How many of you have had them? How bad are they? What causes/preventions are there?
I've been popping them out a few times a year for the last 9... Just zinged one across the toilet bowl a few nights ago in fact. It got so bad about 6 months ago that I finally went to a doctor and had all kinds of tests done to see if there was anything I could do to prevent it... turns out I have the kind that form completely randomly for no reason whatsoever. Nothing I can do about it but try not to shoot myself when I have another one. I've hurt myself many times over the years... broken bones, skull + cement reunions, sprained everything, car accidents, etc, but nothing even comes close to having a jagged rock tear through your insides. Case in point, the stone I passed a few nights ago was preceded by bloody bits of flesh the night before. No fun........ -R
Get a REAL metabolic work up by a Board Certified Urologist. It will consist of stone analysis, but more importantly a 24 hour urine collection for Ca, Phos, Uric acid, Citrate and Oxalate, as well as some blood work. DO NOT listen to well meaning folks that don't know what they are talking about. The causes are varied as are the treatments and if you do random stuff you might actually get worse. Kinda like getting a new battery for your non-running car because that helped your best friend; but you are missing your back wheels, doesn't help you and you wasted money and time. Get a real diagnosis. Kidney stones can have bad consequences far beyond pain. See a Urologist.
I've had 3 stones so far. The worst pain I could possibly imagine. After the last one (about 2 years ago), I've started drinking water like a fish. Lots of water. It means I go pee alot, but I believe it makes a difference (though I agree with Urotrash above, definately go see a doc). Dom
Keeping urine volume over 2 liters per day is the great common denominator; helps greatly with stones of any sourse.
Back from the dentist. Sure, I've had about 20 kidney stone attacks. I've had laser surgery and shock wave lithotripsy. I must have the smallest ureters in the world, because my stones have been like little dinky (but sharp) pieces of sand. Once they get stuck, you want to die. I thought I had it bad until a friend of mine got a kidney stone the size of a golf ball, obviously wouldn't pass, so they had to do an incision and blast it point blank. In one trip to the pisser, he passed about 50 times the material I had seen in all of mine put together. Yowch! What I have learned: First, drink a lot. Then drink some more. Second, when you need to pee, go pee. Don't wait until it's convenient, or until you can spare the time. Third, once you have a stone, it's too late to do anything about it.
You know we do have a variety of meds that can prevent them, depending on the cause; you had a metabolic work up yet????
My big flurry of attacks was about 15 years ago. I hadn't had another one until April last year. No, I haven't had a metabolic workup, and I lost the last stone somewhere, although I meant to keep it. The ones in the past were described as oxalates.
Remember the stone is the least important of the 3 things you check: 1. stone 2. 24 hour urine collection 3. bloodwork. a lot of times we can make a good determination with just #2 and3.
Come to the Great Smokey Mountains, and I'll work you up; you can deduct the whole trip including an excursion to Deal's Gap!!!!!!
The New England Journal of Medicine had this very interesting study regarding stones... http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=1887
Good study. WEEKLY I have to try to undo the council of well meaning but ignorant family docs who tell their patients to avoid dairy products, and they end up having MORE stones. this is because there is a virtual unlimited supply of calcium in the bone (to draw upon) to bind with the oxalate. Taking extra calcium binds dietary oxalate in the gut, preventing absorption. This is a common example of what well meaning but ignorant people tell stone formers. BTW, this is not new knowledge, it is working knowledge by every urologist for 10 years.
Best study shows 2 liters per day is a risk factor for calcium stones. Drink water. Don't waste your money on bottled water, get one of those $15 Britta pitchers like we use at the office for our coffee. Last forever, change the filter every year or so (when it drips too slowly), not every 3 months like the Britta people say.
I'm 21 and dumb, and don't care about my health, BUT this is someting I want NOTHING to do with. A few times a week I have to hold my pee for several hours before going. Whould this cause stones to from??? Also, other than drinking lots of water (which I do) and peeing, what else can I do to keep stones from forming? This seems like hell to go through and I'm more than willing to do what I can to prevent this!!!! ANY help would be GREATLY APPRECIATED!!! -Dan
No. Be born with good genes (have no family history of stones), avoid any dietary extremes like high protein diet (we see a lot of Uric acid stones since Atkins)
whew!!, thanks goodness, thanks for your help here ya go (insert pic of catnip here)...for your troll cat
