[sickofpainanddoctors]

Ok so i have had 3 kiddney stones for about 3-4 years. They just kindof are hanging out in the same place. They have been rescanned after about a year and a half and it grew from 1 - 2.5 or something like that. I have had no pain until last Wed. when I began to have pretty bad pain the in upper right side of my stomache. I went to the ER and they did all of there fun tests and concluded that the pain was from the stones and I should see my DR. so I called both my primary Dr. and my uroligist. The uroligist said if I was in that much pain to go back the the ER and have them take care of it. My primary said call your urolisgist and get in to have them fixed. Well at the ER they did another scan and from what I could tell they are in the same location and are now 3 in size. I called the uroligist again today and he said with thoses being so small and not moving you have nothing to worry about there is no way that is causing you any pain. I know I'm not crazy the pain is there and it hurts. Is he correct could these not cause me any pain? If so do I call my primary back and ask for him to figure it out. I am just so sick of hearing that there is nothing I can do. The ER Dr. put me on vicodine and an anti nausea med. which seem to be helping a little bit, but have to contiune to use pain med to control pain.

Any advice would be great thanks,
nicole

[lioness]

Most urologists will tell you,mine included, if the stones are in the kidney not moving causing any obstruction, then you're not in pain. I have been trying to convince my urologists for 2 years about my flank pain. Apparently, the pain is all in my head.

My stones are the kind of stones that dont pass. They hang out in the kidney and are glued to the lower poles when ESWl is done. Majority of stones are calcium oxalate. . mine were all infectious Had to have them taken out in the flank bilaterally two years ago. since then I have had 4 more treatments, will have another one scheduled when I get back from vacation. Never had stones until being diagnosed 2 years. Its been the most frustrating two years of my life.

Iam not a doctor but what will happen is your urologist will wait until they are 5mm in size (which is usually the size they target for treatment) then do ESWL. They crush them then they're supposed to magically pass. . . the waiting is annoying. .

I dont want to tell you this but "good luck" in finding a urologist who believes your pain is related to your stones. If its not the stones he can do other tests to see what is causing your pain. Be assertive with your urologist, if he rules out urological ask him if he can refer you to someone who knows what is going on. A good caring doctor regardless of what specialty would actually find out what is wrong.

Good luck. . . I hope they find out what is wrong.

[frustratednikki]

I say keep searching for a new Dr., I have read in several places that the size of the stone does not determine the amount of pain. Also, I have had the same kidney stone for the past 4 months, it is only 2mm and it has put me in the hospital two times. The first time it was in my kidney and the second time it moved to my bladder.....which by the way I still have not passed. The pain was so horrible I couldnt stop throwing up and the only thing that gave me ANY relief was morphine. I have had a baby and the pain level was very similar. So I cant imagine anyone telling you that any size kidney stone in your kidney wouldnt cause pain......everyone is different and personally I would find a Dr. who believes you. Just my opinion :)

[lioness]

I have read that too. key word "read". not from any of the uros. why do i feel like someone is punching my kidneys? Gee, I dont know I must be imagining this. . Just finding a uro to believe it . . . I now have a new uro and he already knows I am annoyed. . try not to be but I am. . have to tell them to do tests, then treatment, go figure. . how something little can cause so much trouble. Then i was told it will never be clear down there even after all the treatments I have had. . very discouraging. . it is what it is. . being a female stone patient in a male's predominantmedical field. . dont and havent seen a lot of women in the lobby just older men. . .

doesnt help that the urinary crystals i have are like "coffin lids". you guessed it had to read that in a book. Didnt think I would have to research my own medical condition, but I have. . . if doctors wouldnt treat patients like they're stupid we wouldnt have to look up or research what is going on to our body or buy books to find out any information.

