Kidney stones

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Have a question for the group. I am not sure how many others here get Kidney Stones but I recently passed my 3rd stone of 2022.

Before you start to cringe, under stand I have no sensation when I actually pass the stone, all I find is blood dribbled on the toilet seat after going #2, they I look in my diaper ( I lower it like a pullup to use toilet) and will find blood in my diaper.

I feel the pain in my kidney and side leading up to passing them but not actually passing the stones themselves.

Was wondering how common stones are and if anyone else did not feel it when they pass a stone.

Thanks,
John

 

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I passed my first stone in the early morning hours of Christmas Day. I have severe bladder spasms so I did not think about stones. My spasm just pushed it out into my diaper.

 

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I have a long history of kidney stone problems and surgeries. For a long period of time, I was passing what I called “gravel,” that was very small stone dust that I found in my diaper in the morning. I never felt that, just found it in the morning. Small stones may not be felt.

My last problem stone was about 4 years ago. Since then, I eliminated cola soft drinks, and drink alkaline water. Cola has phosphoric acid for coloring, and that has been linked to stone formation. I recommend avoiding cola, if you drink it.

 

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Hi MarineJohn;

It's funny that you mention that; because I've actually dealt with more issues of dealing with kidney stones while suffering from leakage and the constant urge/pain due to the low pressure of voiding.

Like for instance, when I had kidney stones prior to my urinary condition worsening - the majority of the pain centered from the stone traveling from the kidney to the bladder and then once it hit the bladder the pain would be gone. Then, once my bladder filled and I got the "urge" to go; the kidney stone would typically pass 3/4 through my void - due to the intense pressure of fluid.

Now, I fine when I get stones, they take a while to pass inside my bladder. And it's painful because it can cause a burning sensation unfortunately. But with the constant voiding, I've found they eventually pass; and I know I've successfully passed it when my urine is no longer and orangy/red. Sometimes you will still feel a sharp sting which last like half a second once it's passe.

Anyway, it's something that was on my mind the last bout of Kidney Stones because I got scared that I was never going to successfully pass it because I was constantly having episodes.

Prayers you will not have to suffer from them. They suck.

Sincerely,
HC

 

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rtmcook: do you think that if one drinks non-cola, such as ginger ale or 7-up, that not having phosphoric acid will not lead to stones?

 

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Ouch. Ouch. Cannot fantom, a yet-another-stone, sigh POV.I guess with no sensation, it is less dramatic.

Once was enough. I felt and experienced the full effects of a stuck stone consequently, had to have it broken up and a stent to allow the swelling to go down. Two months of pain.

Since you have had several, guessing your urologist knows its composition, risks, and how to minimize reoccurrences.

Just ouch.

 

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Stuart: I switched to drinking Mt Dew, and have not had problems since switching. It has no phosphoric acid, but does have potassium citrate. My urologist offered to prescribe potassium citrate to help prevent stones, so I believe Mt Dew helps to prevent stones. After my last stone removal, I had constant kidney pain for a year, and was ready to go back to my urologist, thinking my kidney was damaged. At that point, I started drinking alkaline water, and my pain was gone in a week. Wish I could cure my incontinence as easily.

 

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I'm the other way. The Urologist were investigating my first Kidney stone when they found the prostate cancer. No kidney stones since. Thank you, Lord.

 

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@rtmcook I was told the same about cola when I had my major stone when I was 17. I listened for 20 years but now soda is a big problem for me, unfortunately. I traded alcohol for soda - the right thing to do - but now it’s hard to quit that secondary addiction.

I grew up next to a Rocky Mountain canyon (called Little Cottonwood Canyon) canyon with massive cliff faces that contain a huge amount of calcium. Unusually, there was a rash of teenagers at my school that had kidney stones; it’s more typically something elders experience. I’ve had 26 surgeries and many broken bones, and nothing came close to the pain of that kidney stone!!!!! It was so insanely Acute. When I caught it, it looked like a little mace weapon. No wonder it hurt so damn bad! To this day, it is the only thing that made me lose consciousness because of the extent of the pain. I faded in and out for 2-2 days before it passed. I hope I never go through that again. I have had some small pains that were similar and lasted for a couple of days but I never caught anything. It was a near identical pain. It could’ve just been the cancer that was in my reproductive system at the time. I guess time will tell if I’ll have more stones . I was in a study about that calcium. They literally thought there could be too much calcium in the water. Also weirdly, on my street, there have been two people younger than me that have died of skin cancer and most my age have had it now. I’ve got a 6 inch scar on my right arm from it, but fortunately that’s as far as it went before it was all cut out.

