What does kidney stone feel like ?

What does kidney stone feel like ?

Author
Discussion

Busa_Rush

Original Poster:

6,930 posts

258 months

Monday 24th August 2009
quotequote all
My local GP has geared his service delivery towards single parents who can visit him between 9 and 4 weekdays so I'm not really inclined to visit unless I have to.

What does a kidney stone feel like ? What I have is a dull ache in left kidney, occasional sharp stabbing pain when I pass wind or cough hard. It comes and goes, usually stays away for a few weeks then comes back for a couple off days then goes again for a few weeks.

The_Doc

5,111 posts

227 months

Monday 24th August 2009
quotequote all
A)You have problems requiring you to see a doctor in primary care (GP, not A+E)

B)Go and see a doctor if you need to.

I don't mean to be obtuse here, but your GP's mal-organisation, if that's what you think of him, is not your immediate problem as a tax payer. He earns £100,000 average, make him do some fking work for YOU.

What you really need is a good history taking, a physical exam and ideally a urine dipstick to look for microscopic blood, but my comments above still stand and are meant to help you in the right direction.

Busa_Rush

Original Poster:

6,930 posts

258 months

Monday 24th August 2009
quotequote all
My Doc will not have time to evaluate the problem properly and I need to take time off work to see him - just a waste of my time, there's no point going to see him. What I might do is call the out of hours service when it's next painful and see what they say.

The_Doc

5,111 posts

227 months

Monday 24th August 2009
quotequote all
Busa_Rush said:
My Doc will not have time to evaluate the problem properly and I need to take time off work to see him - just a waste of my time, there's no point going to see him. What I might do is call the out of hours service when it's next painful and see what they say.
You've proved my point there. Your Doc should have enough time to see and treat you.
And as far as your health goes, you may have to take some time off work, but he/she should offer out of hours surgery.
You won't get a diagnosis over the phone reliably, don't do it.

You pay this man's wage. You need his help. I would love you to kick some (of his) ass over this.

I'm sorry, I'm having an anti-GP rant here and none of it is your fault smile

Pobolycwm

323 posts

187 months

Monday 24th August 2009
quotequote all
My experience with kidney stones; dull continuous pain in kidney area at 7am, pain continually getting worse until really quite severe at 10am when I went to hospital. No previous pain experienced.

VR6time

1,656 posts

217 months

Monday 24th August 2009
quotequote all
Passing one is the male equivilant to having a baby.

BigAlinEmbra

1,629 posts

219 months

Monday 24th August 2009
quotequote all
Busa_Rush said:
My Doc will not have time to evaluate the problem properly and I need to take time off work to see him - just a waste of my time, there's no point going to see him. What I might do is call the out of hours service when it's next painful and see what they say.
You'll be taking a lot more time off if you leave it to get nice and big.

A lithotripsy session is not a fun way to spend a day off.

Russ T Bolt

1,695 posts

290 months

Monday 24th August 2009
quotequote all
When I had one the pain was intense.

Had to call the Doc out, apparently the way to tell is that it makes you restless as there is no way to get away from the pain.

thehawk

9,335 posts

214 months

Tuesday 25th August 2009
quotequote all
I've got a history of kidney stones. The first was incredibly painful, at the level I was passing out with the pain. Lasted about 16 hours in the hospital until the pain subsided and they let me go after doing x-rays and identifying the size.

The second time was when I woke up one morning at started passing blood, but had no pain whatsoever, then a scan and x-ray was taken and showed another stone lodged in my ureter (same as first time)

Best advice is to drink copious amounts of water - 2-3 litres a day, but best to get it checked out as it could be loads of things.

TheFlyingBanana

16,484 posts

251 months

Tuesday 25th August 2009
quotequote all
Kidney stones / infections are generally recognised as about the most severe pain there is - can be even worse than childbirth (had this confirmed by a female friend who has experience of both).

Severe kidney pain is not tolerable - I have been to hospital twice with it (once by ambulance the other I managed to get myself to reception before passing out).

Another chap I know was drivingwhen a kidney stone kicked in - he pulled over and managed to crawl up someone's front path and ring the bell before collapsing. Fortunately they were in and called an ambulance.

I would advise anyone experiencing mild pain to go and seek medical help immediately because it could suddenly get a whole lot worse.

TheFlyingBanana

16,484 posts

251 months

Tuesday 25th August 2009
quotequote all
Kidney stones / infections are generally recognised as about the most severe pain there is - can be even worse than childbirth (had this confirmed by a female friend who has experience of both).

Severe kidney pain is not tolerable - I have been to hospital twice with it (once by ambulance the other I managed to get myself to reception before passing out).

Another chap I know was drivingwhen a kidney stone kicked in - he pulled over and managed to crawl up someone's front path and ring the bell before collapsing. Fortunately they were in and called an ambulance.

I would advise anyone experiencing mild pain to go and seek medical help immediately because it could suddenly get a whole lot worse.