[artemis102006]

You may not read this because this is post is from a while ago, but what a relief to see someone with the same problem as me! I have been to 4 urologist about kidney stones and they all say the pain is just not possible. What's worst is now they think I'm shopping for dr's to prescribe me pain pills. Which is not really the case i can assure you... like you I want someone to listen, someone to not send me in circles to er docs, primary and urologist. I'm sorry this is happening to you too, I feel your fustration. One thing I can suggest though, is try drinking 2 tbls of concentrated lemon juice in 8 oz of water (with no sugar) several times through out the day. It's supposed to help soften the sharp edges of the stone, enabling it to pass. I have tried it, it worked once for me while I was pregnant... It hasn't helped since. One thing I have learned though is one thing may work for someone but may not work for another. Hang in there I hope by now you are feeling better : ) Thanks for posting, I now feel less crazy

[nails_100]

My 17 yr old daughter was in ER w/severe pain and vomiting. CT scan showed several small stones. Dr's said the stones would not cause all this pain and vomiting. Funny how the pain and vomiting would stop after passing a stone. This has been going on almost a month. She has kidney scarring from past infections. Nephrologist says stones aren't her dept. go to Urologst. Stone analysis comes back as protein. Urologist says kidneys aren't absorbing protein go back to Nephrologist. Nephrologist gives med for that. "protein casts" have stoped. Now daughter has "burning" pain in kidney, but urine culture shows no infection, Nephrologist sends back to Urologist who will do Retrograde study next month. Every night she has severe pain and vomiting been on vicodin almost a month. I am so frustrated I could cry (actualy I do quite often).

[artemis102006]

I'm sorry about you daughter... it's so frustrating how dr's will send you around in circles. They are supposed to be the specialist, what the heck were all of those years in medical school for? Sometimes I wonder if the doctors these days can find their way out of a paper bag! Well I hope everything goes well with your daughter, I know it's hard watching your child go through agony, I think that is worse than experiencing it yourself... Good luck and my prayers out to you both. : )

[nails_100]

We wound up at hospital again 2 days ago. Of course they don't think stones are cause of pain, because "stones wont cause pain if they are in the kidney". How do they know they aren't moving?Vicoden hasn't helped so they sent us home with perscription morphine and zofran. First night was great, last night my daughter was vomiting again (I think from the morphine this time). Insurance company thinks you should only be sick a certain amount of times per month so they will not cover anti-nausea med (zofran is $26 a pil,l boy did I cringe when she threw one up) Anything else work for anyone elses nausea or pain???? how long can she, or you guys be on narcotics? And why do doctors look at you like its in your head??

[artemis102006]

Oh god I wish I could grab some of these dr's balls and ask if the pain is all in their head :) I've been on and off of narcotics for almost a year now... I haven't gotten tolerant or addicted to them because I only take them when I have severe pain, although I'm sure it's not good to be on narcotics for a long time. How aggravating it must me, again I'm sorry you and your daughter are going through this. With the nausea non caffeinenated peppermint tea usually helps, hot or cold, sweeten it with honey (no sugar or splenda) and take small sips. Not only has this help me with the vomiting from the pain but also with morning sickness when I was pregnant. I hope this helps... be strong, don't let those darn dr's make you think you or your daughter are crazy. My prayers go out to you both.

[fessez_le_berk]

nails_100, I certainly hope your daughter is better, but if she isn't, or the problem reoccurs.. One of the only things that works for me for at-home nausea control is Phenergan suppositories. See if you can get a doctor to write your daughter a script for some. That way she can throw up as much as she needs to until the medication kicks in.

I have had constant pain on the right side of my back that my doctors thought was endometriosis for 4 years now. About a week and a half ago I had four stones removed from my right kidney (I've known they were there for a long time, but like everyone else, my doctors told me that stones that are still in the kidney can't cause pain). My stent came out on Wednesday. I'm still having pain in my bladder and lower back, straining and pain when I urinate, and blood and blood clots in my urine, but the pain up around the kidney area appears to be gone.

Funny how that works.