Kidney stone

[sisk]

Well I had a cat scan today and basically there's a possibilty of me having a kidney stone. I have a few questions.

For those who have had any experience with them, or have had one removed themslves, how did you get rid of it? I was told of two possible ways to remove it. I can be put in a tub and they would send sound waves through my kidneys to destroy the stone. Or they could go through my urinary tract and.. yeah...

Obviously, the latter would be extremely painful

The doctor also said his friend had one but consumed a lot of cranberry juice and this got rid of the stone.

Also, should I not take protein supplements or creatine anymore??

Any comments or suggestions are welcome

[drew]

If your doctor told you cranberry juice will kill a kidney stone, get a new doctor. Protein and creatine will not contribute to kidney stones. Just drink a lot of water (at least a gallon a day) and your kidneys should be fine. As far as having it removed, I passed mine without having anythign done. But I would go for the ultrasonic treatment if I had to.

[razorcut]

If your doctor told you cranberry juice will kill a kidney stone, get a new doctor.

Keep the doctor. Lose the above advice.

Cranberry juice has been found to be an alternative in the treatment of calcium oxalate stones:

Influence of cranberry juice on the urinary risk factors for calcium oxalate kidney stone formation.
McHarg T - BJU Int - 01-NOV-2003; 92(7): 765-8
"The ingestion of cranberry juice significantly and uniquely altered three key urinary risk factors. Oxalate and phosphate excretion decreased while citrate excretion increased..........Cranberry juice has antilithogenic properties and, as such, deserves consideration as a conservative therapeutic protocol in managing calcium oxalate urolithiasis."

[Allie]

I would also second the cranberry juice, it seems to aid in most urinary problems. As for water...the more you intake.... the more output there will be. So if uninating is painful I would not be consuming more than what a Dr recomends...


Now I don't necessarily know too much about kidney stones in people... but it seems to me that it would be the same thing as urinary calculi in livestock caused by a 2:1 ratio of Ca:K as a trace mineral imbalance and not necessarily a metabolic issue... is it the usually the same for people?

[sisk]

It is not painful for me to urinate

The doctor had found traces of bacteria and blood in my urine so she sent me to a doctor to get a cat scan.

I will recieve the results on monday, so I'm hoping for the best.

Drew - Was it extremely painful to pass your stone?

[Built]

My one and only encounter with kidney stones was when I was loading with creatine.

It passed with lots of water.

And IV fluids.

And IV painkillers.

Thank God.

[drew]

Drew - Was it extremely painful to pass your stone?

Yes, it was extremely painful. It took about 2 weeks, because it was a very jagged stone and got stuck while passing. (Remember, passing a stone is from the kidney down the ureter tube and into the bladder, not peeing it out.) If it's still in your kidney, even with ultrasonic or laser disintegration, you'll still have to pass it. And that part sucks.

As far as cranberry juice, I'm going off 4 opinions. My PCP, 2 Urologists, and the attending doc at the Yale ER. (BTW, I haven't had any problems in about 2 years and I HATE cranberry juice).

[sisk]

My one and only encounter with kidney stones was when I was loading with creatine.

It passed with lots of water.

And IV fluids.

And IV painkillers.

Thank God.

Did it still hurt with painkillers and fluids? I know I'm basically in denial about the whole thing, being 16 years old and all...

Why go through the sound wave treatment and drink cranberry juice if you still have to pass it?

[sCaRz*Of*PaiN]

Protein and creatine will not contribute to kidney stones.

Um...protein and creatine can both lead to kidney stones. That's why drinking a lot of water is a good idea. When I was younger I was prone to getting kidney stones but for years I was drinking craploads of water. Now the problem is completely gone.


I would definitely go with the sound waves choice to break up the stones so they are easily passed. You don't want to pass stones the regular way. That's...just not right.

[sisk]

Would sound waves just make it less painful?

Should I stop taking protein? I've stopped taking creatine now, as well as any coke (coca-cola.. that is).

Also, would beer be bad to drink? I'm debating on whether or not I should go out tonight..

[Built]

IV opiates killed the pain nicely.