Andy_stook_2k

179 posts

184 months

Tuesday 25th August 2009
quotequote all
I had kidney stones ten years ago and it was the worse pain I have ever had (I have slipped a disk too, so know pain).
Get a urine sample to see if you are passing blood and dont mess about, I know somebody who had a stone block a pipe and had to have an emergency operation. I believe in some cases ultrasonics can break up the stone.

Busa_Rush

Original Poster:

6,930 posts

258 months

Tuesday 25th August 2009
quotequote all
Thanks

JenRN

43 posts

183 months

Friday 28th August 2009
quotequote all
Like delivering a baby. Done both, don't want to do it again.

mathewb

301 posts

182 months

Monday 26th October 2009
quotequote all
I have had the misfortune of having four kidney stones (or rather, four kidney stone 'attacks' if you will) within with last 7 months. 2 of these were over within a matter of hours and manageable with over-the-counter painkillers, but as for the other 2... I can say honestly and without any exaggeration that no pain I've ever felt can compare to it.

The most recent bout occurred on the final morning of my stag weekend - booze-related dehydration had set me off. Fortunately I had a doctor friend in tow who got me the necessary painkillers to see me home in one piece. Ultrasound and an IVU showed 1 stone in my left kidney, 2 in my right, 1 in my bladder on its way out, and 1 lodged in my ureter. (Ouch) I went into hospital the next day for a follow up scan ahead of lithotripsy only to find all of the stones had found their way into my bladder the previous night, having messed up my pipework in the process!

Three weeks later I peed out the largest stone - 7mm no less. I trust you are wincing at the logistics of that. It has been 5 days since then and I am still reminded of this Frank Zappa song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZY5p-3KKnU

Tips:

Drink plenty of water (obviously). Your average person is recommended 2-3 litres. If you have recurring kidney stones consider upping this.

If you have calcium stones, try strong lemon cordial. The lemon supposedly can help partially dissolve a stone in the kidney. (That may or may not be an old wives' tale)

My fiancee is a doctor. If you have a partner/relative who works at the hospital, try to avoid it. It is sod's law that the person they send in to give you a rectal examination will be someone you know. And can never look in the eye again. I'm just saying.

Pee through a sieve to catch the stone on its way out. Terribly indignified, but you should then be able to get it analysed to see what's making up the stone and adjust your diet/lifestyle accordingly.

If you're in pain, take your painkillers and try getting into a bath as hot as you can tolerate. I've often ended up sleeping in the bath as it was the only place I was comfortable enough.

Drink plenty of water. It's worth saying twice.

s.m.h.

5,733 posts

222 months

Monday 26th October 2009
quotequote all
I had stones removed about 10 years ago.
Obviously the symptoms may differ as mine were aggravating the neck of the bladder causing me to feel as if I wanted to pee every 5 minutes and had shooting pains in the inside of my thighs and groin area.
Buggers only took 4 months to find! Had checks for prostate (thanks) and was not until I had the x-ray with fluid through a drip in my blood, that they saw the stones.

For mine they went in (!) broke them up and I pee'd them out. I'd not suggest this route to anyone, as the pain killers had a habit of wearing off around 2 am at home leaving you doubled in pain!
Ultrasound I think or tablets are other less painful ways of getting them done.

You might find you have a kidney infection, as the poster above said, drink lots of water.

My doc apologised for not finding it sooner....

triggersbroom

2,437 posts

211 months

Monday 26th October 2009
quotequote all
mathewb said:
And can never look in the eye again. .
yikes You are not kidding after passing one of those buggers! wink

Glassman

23,105 posts

222 months

Monday 26th October 2009
quotequote all
Kidney stone / gout = unbearable pain.

When I had a stone some 15 years ago, I was doubled up in pain and ended up crawling into hospital on all fours. Imagine the worst gut rot pain x 50.

Awful pain which, is the kidney trying to pass a stone through a bit of tubing for which it is about 10 times too large.

The_Doc

5,111 posts

227 months

Tuesday 27th October 2009
quotequote all
Glassman said:
Kidney stone / gout = unbearable pain.

When I had a stone some 15 years ago, I was doubled up in pain and ended up crawling into hospital on all fours. Imagine the worst gut rot pain x 50.

Awful pain which, is the kidney trying to pass a stone through a bit of tubing for which it is about 10 times too large.
They say the pain is actually the muscle in the walls of the tubing (ureter) contracting around the stone, losing it's blood supply (ischaemia) due to high contractile pressures which gives pain, and the resulting pain signal sent to the brain and interpreted. The ureters don't have a direct efferent nerve supply in the true sense like your fingertip.

The classical pain is a true Colic, and represents waves of muscular contractures rather than a persistant same-intensity pain. Also explains why it can respond to an anti spasmodic drug like buscopan.

It's the male version of childbirth; a little, stony child smile


callyman

3,157 posts

219 months

Friday 22nd January 2010
quotequote all
My first was a very painful drive to A&E for a Vortarol Injection up the cheeks.
Ive never felt pain like that in my life, I didnt even know pain could be so intense.

Ive had 5 since then, but mainly bad back pain followed by trying to pass the bloody things.

I now drink water alot more