# What size was YOUR kidney stone???  How much TOTAL Pain Time??



## #1 Cowboys Fan (Sep 30, 2013)

Lucky me, I am learning about this every day (on day 5 now).
It started with some pain in my back Thursday night----I would guess "Pebbles" was moving.
(Being a male---perhaps I should name it "BAM BAM")

I have many occurances of back pain, so I was quite sure it wasn't that.  I starting guessing that it "....is more like a kidney thing."  (I am NOT medically intelligent).

Another lesser bout Friday, and felt "YUCKY"----I still think that ill feeling may/may not have been related at all.

Lesser pain Saturday, still felt poor----went to ER---and got the news.

So, I've learned alot; have an appointment Wednesday---will go from there.
I have researched the various procedures----may just wait it out (I hope).

I looked back and there was some old info/threads on TUG----ironically none were done using the term "kidney" for the Post (Title).

So, I was told the size but I can only remember the first digit, so I will estimate-----I think she said something like 6.2 mm  X 3.4 mm.

So, as my 'Title' asks----What size was YOUR kidney stone?
Oh----and I really hope, given that size, that people advise me to just "ride it out"---vs. the "ultra-shock", and two or three worse alternatives.

-----

MOST IMPORTANT:  I can't seem to find ANY naming of the TOTAL amount of TIME of EXCRUCIATING pain that people have felt, AND over what period of time.
(I've asked around, googled, etc.)

For instance:  what is closest to what YOU experienced??


"...I had UNREAL PAIN for 4 hours straight one day---then it passed!"


"....three times over the course of one day I was IN AGONY for about 20 minutes each, then it was over !!!"


"...for three days, I dealt with many periods of EXTREME pain, some lasted an Hour!!!!"

"...over the course of ten days----I had about a dozen episodes that lasted 15-30 minutes each!!!"

Which of the above can YOU relate to?

Many thanks,
Pat (male)


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## hefleycatz (Sep 30, 2013)

All of the abouve.  I do feel your pain.   Ive had about 4 bouts with kidney stones.  Im female.  You've just gone through something far worse than labor.  It is the most painful thing I have ever encountered.  Nothing helps, until its gone.  Make sure you are drinking (decaffinated liquid) as much as you can tolerate.  

The first time I went to the urgent care, my bp was so low and heart rate was so high from the pain, they thought I was having a stroke.  

Good luck

lee


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## easyrider (Sep 30, 2013)

Been there. My first started like a little cramp in my lower back at 2 am. I stretched and thought I was going to die. It finally came out about 6 hours later.

Then about a week later another one was causing pressure on my lower side so I did the lemon juice dealio. It was uncomfortable for a while but the stone must have dissolved and I was fine.

For some reason, swinging a golf club at the driving range seems to break the little buggers loose on me. I drink the lemon juice anytime I feel pressure on my lower mid back. 

The drink is 8 ounces of pure lemon juice chased with 8 ounces of water. Then every hour after that you drink two ounces of lemon juice and eight ounces of water. I was squeezing lemons but have had the same results using 100% pure lemon juice. I buy a 16 ounce bottle and drink it up throughout the day.

If you decide to do this you need to brush your teeth after drinking the lemon juice as it can damage your tooth enamel.


Bill


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## ttt (Sep 30, 2013)

If you are a candidate for LITHOTRIPSY, have it done. Otherwise, as long as you are not obstructed, I would wait and hope to pass it. Had them several times.....


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## geekette (Sep 30, 2013)

it has been several years, I do not know size, but several days of pain.  I didn't know what was wrong but it was excruciating abdominal pain, the double over and lie on the bathroom floor and moan out loud pain, and I can generally tolerate a lot.  It felt like "something is terribly wrong".  I'm sure I was at my doctor by day 3.  

Thanks for the lemon juice tip.


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## Carolyn (Sep 30, 2013)

My kidney stone was so large they said I would never pass it. At first they said surgery (what!!) but thought they would try Lithotripsy first. It worked! Apparently this is a super expensive piece of equipment and everyone in the operating room had to wear ear protection due to how loud it was. Just went back for my 2 year follow up and still have a kidney stone stone the size of a bb. Just hoping and praying it will reside permanently in my left kidney


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## Mosca (Sep 30, 2013)

I've had dozens of them, I was getting them every couple months for many years. The largest was pretty big, about the size of a pencil eraser. I passed them all, never had an operation nor the sonic thing. Some were very painful, like that big one, and some I didn't even know I had until I passed them. I'd guess I've passed maybe 30-50 stones.

In 2006 I was diagnosed with kidney cancer (unrelated to the stones) and had a nephrectomy of my left kidney. My doctor prescribed Urocit, potassium citrate. Since then I've passed one stone.


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## Htoo0 (Sep 30, 2013)

The pain level I believe depends upon whether you have a blockage or not. The stone itself can cause an infection and associated pain and discomfort. However, if you get a blockage and your kidney swells you will likely experience pain like never before. Happened with my first one which was 6.5 MM and only about two days warning of discomfort and frequent but minimal urination. The second one a year later I recognized immediately but it took about 3 weeks to convince my doctors I was serious. It was another 3 weeks or so before a lithotripsy was scheduled. By then I experienced a bit more pain as it moved so I had to have conventional surgery. It never caused a blockage though so it wasn't too bad. I've been told passing one hurts too but depends upon the size. CAUTION: CONTENT!!!!!   If removed conventionally expect to feel like the nozzle of a flame thrower the first time you have to go after the surgery. It seemed to get a bit more tolerable each time. BTW, I'm a guy and I can't say it's exactly the same for females.


