Surgery Day

[Carlos]

As alluded to in another thread, I have been under the weather. Nearly all summer long. Late June I came down with what I suspected was kidney stones. I was right. Toughed it out for four days and finally had the wife take me to the ER on an early Sunday morning. A 5mm and a 7mm stuck in my left kidney. They went in and could not reach them with a laser. So stuck a stent (a large plastic tube) between the kidney and my bladder to assist in moving them. A CT scan in mid-July showed the 5mm had passed. Two UTI's suffered through, and finally today, thanks to a cancellation. I got a surgery time and they went in was able to net the 7mm and remove it. Then they removed the stent. Thank God!

Every time I mowed, that stent would flap about and make me bleed. So now I am on the mend. Drinking lots of water. Which I am doing right now. Prepping for surgery, I had just a couple sips of water with pills since yesterday supper.

Never experienced kidney stones or UTI's before. A local seriously thought I was dying when he saw me during one of the UTI's. It was really painful, but not so serious as that. Just a little rough patch, that took longer than I expected. Hope to be my normal, happy self, in a few days.

 

[D.L.Ruth]

I had a kidney stone many years ago if was probably one of the worst experiences of my life. I don't remember exactly how big it was but after the doctor ripped it out (yes literally ripped it out with a pair of forceps, got two stitches where he split me open) all he said was "holy ****", and he wondered why my kidney hadn't shut down from the blockage. Wouldn't wish that on anyone.

 

[DrT999]

Best of luck, glad the three times I've had the problem they were classified as 'sand' -- that was more than bad enough!

 

[Sturdy Papa 359]

Never had kidney stones myself...knock on wood, but my dad would pass them every few years. He was a strong, hard working, farmer type and it would knock him off his feet for two to three days. Get well soon Carlos!

 

[Blackhorse]

My second major kidney stone event.After a horrific bout in the ER they finally hit me up with the blessed Fentanyl. Now I know why folks get addicted. What a rush! Ended up in surgery looking for my “little friend”…an 8mm stone, playing hide and seek. They didn’t find it. The common wisdom is that there is only a 20% chance that am 8mm stone can pass by itself. So it’s almost certain that it’s still up there somewhere. I take meds every morning to prevent stone formation. I likely hydrate less than I should. I’m bad.

Anyway…can’t tell you how happy I am you’re doing well, Boss. You certainly deserve it.

 

[Ranger107]

Never had one myself thank God but have friends who have and I can imagine how painful it must be. Glad you're on the mend now.

 

[Zeno Marx]

best health and wishes to you

 

[ftrplt]

I feel/have felt your pain!! Had some teeny stones years ago; a PITA but passed reasonably well. Then had the awful kidney "rocks" which had to be blasted into smaller pieces to pass. Yep, had the "manly" stent inserted to "ease" the process!! Finally got rid of all those little *******s. I take Allopurinol daily to halt any uric acid buildup which causes the damn stones!! As others have said, I don't wish this situation on anyone!! Best of luck with a quick and complete recovery!!! FTRPLT

 

[cigrmaster]

Glad to hear you are feeling better. I have had kidney stones at least 8 times that I can remember, there were others. I have had the surgery where they go in and get them so many times they have to leave a stent in their for a week or 2 as my ureter will collapse. I have had the ultra sound treatment a bunch of times and while it feels like someone took a bat to your kidneys, it is better than the surgery. I once was in the hospital on a Demerol drip for a week before they could get to it.

I was on alopurinol for years as my stones were uric acid, it didn't work for ****. My last episode was a few years ago and the stones had gone from just uric acid, to uric and calcium.

I have floaters in my kidneys all the time but so far nothing to big to cause pain. I have stage 4 kidney disease mainly due to the stones but other stuff as well I guess. The first time I got them I thought I was dying. I ended up in the emergency room where they shot me up with Demerol, that is the only real pain reliever for stones and they refuse to use it in hospitals anymore. Morphine is **** compared to Demerol. I have been really lucky for the last 4 plus years and I didn't do anything special except I stopped the Alopurinol. The first time I was able to smoke cigarettes in the hospital while high as could be on Demerol. Picture that in todays world.

 

[Carlos]

The drug they gave me at first for pain began with a D. Worked great without getting me high. The anti-nausea shot was the real blessing for me. After the first two pain shots wore off, they gave me morphine, which as you said was ****. By then I was almost to the table and Versed. Which has worked great for me.

I have a young neighbor who got hit by the stone pain while climbing up on some big tall Army truck. He passed out. Fell off the truck, woke up to pain and a medic looking down at him. Not the only person who told me a passing out story when first hit with kidney stones.

After my first CT scan, before getting the stent. Doc told me I only had a 15% chance of passing them on my own. I said "Give me all the help you can give me Doc!"

 

[Ol'Dawg]

Good luck to get them out! In January I had problems in my kidneys the Dr. said drink a lot of water, lemon water, cranberry juice, black coffee, and cider vinegar with water to detox my kidneys. Overall you keep hydrated to help your kidneys healthy. I used to see a urinal in the urine color when looks like lemonade (Youtube have some colors in urine). It is difficult to keep hydrated but I don't have any problems now.

May need a forum here "The infirmary"

 

[Carlos]

I asked about the cranberry juice thing being good for helping to pass kidney stones, or prevent them. He said it does not work on men. Only helps women. We men do benefit from the liquids, but not because some of it is cranberry juice. Weird that.

 

[Ol'Dawg]

In Jan. they found me dehydrated because of the high creatinine. Dr. sent direct to the hospital and gave some saline solution Lot's of salts inside may make kidney stones. So far I haven't any stones, but I keep hydrated to keep my kidneys healthy. Lemon water, apple cider vinegar and cranberry juice keep acidic in the urinary tract and kidneys to keep healthy and hydrated.

 

[Timbo]

Best of luck with it all Carlos, sounds painful mate.

 

[soki_zhu]

The kidney stone was a bad feeling. I got it in last year, thanks god I remove it by the physics way. It is like using a hummer to shoot your stone place. And broken it. So you can release them by the way. And finally, I remove them and back to health.
But the doctor told me sometime it will back again. And you need to drink more water and eat some healthy food.
By the way, take care of your body, And be happy every day.

 

[Blackhorse]

Cranberry juice (ph 2.5 = highly acidic) is effective for women, especially in helping prevent URI (urinary tract infection). It supposedly doesn’t help men so much. Ask your MD about Allopurinol. I’ve taken it for years. It prevents salts precipitating out of solution so you pass them with urine. If they precipitate out they firm stones.

Anyway, Cranberry juice is expensive…water is cheap. Gulp water.

 

[HolySmokes]

I am happy to hear you got that removed! I hope you continue to heal up and feel better. I’ve had a kidney stone before and it was TERRIBLE.

Along with the other replies here, the hops in beer can help prevent kidney stones made out of calcium, so a beer a day could keep the doctor away.