I am 31 years old and have suffered from urinary tract infections all of my life. At the age of 18 I had my first kidney stone. Since that time I have been hospitalized dozens of times including during 1 of my 2 pregnancies in order to preform stent placement, lithotripsy, basket retrieval for removal of stones. I pass many stones at home but have had many that are too large to pass (6-12mm). I have had 2 urologists treat me and I have been diagnosed with Medullary Sponge Kidney disease. I go through bouts for up to a few months which require multiple trips to the er for pain management or surgeries and then I may go for a few months with hardly and problems. For an example of my history- last December (2005) I went to the er and was admitted for a 8mm stone removal- discharged just to return 2 days later and was admitted for 2 new stones which had fallen from my kidney and causing obstruction. A 6mm and 10mm stone which had to once again be removed via lithotripsy. August of 2006 admitted for another 8mm stone removal, December 2006 admitted to have another large stone removed by lithotripsy. This is the quality of my life- in the hospital or at home with pain more often than not. I have been told by my urologists that due to the disease and the fact that both of my kidneys are full of stones there is really nothing I can do to treat or prevent them but just continue to have the surgeries to remove them or treat the pain for the passable stones. I am very frustrated and looking for any other answers or advice. Thank You.
I take pain meds- like vicodin or go to the er if the pain is extreme enough. I have been to the er 2 times in the last 2 weeks, its embarassing because they know me at the er I go to but I can’t help it- luckily they are very helpfull because they know my history. I don’t like taking the meds but I have to and my urologist isnt very sympathetic and I often am not perscribed enough to last long. I only take the perscribed amount and have been told by many nurses that see the stones I pass that most patients they have treated are screaming in pain for smaller stones. I don’t know what else to do but take pain meds at home or go to the er for stronger treatment.

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hello.. im a 14 year old girl and i really need advice… i have had a past of UTIs and since i was 8 i have been peeing blood a few times a year for a few weeks at a time.. but i dnt really want to get in to that…. n e wayy..it recently got worse and i had three sets of antibiotics that did not cure the"infection".. i went to hospital one morning in terrible pain and they did scans and an ultrasound and found 8 or 9 kidney stones in my right kidney and some more in my left… i don’t have a lot of fizzy drinks..i drink lots of water ( im a dancer) and a relativly healthy diet although i hate milk and cheese.. but i was wondering why have i formed so many stones at such a young age ?!?!

im in such pain and the hospital have reffered me to the national londons childrens hospital but until them i am really scared… help appreciated X

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So I am a 23 year old woman and am currently halfway through my Peace Corps service (meaning I have been here a little over a year and have just under a year left) I found out about 8 months ago that I have a very large number of kidney stones. I found myself in agonizing pain one morning and called my doctor and they came and got me and admitted me into a hospital overnight in the capital and then had me stay there and ran a bunch of tests for a week. Well, the ultrasound showed many many stones. However, they stopped hurting completely after about 2 days and I never passed anything (that I saw anyway – I suppose one may have broke up and passed unnoticed). They figure from th urinalysis that they are the calcium oxalate kind although they said they couldn’t be sure because I didnt pass a stone for them to analyze.

I had a follow-up ultrasound in April and they found either 10 or 12 (I forget now which) and then the ultrasound technician quit looking, said that was sufficient to prove they were still present, and sent me on my way. At that time my largest ones were about 7mm in diameter and I had several that were 5mm, 4mm, 3mm, etc… Well, that was the last I have heard about them… Obviously the Peace Corps is not going to pay for any sort of "unnecessary" procedure for me to get rid of them if they are not hurting me constantly or causing other problems but I feel kind of like a ticking time bomb. I know I have about a dozen (or more) little stones sitting in my kidneys (I have them in both) and I kind of question what my doctors back home would be suggesting at this point… I figure it is only a matter of time before one of them decides to move and I am once again in excruciating pain.

So, for my question: For any of you who are doctors or for any of you who are in or have been in my position, what are the normal recommendations at this point? My doctors have pretty much told me to drink at least 2 liters of water a day and avoid foods with high oxalate (which is virtually impossible where I am at because one of the main foods eaten here is tomatoes). That is all they have said though… Any help is welcome

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I hear it all the time and I was even found lately to have sand!! in my kidneys.
Anyone knows what water to drink, since water causes it, but also you should drink lots of water to get rid of them? Most spring water is full of calcium, you can see it when boiling it. It leaves much faster calcium deposits than tap water on electric water boilers.

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