Have you dealt with unbearable kidney stone pain?
Here’s some background:
On September 4 I went to the ER for terrible pain in my back and abdomen. I was literally in the floor and couldn’t move. I had a CT scan which confirmed I had large kidney stone high in the urethra (just below the kidney). They gave me morphine it eased the pain, they prescribed vicodin, and sent me home. I’m assuming they did nothing more, because I said I didn’t have insurance. Which unfortunately for me I did, as my school had picked me up earlier than planed and failed to tell me. I’ve never had a kidney stone before so I read online for home remedies, and the pain didn’t occur again until October 4. So once again I went to the ER but morphine didn’t do the trick after 3 doses so I was given toradol, prescription for percocet, and a number for an appointment with a urologist.
The vicodin didn’t even touch the pain so that’s why I went to the ER a second time. However, the percocet worked wonders and virtually took all the pain away. After scheduling to see the urologist it was roughly a 3 week wait. By the next week the pain was unbearable and the percocet did nothing, so my mom who is friend’s with a urologist in my hometown had him phone the doctor I was supposed to see to get me in sooner. Since she was unable to see me I was given a different doctor, and upon meeting him the first day he had me in surgery that afternoon to put a stent in my right kidney. I met with him various times over the next month or so for "follow-ups", and I have since been scheduled for lithotripsy on November 17.
After the surgery the next 3-5 days were very uncomfortable, but I got used to the stent and was able to return to regular activities with the help of a percocet a day. I met with the doctor two weeks ago and told him I was uncomfortable and in moderate pain, but he seemed to just shrug it off. The first of the month seems to be when problems really occur. November 3 I was in unbearable pain again, and nothing helped. My urologist is on vacation, so I saw another one who works in his office, because I was having troubling urinating and my urethra felt as if something sharp were trying to come out and it hurt to do anything. After anything I said she was quick to say it was "classical side effects of the stent", but to me it doesn’t feel like the stent it feels like something more is going on in there and it just doesn’t feel right. She ordered a x-ray and I had to give a urine sample. I couldn’t pee so she had an in- and- out catheter put in me to drain the urine. The urine showed no infection, and I was told the x-ray showed the stent in proper placement, and the stone hasn’t moved.
The pain is unbearable, and is really affecting my life as I go to college throughout the week. I’ve had to leave and miss more classes than allowed, thankfully I have VERY understanding teachers otherwise I would fail.
Nothing takes the pain away (vicodin, percocet, pyridium, ultram). On a scale of 1-10, 10 being the worst my pain stays between an 8 and 9. So I’m wondering if anyone else has had this sort of problem in dealing with kidney stones. I generally take two percocets and lay on a heating pad to try and relax. I’ve also soaked in hot baths during the afternoon to try and relax, but I don’t like doing this since I am more prone to infections with the stent.
What are your thoughts? Do you think it’s just the stent, and my body is rejecting it horribly or could it be something else? The doctors don’t seem too concerned with what I am telling them since I feel like they think I’m exaggerating (which I have no reason to exaggerate, I might add)
Thanks to all in advance who take the time to read this and response!
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A couple of thoughts. Since you have connections with a urologist through your mom back home, is there any way you can communicate to him what’s going on, how you’re feeling, what you’re doing to try and relieve it and what you’re being told? I don’t know how far away from home you are but it would be great if you could actually go see that urologist since he actually seems to take you seriously.
When is your regular urologist due back in the office? I would make sure I got a face to face appointment ASAP even if it was a walk-in and wait til they can squeeze you in type deal.
Finally, if all else fails go back to the ER. From what you’re describing it sounds to me like another stone is passing through the stint but maybe it’s too big to really go through. I don’t know but since you are feeling like something sharp is trying to come out that makes me think it’s another stone. Did they give you a filter to pee through to catch any stones or gravel? If so, use it each time. You need to find out what kind of stone it is so you can find out what you can avoid in the future to prevent forming more.
Good luck and don’t give up.
i would ask them aabout oxycontin
Trust your gut if you think something else is wrong keep going till you get a Dr to listen. you know your body better than anyone else.. this is just not normal…
If you keep taking that many pain pills you will have a hole in your gut!!