Anyone have any experience with kidney stones?

I'm just wondering if this is normal with kidney stones or not.

I went to the emergency room on Holloween with severe pain / vomiting. They did a CT scan and found a kidney stone. By the time I went to see the urologist the next week, I was out of pain. For the most part I've been pain free since then. I don't know if I passed it, I could have, but I haven't noticed anything. Anyway, last week one night I got some pretty intense pain in my lower left abdomen and inside leg, which didn't last very long. Then last night I got like pain / cramping in my lower abdomen and have had varying amounts of blood in my urine all last night and most of today. I don't have another appointment with the urologist until Dec. 2. I'll probably try to call Monday to see if I can get an earlier appointment, but I'm wondering if this is a normal part of the process, how long it takes to get rid of the darn thing, and what else I should expect.

Any advice would be appreciated.

I haven't had any (that I know of?) - and really hope I never do, they always made my mother really sick.

But, I'd guess that the first time you either had a small one or it didn't pass. But since there's blood that it is now. If you were a cat everyone would say vet ASAP if you keep getting blood or have problems peeing see if you can call your GP after hours or head to the ER... I'm not sure that I'd wait till Monday, myself, not knowing just how large the stone is and if it would pass.
If you have any other symptoms, such as vomiting, please head to the ER.

I hope you can discuss a treatment to get rid of any ones you have and/or help prevent them.

Yes, that's pretty normal. Sounds like you are in the process of passing a stone.

If you have stones you really should be straining your urine so that you can see if you've passed anything. Just pee into a container and then pour the urine through a strainer lined with a coffee filter. If there is a stone you will see it left in the filter. A stone should really be analyzed in a lab to determine the type of stone. There are ways to help prevent future stones from forming, depending on the type of stones you have:

http://kidney-stones.emedtv.com/kidn...ey-stones.html

I haven't had kidney stones but I've looked after numerous patients who have kidney stones. They are certainly not a very pleasant thing to have.

OW! I have no experience so no advice, but want to send lots of vibes this passes quickly!

I've passed about three. Yes, it's miserable. First, you're so sick you're afraid you'll die. Then you're so sick you don't care if you die. And finally, you're so sick you're afraid you won't die.

Yes, it's normal for the pain to move around. And the actual stone may be so small, you wouldn't notice it.

I'm not sure how long they take to pass but darn I know they are miserable....


The only time I've dealt with my kidneys was the time that they failed on me. I was misdiagnosed with back pain and then a kidney infection twice before they did bloodwork and decided to send me to the emergency room because I was experiencing renal failure...

Gotta love doctors.

The hospitals diagnosis was that I had a small kidneystone that had gotten stuck on it's way down which would explain the horrendous back pain that I experienced, and the fact that it had gotten stuck was causing my kidney to stop working properly. But by the time they figured it out, my body had broken the thing down and gotten rid of it and I was all better.


Though that is reason #2 that i don't smoke or drink caffiene anymore.

I've had five. Though sometimes you have residual pain after they've passed, from bladder spasms, etc., my guess is yours probably hasn't passed yet.

Originally Posted by strange_wings

I haven't had any (that I know of?) - and really hope I never do, they always made my mother really sick.

But, I'd guess that the first time you either had a small one or it didn't pass. But since there's blood that it is now.

If you were a cat everyone would say vet ASAP

if you keep getting blood or have problems peeing see if you can call your GP after hours or head to the ER... I'm not sure that I'd wait till Monday, myself, not knowing just how large the stone is and if it would pass.
If you have any other symptoms, such as vomiting, please head to the ER.

I hope you can discuss a treatment to get rid of any ones you have and/or help prevent them.

Click to expand...

Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

Yes, that's pretty normal. Sounds like you are in the process of passing a stone.

If you have stones you really should be straining your urine so that you can see if you've passed anything. Just pee into a container and then pour the urine through a strainer lined with a coffee filter. If there is a stone you will see it left in the filter. A stone should really be analyzed in a lab to determine the type of stone. There are ways to help prevent future stones from forming, depending on the type of stones you have:

http://kidney-stones.emedtv.com/kidn...ey-stones.html

I haven't had kidney stones but I've looked after numerous patients who have kidney stones. They are certainly not a very pleasant thing to have.

Click to expand...

Never had one before but have know many who have ... OUCH ... I would be calling the dr ( yup cause if you were a cat it would be the vet... )

Reading information earlier, I'm beginning to wonder if I possibly have in the past. I've had two incidents years ago (before having health insurance) when I didn't drink as much fluids. Both times there was some mild pain, burning, nausea that went away after several hours and a lot of water. A UTI wouldn't go away in 8-10 hours..
Nothing as extreme as the OP is having.
Take care of yourself and I hope it can pass.

Thanks everyone for the advice and the vibes. I'm feeling much better today.

I don't know if I'll try to get an earlier appointment or not, because the last time I was there I told him I'd had blood in my urine (also on a weekend!) and he said that since there wasn't any at the time I was in there, he was going to wait another 3 weeks to see if I would pass the stone. I'll see how I feel in the AM. I know DH is going to be jumping up and down for me to call the doctor

Hi Misty,
I can so identify with you. You've got a stone or stones, I would be willing to bet. About 2 yrs ago in a space of about 6 months I was treated for a UTI like 5 times and as soon as I finished th antibiotics, it would come right back. Finally my doctor sent me to a urologist, who did an ultrasound and a CT scan and discovered my left kidney contained 2 stones each about 2.5 cm and as a result my ureter was blocked and my kidney could not drain properly and was enlarging. I had 3 lithotripsy procedures and peed gravel for about 2 months and wore a stint (a tube extending from my kidney into my bladder) and it was uncomfrtable as heck. But the stint helped with the pain of passing the stones. I still have 6 stones in my kidney about the size of the tip of my little finger, but nothing is being blocked now and nothing is moving so I am not having any problems or pain but I will probably have to see the urologist every 6 months for the rest of my life.
Did anyone do an X-ray of your abdomen? Kidney stones show very well on X-ray, ask them.
Secondly I found it very interesting that you also live in North Carolina, my doctor is originally from New York, he told me he NEVER saw people with kidney stones in New York, but that the southeast is know as the "kidney stone capitol". Good luck to you!
He also recommends that people with kidney stones drink lenonade or citrus juice, the acid helps prevent the formation of stones. Avoid dark colas.