ESWL

I’m guessing everyone’s experience is different. I’ve had lithotripsy twice and they put me under. It took about 45 min. I peed blood then went home. They gave me a script for pain medication which I filled the first time but didn’t use. Then the 2nd time I didn’t even fill it. I personally thought lithotripsy was no big deal. 

Hi, I had eswl 3 years ago I had a 9mm and a 6mm on my right side. It's not a painful procedure but can be uncomfortable. It was about 25 minutes each. The stones moved out slowly over a period of 3 weeks everytime I used the bathroom. I'm in the U.K. good luck

Hi Becky,

I imagine you will get a lot of response to this from ‘veteran’ stone producer (I’ve had 8). Some thoughts -

. Sounds unusual you are just having lithotripsy, the trend now is to accompany this with having a laser and scope run up your ureter to zap the stones with a laser after giving them about 1000 jolts of sonic waves from the lithotripsy machine.

. In any event, the big deal in recovery is whether you have a stent and catheter in place for a week or so after your procedure. The stent is only a little uncomfortable when they take it out, but the catheter is really a drag. In theory, you can go places with the catheter in, but the two times I had one, I never did.

. The reason the catheter is needed is relative to the amount of bruising caused by the procedure. The simple test is whether you can pee, without a catheter in place, before leaving the hospital. If you can’t, you get a catheter. If they are doing lasering, where they run a laser and scope up into your kidneys, you will end up with a stent and catheter. If it’s just lithotripsy you may end up with just a a stent, or nothing at all. If so, you are probably good to go traveling right after your procedure.

Good luck

I had a stone between 11-14mm. I thought I was going to be good to go the day after my procedure since that was what I had read. Unfortunately that was not my experience. I had the shock wave therapy and had to get a stent. I was in bed for 3 days after my procedure in lots of pain and I have a very high pain tolerance. My parents had to keep my 4 children because I couldn’t care for them and since the surgeon said I’d be good to go the day after my husband went out of town as planned. I peed blood the entire time and basically it felt like I was peeing dragon fire. I also ended up with a kidney infection which made me even more miserable. It was the longest 3 weeks of my life lol. Everyone responds differently so I think it will be hard to judge if you will be ok to travel or not.

Hi Becky,

Vaughn again. From reading all your responses I think it shows you have no guarantees how quickly after lithotripsy you will feel up to traveling.

In rereading your post, you mentioned a serious of treatments. I’ve never heard of this before. Everyone I’ve talked to who has had lithotripsy has described it pretty much the same way - roll you into the special OR room where they have the lithotripsy machine; lay you onto your back onto this cold metal table; put you under; and you then wake up in recovery with a mild sore back and (maybe) a catheter and stent in place.

Are you sure you are getting a series of treatments? I assume this would be without a general anesthetic? At any rate, if their is something new out there I would be interested if (God forbid) I ever develop another stone.