Is there safe (natural) pain relief for kidney pain?
Posted , 9 users are following.
I am very new to CKD in fact still in testing phases. My GP has been incredibly unhelpful, even prescribing me ibuprofen for the kidney pain. Yes I questioned him and told him I wasn't interested in taking that... didn't change the prescription. I still won't take it.
My GFR is 49 and my kidneys, yes both hurt, often. It is not severe pain, but it's constant pain always seeming to change exact location. From twinges and spasms at the top of the kidneys, to low abdominal pain, to resting position overall pain.
I don't see a specialist for another 3 weeks and I can't seem to find anything legitimate to help with the pain. I've tried heat, and at first it was comforting but then pain increased. Ice has the same reaction. First great, then more pain. If these are safe, which I find contradicting evidence about and why I'm asking, should I just do it for a smaller length of time? Is one better than the other? Or are one or both bad for the kidneys?
Is there anything else that I can take to help with the pain? Obviously nothing prescribed is an option because of my GP and wait for specialist. So I need something natural I can buy over the counter. Please someone help me, I'm quite frustrated, in pain, and feeling quite hopeless. ??
0 likes, 22 replies
fiona46475 minthom
Posted
Hi don't take ibuprofen. I used to take this year's ago and Anadein when I had pains in my back which caused scarring on my kidneys and now have ckd stage 4. I found taking a product from Holland and barrett called supergreens. You drink it every day. Have had no pain in back since.It has lots of vitamins in powder form and gives you plenty of energy.
minthom fiona46475
Posted
Thank you for your suggestion. I assume you also have CKD? I know ibuprofen is bad, I'm not planning to even go back to my doctor, I'm furious. I will look into Supergreens. I just hope it's not too expensive!
fiona46475 minthom
Posted
Yes I have ckd stage 4 gr 24 . Got it at 21 now 36. Never new i was stage 4 from the beginning only until i started trying for kids. Gp like that not supportive as i was the youngest patient. Same with nephrologist. Gave me very little information on it. Wheatgrass is also really good and nettle tea. It's safe. Avoid high salty foods and energy drinks like redbull.
minthom fiona46475
Posted
Wow, I'm so sorry you've experienced such difficulties due to your age. And here I thought I was young for such a diagnosis... (40).
I appreciate your recommendations very much. Would I get nettle and wheat grass from a health foods store? I appreciate making my own. Currently I'm making parsley tea, but I'm not sure this is really going to help, at least with pain anyway.
Onto the last thing you mention... I unfortunately am an ex alcoholic and addict. I have given up everything except one, that is a daily "Rockstar", the energy drink. I have held on to it as long as I have just because I've given up a lot and I don't want to push too hard ending myself in relapse. When I got the kidney results I did a little research and thought the energy drink I drink (only one kind), would be okay as long as I gave it up soon. It has no phosphorus, potassium, articificial sugar or high fructose corn syrup. But you clearly mention staying away from it. I'm definitely NOT disagreeing with you lol. I'm just hoping you'll give me some more exact info as to why I should give it up sooner rather than later. In other words, educate me in a way that helps me realize how specifically damaging it is to my health, please!
Neffie minthom
Posted
minthom Neffie
Posted
Hello Neffie, thanks for your reply! I am aware ibuprofen and pretty much everything else is off limits, that's why I'm struggling so much. (I wouldn't even take the ibuprofen home from the pharmacy, I'm furious with my GP and don't plan to see him ever again.)
I have spent a lot of time reseaching safe things and am having no luck. Or I'll find a suggestion on one site and then another site it says it's not good for the kidneys.
Ive been back and forth on so many things I figured I'd go to the best source... those also dealing with the same pain. Hoping someone has something for me. Going to look into Supergreens like fiona mentions above.
Take care of that sister!
pat-58 minthom
Posted
minthom pat-58
Posted
I've read tylenol was no-good for the kidneys... ugh. Is it like the lesser of all evils, or do you think I've read incorrect information?