If you know a woman who has both given birth and passed a kidney stone, I guarantee you she will tell you that the kidney stone was the greater pain. That is quite remarkable for something so little.

@Honeeecombs Ugh, the blood in the urine, I had forgotten that part. For me the most painful part was definitely from my bladder to the toilet.

@MarineJohn I’m glad you don’t feel them. One of my besties who also had one, a guy, took 2-3 weeks to pass his and his pain was written all over his face. If you don’t pass it within a certain amount of time, then they will do things like lithotripsy to try to break it up to pass it. Lithotripsy has plenty of side effects, so I hope that is not some thing you have to go through.

@AlasSouth When I first saw my urologist, he was forever doing ultrasounds thinking I had kidney stones though I didn’t. Then he saw/read my lumbar MRI and realized, nope, I’m not incontinent because of any stone(s)!!!

 

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Stuart: I switched to drinking Mt Dew, and have not had problems since switching. It has no phosphoric acid, but does have potassium citrate. My urologist offered to prescribe potassium citrate to help prevent stones, so I believe Mt Dew helps to prevent stones. After my last stone removal, I had constant kidney pain for a year, and was ready to go back to my urologist, thinking my kidney was damaged. At that point, I started drinking alkaline water, and my pain was gone in a week. Wish I could cure my incontinence as easily.

Thank you for sharing your info. I have had kidney stone once and I understand why they say that is the male version of childbirth. It had me in the ER at 3 in the morning. They eventually had to go in and surgically take the stones out. Not something that I want to experience again. I do drink Diet Coke and i think I will stop that. I recently tried Sprite with Ginger and it was great. I think that will become my go to drink. thanks again for sharing your experiences.

 

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I had a number of kidney stones a few years ago. Some of the worst pain I've ever experienced. In my case they were calcium oxalate stones, which are the most common type.

From what I've read, did or drinks high in calcium or oxalate are ok as long as you balance them against each other. One study (https://www.nature.com/articles/1601572) showed that tea with milk was better for oxalate intake than tea alone, since the oxalate in the tea binds with the calcium in the milk, rather than binding with calcium in the urine and causing crystals to form in the kidneys.

It's interesting that too much calcium and too little calcium are both risk factors for stones. Other risk factors include ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, and a diet high in protein, phosphates, or sugar (including high fructose corn syrup). To much vitamin C can also be a risk.

 

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I have had several stones removed, but only one passed naturally.

My urologist prescribed potassium CITRATE pills 3 times per day. (NOTE: not potassium oxide.) I haven't had any more stones for years! You might ask your urologist about that. However, they are EXPENSIVE, even with insurance! They are not sold over the counter.

I blame the origins of my overactive bladder on an incompetent staff at the hospital AND my surgeon. Many years ago, I had my first stone removed successfully, but the second time I required major surgery. I had 2 access holes cut into my kidney through my back. (That was done by the first surgeon.) Then my urologist did his work using those 2 holes. They kept me in the hospital for 3 days to recover. Urine drained out through those tubes while I was recovering. On the 3rd day they removed the tubes, wrapped my body in towels to catch the drainage, and sent me home.

Within a few hours of being at home, the urine stopped draining from the holes and started to fill my bladder. Unfortunately, blood clots also filled and blocked my bladder. I could only dribble blood. I was in a desperate situation as the urine and blood backed up in the bladder. I called 911!

By then, I was in screaming pain! They had some rookies in the ER that didn't know how to place a Foley. They inflated the balloon right in the sphincter. That's when I started blacking out. They sent me back to the same bed I was in before they released me that same day. I spent the next 3 days in horrific pain! They couldn't understand why I was hurting. In the end, it was me who figured out what was wrong by moving the Foley in and out to get relief. I told them to remove it, and the pain stopped and I went home again.