Once it gets out of the kidney, there's no more pain. You just pee it out.

I had to catch it in a strainer so they could examine it in pathology.

I was expecting a BOULDER.



If you took a grain of rice and cut it into four pieces, well, that's about how big the kidney stone was.

[sisk]

IV opiates killed the pain nicely.

Once it gets out of the kidney, there's no more pain. You just pee it out.

I had to catch it in a strainer so they could examine it in pathology.

I was expecting a BOULDER.



If you took a grain of rice and cut it into four pieces, well, that's about how big the kidney stone was.

It hurts when it comes out of the kidney moreso than when you pee it out?

I don't know how that makes sense but you're obviously more experienced in this.

Which painkillers were you on?

[Built]

Demerol, injected intravenously in the hospital.

Once the stone drops into the bladder, you just pee it out. It's tiny enough to slip easily out the urethra, or at least, mine was. It doesn't hurt at all to pee it out. You don't even feel it.

I still take protein and creatine - I just don't load with creatine, and I drink lots of water. I've had my kidney function tested lots of times since then - perfectly normal.

[sisk]

After reading a website on kidney stones, I've found the following:
extreme pain in your back or side that will not go away
blood in your urine
fever and chills
vomiting
urine that smells bad or looks cloudy
a burning feeling when you urinate

I don't have any of these symptoms, but this could be me just being in denial again. Thanks for all your help built, but I have more questions if you don't mind.

How did you know you had your stone? And do you know which kind it was?

[Built]

It was, I believe, an oxalate stone (the most common kind).

I had severe low back pain. That brought me to the hospital FAST!

[Bohizzle]

It was, I believe, an oxalate stone (the most common kind).

I had severe low back pain. That brought me to the hospital FAST!

:withstupi I passed one in April, and i was getting out of the shower when all of a sudden i just felt this extremely sharp pain in my side and it lasted probably for about a minute, and then it was just dull pain for a day or so. Went to the hospital cuz i had no idea what was going on, and they said it was a kidney stone (blood in the urine). I didn't take any painkillers. However, the ER doctor said that mine was just a small kidney stone, which i probably felt because i wasn't as hydrated as i usually was (went from drinking about 4L of water a day to about 1-2L). Keep extremely hydrated as the water will keep the ureters (i think that's what they're called, well the lines from kidney to bladder) moist and well lubricated, and i'd go for the cranberry juice as well, as the acid will help dissolve the stone. hope that helps.

Andrew

[Bohizzle]

After reading a website on kidney stones, I've found the following:
extreme pain in your back or side that will not go away
blood in your urine
fever and chills
vomiting
urine that smells bad or looks cloudy
a burning feeling when you urinate

I don't have any of these symptoms, but this could be me just being in denial again. Thanks for all your help built, but I have more questions if you don't mind.

How did you know you had your stone? And do you know which kind it was?

Having the stone itself in ur kidneys won't hurt at all. The pain comes when you pass the stone.

Andrew

[BG5150]

IV opiates killed the pain nicely.

I don't know why, but that made me chuckle.

I don't understand how almost anyone cannot drink enough water. It's everywhere and virtually free. If not free, then really really cheap. I apy a buck a gallon at the convenience store. In schools and businesses, there are water fountains everywhere.

[Built]

Women have tiny little bladders.

We drink more water = we live in the bathroom.

[sisk]

I don't understand how almost anyone cannot drink enough water. It's everywhere and virtually free. If not free, then really really cheap. I apy a buck a gallon at the convenience store. In schools and businesses, there are water fountains everywhere.

I don't because I have such an overactive bladder that when I drink constantly I have to piss every 5 minutes..

No exaggeration either

[razorcut]

Having the stone itself in ur kidneys won't hurt at all. The pain comes when you pass the stone.

Andrew

That's right. The pain is when the stone is in the ureter and urethra.

[Built]

Mine didn't hurt going through the urethra, but perhaps this is different when your urethra is a long tube?

[sCaRz*Of*PaiN]

but perhaps this is different when your urethra is a long tube?

Bingo.