Ain't no herbal remedy!

[kyratshooter]

For the past month I have been beset with the wonderful experience of a kidney stone attack.

I have come to a couple of conclusions after this experience.

First is that when I asked the Dr. what the results of this attack would have been without medical assistance I was immediately informed that there is no way one can pass a kidney stone of 8mm diameter. My kidneys would have backed up, infection would have set in and I would have died a slow agonizing death while doubled over in such pain I would not even be able to scream effectively.

Some things just don't have a herbal remedy.

The other thing I have discovered is that I would not make a good drug addict.

They gave me "the good stuff", this being a known painful experience and me being required to spend some time waiting for a slot for "the procedure" to take place. I was given one of the pain killers that people shoot each other to acquire, to control the pain while I waited.

I have worn a beard for the past 30 years and have had a mustache since 1974. I woke one morning two weeks ago to find both gone! I had shaved them off after taking "the meds", at some point, and for some reason, I do not remember.

At any rate, two weeks ago they used a laser to break up the stones and fished them out of the center of my kidney. Don't ask how they did that, I don't want to talk about it and you don't want to know!

They also put a stent between my kidney and bladder at that time and they had to go in and retrieve that a week latter.

At any rate "I am much better now". The body is working as required, the pain is generally gone and I am no longer peeing blood.

It was brought to my attention that my grandmother died of this same malady back in 1937, in the middle of the Great Depression, at the age of 35. That was before lasers were anything but a dream in Tesala's mind, penicillin was still in the developmental stages, "non-surgical" removal of pulverized kidney stones was on no ones to-do list. What we consider a treatable kidney problem would kill you back then.

My mother watched her mother die at age 12, and the experience left a lifelong mark on her that also marked my own childhood.

For me it was a painful ordeal, but not a death sentence. In a natural or man made long term emergency it would have been exactly that. Some things you are simply not going to cure with a weed from the hedge row.

[madmax]

Wow. So sorry. I have not had the displeasure of that malady
However, a long time ago we got a frantic call from Kelly's sister. Her husband was in agonizing pain. They had two babies
She couldn't deal with the kids and get her husband to the hospital at the same time
The babies knew something was very wrong and were screaming bloody murder in the background. I drove over and darn near had to carry her husband to the car. He was seriously hurting. That was about 35 years ago. It left an impression on me that lasts 'til this day.

Good you don't like the "good stuff". It's an insidious trap.

Get well soon my friend.

[Rick]

I, too, have been down that road. Chocolate, greens such as spinach and tree nuts all serve to create the aforementioned malady. At least that is what my pee guy tells me and I do find when I eat chocolate I pass stones. Thankfully, most of mine are bladder stones although I have gone the kidney route and, like you, I do attest they are no fun. I went the zap-a-do route on one about two years ago. Folks can harp all they want about big pharma but when they hand you that Mack truck they removed from you and you were not even aware of it you are mighty happy big pharma is out there. Same when you go for your colonoscopy. When they say good night I generally say thank you big pharma. I get to sleep through the whole thing.

[crashdive123]

Glad you’re doing better. As the old saying goes……..better living through chemistry. Of course, I don’t think that’s what they meant.

[Alan R McDaniel Jr]

Glad they could get it cleared up for you. Yes, we do tend to take many things that make our lives better, easier, AND longer for granted. I've never experienced the kidney stone thing and I've decided that it is one that I will forego.

Glad you're better.

Alan

[Alan R McDaniel Jr]

And 8mm is about the size of the average sticker burr and the stones are roughly the same configuration. I made the mistake of googling to see what they looked like.

Alan

[WolfVanZandt]

Stones can be recurring, so find out how to keep them from coming back.

[crashdive123]

Stones can be recurring, so find out how to keep them from coming back.

Just remember that with The Stones you ain’t going to get no satisfaction.

[Rick]

I see what you did there.

[WolfVanZandt]

Me, too. That's pretty good. Heh.

[hayshaker]

i know tis is late in comming but just the same really glad to hear all worked out.

[randyt]

Im fighting a 7mm stone at the moment. I feel your pain. Wenesday they are going in. I havent been able to barely function ffg or the ladt couple weeks

[crashdive123]

7mm is a nice round, but an aweful stone. Hope things get better soon.

[Rick]

Good luck. There is no pain like trying to drive a semi through a soda straw.

[Old GI]

I have been very fortunate as I had a bout of passing "micro-" stones. No real pain but a lot of discomfort.

[kyratshooter]

Im fighting a 7mm stone at the moment. I feel your pain. Wenesday they are going in. I havent been able to barely function ffg or the ladt couple weeks

I feel your pain Randy. Know it well.

If your procedure goes as mine did you will have relief of the intense pain immediately. It will be replaced by a lesser pain which resembles P!$$!ng broken glass every time you urinate. That will go on for a couple more days and slowly subside.

Good luck old boy!

One thing about a kidney stone attack, the doctors will give you some strong stuff to deal with it. I have degenerative disk disease and one of the problems I always had was that the doctors would not give me anything that would deal with the pain. My vertebrae were dissolving in front of their eyes and they were telling me to take IB porphin. I now have an electrical nerve block device and things are better.

When I went to the ER and they saw the kidney stones in the X-ray they gave me oxycodone immediately and without further question.

When I took the prescription to the pharmacy they asked what it was for? When I said kidney stones they nodded and asked nothing else.

Kidney stone pain is famous.

