hot weather are the likely culprits in my family. I remember dad's first HUGE one (which they went in and got, the hard way, with a basket) looked basically like a Dr. Pepper jelly bean.