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## channimal (Oct 1, 2013)

Mine was the size of a bb and the pain was about 6 hours. Went to ER ..the pain so intense it made me throw up on the way in.  They gave me pain meds, went for a scan and then they started pumping me full of liquids via IV.  They thought that soda (coke/Pepsi) was the culprit. At one point I was drinking 6-7 cans a day.

Needless to say, I no longer drink soda.  Oh, and mother in-law suggests half cup lemon juice with a few tablespoons of olive oil.


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## derb (Oct 1, 2013)

I only had one episode but may have stumbled on a relief.  While having
the pain on the second day, after the trip to the emergency room, I dug
out a back vibrator, an 18 by 24 inch pad, and after a 1/2 hour use,
the stone passed.  I don't know if the vibrator worked to shake out the stone or was just a coincidence, and I don't hope to be able to test it again.


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## JM48 (Oct 1, 2013)

I would like to add my 2 cents.

 In Jan. 2012 my wife developed back pain similar to a kidney stone, she did have stones several years before but none recently.
She also passed a very small amount of blood in her urine. She went to her Dr. the next day, the Dr. said it was probably a stone & it should pass. Just to be safe she ordered a CT scan that afternoon. When the scan was done they ordered more tests which found 2 tumors on her right kidney. We were told that these are always cancer. We found a surgeon who we thought was very good to do the surgery. On Feb. 14 they removed her right kidney & 2 tumors which were cancerous, one had grown into her colon but thankfully not thru, no other organs were involved.
 It was a rough operation because they had to cut her, they tried the robotic procedure but there were too many problems.  She recovered well but had a lot of pain.
 Six weeks later she had a perforated colon which required emergency surgery which resulted in a ostomy bag. The procedure was reversed 4 months later. The tumor wasn't removed properly during the first surgery.

 Today she is cancer free but the emergency surgery has left permanent damage.

 The most important thing I would like to stress is don't take it for granted that it is "just a stone" have a scan done. Kidney cancer has a very high mortality rate because the symptoms are not easily detected without a scan & the cancer then invades other organs. It is more common in men then woman.
 Like most men I probably would not have gone to a DR. I would have figured it was just a stone. 

We were lucky, very lucky.

 JM


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## Mosca (Oct 1, 2013)

JM said:
			
		

> The most important thing I would like to stress is don't take it for granted that it is "just a stone" have a scan done. Kidney cancer has a very high mortality rate because the symptoms are not easily detected without a scan & the cancer then invades other organs. It is more common in men then woman.
> Like most men I probably would not have gone to a DR. I would have figured it was just a stone.
> 
> We were lucky, very lucky.
> ...



Kidney cancer kills not only because it is symptomless until it is too late, but also because the most common form of kidney cancer does not respond to radiation nor chemotherapy. About 75% of renal carcinomas are clear cell carcinomas. Patients with metastatic clear cell carcinoma have a poor outlook. If kidney cancer spreads, you die. If it spreads to your lungs, you don't have lung cancer; you have renal cell carcinoma of the lungs.

I was lucky, my clear cell carcinoma was stage 2 and confined to my kidney. It was _pure chance_ that it was diagnosed, an ultrasound technician made a mistake, read an order wrong and gave me an ultrasound of my kidneys instead of my gall bladder.


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## JM48 (Oct 1, 2013)

Mosca,

 Yes most kidney cancer is found when they are looking for something else, or as in your case a mistake was made.

 Once we found what the symptoms are we realized the indicators had started more then a year earlier. 

Glad to hear you are OK as well. My wife was stage two as well.

JM


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## timeos2 (Oct 2, 2013)

I had the unfortunate experience of my one and only kidney stone in 1973, in Nassau while on our honeymoon!  I woke up one morning with a back pain and no matter what I did it just got worse. Finally my young bride couldn't stand my complaining anymore & called the front desk - the ambulance crew took me to St Margret Mary hospital in Nassau. THAT was an experience that nearly matched the incredible pain of the kidney stone. I have often said since that although it was only $5/day (and even way back then US Hospitals were $100 or more per day) it wasn't worth it! The humorous part was Blue Cross / Blue Shield didn't want to cover the $5 (as if they knew the level of care was questionable). 

At least they gave me painkiller but staying in the ward was an experience in third world nightmares. The nursing staff was far more interested in weaving baskets to sell in the market than taking care of the patients - many of which seemed to be in far worse shape than I was. Meanwhile, unknown to me, the hotel had a fire alarm at 3AM that wasn't cleared until about 6AM - all that time my wife was in her nightgown standing out on a beach in the dark with strangers in a strange country. What a trip!

Although they "threatened" to have to operate I was able to pass the stone and fly home but it made for an unforgettable honeymoon for sure. I have never had another stone thankfully, but I still remember that pain as second to none. In 2009 I had my esophagus, 1/2 stomach and 43 lymph nodes removed due to esophageal cancer. Despite the 15 tubes, including a feeding tube, that surgery resulted in I can still say the pain wasn't quite the peak that the kidney stone was.  I would say that remains the worst that a human can suffer as nothing you do seems to make it decrease.   I feel so sorry for anyone that says they suffer from it more than once (as my sister has 1/2 dozen times) and would do anything I had to to make it stop. I don't think we'd have any babies if child birth was as intense as a kidney stone can be.


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