[Rick]

Amen. Drug addicts could paint a kidney stone on their back and crawl in the emergency room. They could have a quart of morphine drip if they asked for it. Okay, I might have just made that up but they do not hold back when dispensing meds. I'd rather fight a drug addiction than have that Alien creature burst out my back. The last thing I need is someone else to tell me what to do. Thing be all hanging out growling at people dropping slobbers everywhere. Just someone else to clean up after.

[randyt]

They gave norco, it didnt even take the edge off.

[kyratshooter]

That is another characteristic of kidney stone pain, often the meds seem to not touch it.

During the worst of my episode I felt the same way, then I realized it was working, it had been working a few hours before, so what was the pain really like without it? !!!

Hang in there Randy, the worst part will be over as soon as they blast the stone and remove the bits. After that you should see steady improvement over a couple of weeks while returning to some kind of "normal". I had some residual pain that I considered "manageable" with OTC stuff for nearly 2 weeks.

Mine was done 2 months ago and I now have no pain. There is still some mild panic when I have to pee, but that is the mental conditioning. No pain when doing that anymore either.

But that is just me. Hopefully you will recover faster. Some do.

I did change a lot of habits though. I was one of those people that drank a pot of coffee daily, and drank a gallon of ice tea daily. I can't do that any more. I can feel it working on me and it does cause me symptoms and pain. It is almost immediate too, I am in some pain within minutes and my entire urinary track reminds me I am an idiot for the rest of the day. I do not know if that will continue or not.

2 cups of coffee in the morning and no tea at all now. And I built a Berky type water filter and do not drink tap water any more. My water here is full of calcium scale.

[Rick]

Chocolate, greens such as spinach and tree nuts. If I go anywhere near any of them I will pass bladder stones for a couple of days. Subtle reminds that life on the edge holds dire consequences. If anyone here does not believe in Big Pharma or Big Medicine they should get to suffer with a kidney stone for a couple of hours.

"We could give you a strong narcotic to knock the pain but you said some nasty things about us. Remember?"

Yeah, those narcs are misleading. No matter what the pain is like after you've received the shot, you can't help but wonder how bad it would be if you hadn't had it. I'll go with the shot, thanks. You almost want to tell the nurse to call maintenance and ask them to bring up a large mallet. A good whack in the head would be welcome.

[randyt]

They moved my surgery to thursday. I hear urologists are in short supply.

[kyratshooter]

Pray for the man Randy. God needs to watch over him between now and then.

A couple of years back I was scheduled for a surgery, showed up, got prepped, pre-medicated and sedated. Then the doctor had a car wreck on the way to the hospital!

They called another doctor in to do the procedure but I still remember them trying to explain the substitution to we while I was zonked.

The place where I had my kidney stones done was operating like a Windy's drive through! People coming in the front, paperwork processed, taken to the prep area, clothes changed, IV in place and first nurse questioning you within 20 minutes. After the IV you were being sedated. They led me back to the work room and onto a table under the scope with all the goodies hanging from the walls and such. They asked me my name and next thing I know I'm waking up in the recovery area. I'm up and out of there in less than two hours.

They had several OR type rooms going at a time and the Doctor was going from one to the next as soon as he finished each patient. People coming in one door and going out the other. There must have been 50 people in there for the afternoon run, and they had already worked all morning.

[Rick]

Wait a minute....goodies hanging from the wall? I sure hope were talking medical equipment here.

Randy, this is no place for jokes. If that surgeon grins and asks if you're there for the reduction surgery just cancel things right there and reschedule. Take no chances.

[WolfVanZandt]

The problem with Big Pharm is, yes, they have what we need, and then they stretch us over the barrel when we need it. I'm sure you've been fed the, "drugs are so expensive because of all the R&D and manufacturing costs required to get them out. Having gone through all but two quarters of a five year pharmacy curriculum before switching to my final career track, I can assure you that that is a lie. Many of the people that need expensive medications that cost a pittance to produce can't afford it. As Roman Sachs told congress, the pharmacy industry isn't there to cure people - they're there to make money.

For instance, there's plenty of research to show that blood cholesterol doesn't shorten the lives of most cardiac patients, yet, anticholesterol agents are one of the biggest selling classes of drugs. Cholesterol, on the other hand, is important for preventing Alzheimers. Doctors get their primary drug information from drug salesmen. Research articles are too much trouble. Therefore, they're generally about 20 years behind research. There are still doctors who believe that the treatment of choice for stomach ulcers is a protracted bland diet when a round of antibiotic is usually all that's needed because they're caused by a bacterial infection.

[natertot]

Sorry yall are struggling with stones, yeek. I work on a urology surgery floor and take of those who have these procedures. I can't even begin to comprehend the pain of stones.

In general to prevent them we should stay away from soda-pop, limit calcium intake to recommend daily values, and be sure you're drinking sufficient water daily. Not guaranteed, but reduces the risk and their size if they do occur. Of course, follow your docs advice. Not some guy on the webs!

[randyt]

Made it out of surgery. Had some trouble in recovery, my BP was hitting 200. The pain was incredible. They couldnt get it under control.it was to be out patient but they kept me in overnight . Now to get the stent out.

[Rick]

Congratulations, Randy. Was it a boy or a girl?

[randyt]

It was twins. According to the women I talk too, they would rather have more babies

[Rick]

Atta Boy, Randy, if one is good, two is gooder. Nope. One at a time is enough for me. I've passed some decent sized stone. Not big but intriguing(?). I am NOT passing the big boys. I will die of dehydration first. That's why God made all those kidney stone grabe 'em and crush em gizmo's. Where it gets fun is when you start to pass one but it gets stuck and then you have to wait until the next time you have to pee to get rid of it. That's a fun couple of hours too.