I've had several stones removed since then, but none since taking the potassium CITRATE.

 

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That really sucks. Sorry to hear about the pain. No excuse for that. I was lucky because my stones were in my bladder and they went in through my penis. I didn't have the issues that you had. Maybe you should think about becoming a doctor given your success in solving your problems!

 

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MezaJarJarBinks: And then the medical Profession wonders at why all the lawsuits. I didn't get the pain, just the blood.
With the shortage of Doctors due to the Pandemic, they've been letting medical students work sooner, or just give them degrees without finishing school. How's that going to play out?

 

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@ltapilot Wowwwwwwww, about the milk in tea! Thanks for sharing. My English mother raised me to put milk in tea, and I still do. She’s the healthiest person in my family, so perhaps it is the tea - or how she’s walked three miles almost every day for 25 years. Or good genes. But let’s say it’s the tea! She’s going to love this! She has always said it’s good for you. Thank you for reminding me to drink tea more often!

@MezaJarJarBinks I can tell from your detailed account of your memories of the trauma that it was indeed intense trauma. How horrible! I am so glad I never had to get a kidney cut into and hope I never have to. Good for you for surviving that ordeal!

I admire the way acute trauma renders our senses and memories so intense, so very sharp. The alacrity is stunning! It’s definitely a very natural survival mechanism that helps us pay attention when the bear or wolf or tiger wants to bite our head off, then to help us remember what to do to avoid something like it again in the future. I wish I could turn tgat clarity on all the time because it feels like having another set of eyes and ears and another nose.

That is me trying to look at the interesting side of pain and trauma, rather than to simply hate it all. I guess it’s an Eastern philosophy type way of sitting back and noticing with less judgment and more wonder.

My knee is killing me today/tonight despite all the pills to try to help it. I can tell it’s going to keep me awake. I find zero wonder in this moment of pain!!! Maybe I can change my mind’s eye to be interested in how important pain is to our survival. We actually need it to survive. But right now I feel blinded by the pain. It’s going to be a sleepless night. I think tonight i will likely just despise the pain!!!!!!?

For better or worse, medical personnel are humans who make mistakes like the rest of us. Somehow they’ve been built up in our societal psyche with the impression that they’re infallible. I think that’s probably a result of how doctors have historically - going back ages, probably all of human history - had seemingly magical powers and cures. Now with our very long life spans, our bodies break down at their natural age around age 30 though we continue to exist. medicine becomes more complex. Sometimes that’s hard to remember but doing so does help with forgiveness. It’s sad when things like what you survived make it hard to trust medical professionals - I feel I do a lot of the work for them, but I guess we *are* responsible for helping them in our relationship - we are more than half of the equation of doctor+patient, I figure. We are probably more responsible for own solutions more than we like to think. Sometimes I wish the Internet had never been invented. But when it comes to medical research, it is crucial and I’m very grateful for the resources, like this-uh place-uh uh-here!

Perhaps one more bright side of all of the crap we go through is that we are smarter than some of our peers because of our experience(s). I look at my friends my age and think they just have no idea what’s coming because it hasn’t hit them yet. I hate that I went first with the problems I’ve had, including cancer, but I have gained a deeper understanding of all of life as a result. Still, I think you and I and would both rather have NOT had to learn about the damn kidney stones, nor incontinence!!!!!!

 

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I had the kidney stone problem when they put me on Vitamin D supplements. I have sarcoidosis and Vitamin D dysregulation.

Patients who suffer from sarcoidosis often have low levels of vitamin D in their blood, believed to be part of the immune response in the condition. However, there are two forms of vitamin D, the active and inactive forms. In doing routine blood work, many physicians will notice that the levels of the inactive form of vitamin D are low in sarcoidosis patients. To address this perceived issue, patients are often prescribed a supplement to increase the levels of the inactive form in their system, resulting in kidney stones.

 

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@garry Egadz! Sorry you had stones!