Neffie minthom
Posted
My sister's kidney Dr. said Tylenol. I don't know who you believe. She said only 1 extra strength Tylenol. I am sure you are frustrated. Hope u find something soon to help u
minthom Neffie
Posted
Thank you very much. <3
mikewordman minthom
Posted
Hi Minthom,
Very sorry indeed to hear about your struggles. First off, and as someone who has suffered CKD for a very long time, I endorse your caution in terms of carefully selecting your medication. However, I am almost 100% certain that Tylenol does not impact the kidneys so you could try that. In fact, if you look up "CKD" and "Tylenol" you will see that Tylenol actually says this right on their website! Check it out: "The National Kidney Foundation recommends acetaminophen, the active ingredient in TYLENOL®, as the pain reliever of choice for occasional use in patients that have underlying kidney disease." Seems pretty definitive to me.
Apart from that, I am at a loss. I myself experienced no pain whatsoever as my kidneys declined over the years; rarely I might get a bit of "flank discomfort", but that was it. This is why some people fail to notice their kidneys declining until it is literally time for dialysis, so it's good that you're catching this early, relatively speaking.
Let us know what your diagonosis is. Best wishes for a positive result,
minthom mikewordman
Posted
Wow Mike, this is such great news! Thanks for sharing and endorsing what Neffie has said. I'm not sure how much just Tylenol will do for me, but it's better than nothing and I'm going to give it a try. Thanks again so much! I will keep you all posted on my results.
LynQ minthom
Posted
I have been advised not to take ibuprofen or any other anti inflammatory drug. My GFR is 24. I mainly take paracetamol, but when I had a kidney stone, I was given tramacet which does work for kidney pain. I wonder whether you might have a stone? It could have lodged in the kidney and I'm wondering why your doctor has not sent you to have an ultrasound of the kidney. Perhaps you have already had your GFR tested to see if the kidney is functioning properly?
minthom LynQ
Posted
I have had an ultrasound. It shows normal. This is why my GP prescribed the ibuprofen. He took the normal ultrasound as his guide over the six straight months of falling GFR.
I have BHD not sure how familiar CKD patients are with that... (It stands for Birt-Hogg-Dube syndrome). In other words I have a geneticist who actually has original kidney scans for something to compare to, I'm thinking this may be more helpful. I see them again on the 23rd when I hope to get more help than I am now.
Thanks so much for your thoughts and concern. After experiencing what I have from my GP, I'm so grateful for this forum, and all of you! <3
mikewordman minthom
Posted
I understand how frustrating it can be to receive contradictory information, particularly from your GP. I myself found this to be the case as well. It's not that the GP was/is incompetent, it's that they simply do not appreciate all the subtleties associated with handling someone with CKD. At times, I have been more than a little surprised by their lack of knowledge as regards CKD, nor even how the transplant system works (!).
In fairness, it is because they are generalists - not specialists - so this issue likely isn't limited to just folks with CKD. From this point on, you should run everything past a nephrologist if possible; I'm assuming you have been referred to one. Other than that, if you do visit your GP for common aches & pains, you need to remind them - each and every time - that you suffer from CKD, and if they prescribe a medication you need to ask if it is specifically safe for CKD patients. Likely this will require them to look it up, or call a specialist themselves (they often have support a phone call away) to double-check, so you can gain confidence your treatment is ok.
In short, it is not at all inconceivable that you will become more of a subject matter expert than your own GP as regards CKD. Nobody understands a disease like someone actually going through it - unless of course they are a specialist. Go in with this mindset every time you see your GP and you should be fine.
Let us know what your diagnosis is. Best wishes,
minthom mikewordman
Posted
Thanks Mike. I needed to hear all of that. I realize it, but sometimes it's nice to be reminded again, gets me back on the track of gratefulness versus hatefulness.
There is more to the story with this particular GP and I'm still not planning to see him again. But, again, it's from many instances, not just one.
Because of the BHD (I refer to above) and possible VEDS, I am clearly aware of knowing more than your typical "general" practioner about certain conditions. Which is fine and understandable. But when they actually ignore me, because they think I don't know what I'm talking about, that's what makes me angry and gets me all worked up.
I've even had a general radiologist come down to make a personal visit in an ER to tell me that I did not have a vertebral artery dissection that had just been discovered in a recent angiogram performed by a neurosurgeon. This radiologist literally wanted me to send his pictures to them so I could show them that they were wrong. He couldn't fathom being wrong himself, or faulty equipment, or whatever may have been the problem. Literally, he gave me a CD of his scans to pass along.
What I'm trying to say is that, you're right. And I need to learn to be more patient.