Posted , 18 users are following.
Help!
I've been having severe pain on and off for a couple of years. Each time, I'm told I have kidney stones in each kidney, but they should not be causing the pain because they are non obstructing.
Has anyone else had this issue?
I'm starting to feel crazy.
0 likes, 28 replies
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kaitlyn13535 brandybrockes
Posted
I've had kidney stones that obstruct and do not obstruct. I don't know what idiot doctor would tell you that they don't cause pain. Every single one is between painful and so much pain you want to die. I've never had a kidney stone not hurt. I would see a urologist. They have a better handle on those things, can give you meds to help pass them faster and run tests to see if you can prevent your stones.
kaitlyn13535
Posted
And to add to my previous post, the stones that do pass through the ureter tend to actually cause me more pain than the ones stuck in the kidney that just try to go into the ureter but are too big. My most painful ones were 5 mm and they came out slowly but surely. The 5 mm were the worst and I've had all sizes from tiny sand to 10 mm. They all hurt though. My point being that nonobstructing stones have been my most painful and obstructing stones, while painful, have not been as bad but needed surgery.
Luna_Sea brandybrockes
Posted
It's not common, but some of us feel extreme pain from non-obstructive kidney stones. In my case, I have problems with pain when stones are in my left kidney. I don't notice them in my right until they try to pass. My family and friends thought my pain was in my head. I had a vaginal ultrasound, a colonoscopy and upper endoscopy before one of my doctor's decided to check my joints via x-ray and CT scan. There it was, a giant non-obstructive stone in my left kidney. I had severe abdominal, back and flank pain that was generalized enough that no one thought to check my kidneys. I had days where I was bed-ridden because it felt like the worst menstrual cramps I'd ever had. As soon as the unobstructive stone was removed, my pain was gone. And when the pain comes back, I know I have another stone. I felt redeemed when the problem was discovered because I had people close to me telling me to buck up and get over it, like I was faking the pain so I could lay in bed all day. It took months to figure out.
jeanette01068 Luna_Sea
Posted
Luna_Sea jeanette01068
Posted
If you know you have a non-obstructive kidney stone and you are feeling pain in the general area, I think you will feel better after the stone is gone. The pain was seriously gone once they got it out of me. I wasn't sure it would fix it and that I might have some other underlying problem, but once I'd had the lithotripsy, I was completely back to normal.
jeanette01068 Luna_Sea
Posted
That would be wonderful. I am never pain free even when it flies under the radar. I have had doctors tell me it can be the source and others tell me it cannot be. I had blood in urine a few times, so I know it's not completely benign - it irritates somewhat.
nikip brandybrockes
Posted
There are still some doctors wsho insist that non-obstructing kidney stones can't cause pain. -- which I think is pretty insulting to the patient who is then either (1) left with an unexplained pain or (2) let to believe it's all in their head. But they are being rapidly replaced by anecdotal histories of people who have pain in the kidney where the non-obstructing stone is. I've had aches from a non-obstructing kidney stone for about 3 years....
jeanette01068 nikip
Posted
nikip jeanette01068
Posted
I have not had scans to see if the unobstructing ones are still there and still unobstructing. I made a decision to treat them on a preventative basis holistically. I take small amounts of chanca piedra and have been drinking water with a little bit of lemon. I'll be adding another 'natural treatment' of olive oil to the lemon juice soon. The nagging (though not severe) pain in my left flank seems to be diminishing but can't know for sure since I haven't had scans.
Brad_kc nikip
Posted
My doctors insist that non obstructing stones do not cause pain. I have non obstructing stones in both kidneys I have had constant pain in left kidney for 5 years I had ureterscopy 2 months ago that removed numerous stones but still have non obstructing stones in the tissue of both kidneys. Doctors will not prescribe pain meds. I don't know what options I have left other than buy narcotics off street. A person can only endure so much pain!
gary02690 nikip
Posted
I can tell you first hand non obstucting stones do cause pain. I have had 15 lithotripsies, yes 15, stones ranging in size from 7-25 mm. I have a surgery about every 1/2 years. I also have so many innumerable small stones through out the upper lower and mid poles of both kidneys all my large stones have been on the right kidney. I know the difference between large stone pain that is non obstructing and small stone that is passing. The large stone is more like having a tooth ache in the kidney and movement sometime like a knife stabbing, a small stone is gut wrenching in the fetal position type pain. I hate when Docs say but you cant be in pain the stone is non obstructing. In may case each time I have a stone and go to ER they do a urine sample and comes back with an infection. 17% of acute stone pain comes with an UTI. My Large stones are infected and the infected stone is what cause the pain even though it is non obstucting. The last Litho I had in June the bacteria flooded my system and got a fever, it went from normal to 107 in two hours and my bp dropped to to 30/60. I was in hospital for week, same thing happened the previous litho but not as bad so just a warning if you have pain with non obstucting stone check for UTI your stones are probably infected.
FaithInHim brandybrockes
Posted
Hello Brandy
Let me share a favorite "quote" of mine. "To thine own self be true," says Polonius in Hamlet.
First of all, You are not crazy! Welcome to the Forum where you will find support, stories shared from other
"Stoners" and hopefully some insight or good information here.
"We" as a group, know our bodies better than anyone. Dealing with a medical condition such as kidney stones
you become very aware to the signs and pain that comes with it. It's a shame that we sometimes have to
Fight to get the attention we need. Never Give Up, Find a Good Urologist who deals with Stones. Even if the stone is non obstructing, you could still have pain. The stone or stones, could cause an infection which would also cause pain. Anytime your body is hurting without a known reason is cause for alarm. So stay strong, and be vigilant in finding a good Urologist. In the meantime, stay away from all sodas, drink plenty of water, cranberry juice mixed with lemon juice. I also use an Herb, Chanca Piedra. You take care & Best wishes ~ Faith
julie55251 brandybrockes
Edited
OMG I am so relieved I found this thread!!! I have been suffering on and off for about 5 years with the stupid embedded kidney stone. I call it "bouts" because it lasts for about 2 months and then goes away same left side same pain on and off. It patterns in the morning so for me to get to work at 7 AM if have to get up at 4 AM and then see what type of pain, if any I will have and then use iburprofin up to tramadol - every morning weekend or week day. It is insane. To make absolute insult to pain two urologists won't even address my pain issue because of course if not in ureter can not cause pain. Tomorrow I am going back to the original urologist that tried to take it out and did not succeed. I it amazing that I have to justify this pain!!!! Unreal I am so p****d at these urologists that seem to know. I would love to touch them and let them really feel what I feel.
Luna_Sea julie55251
Edited
Julie, if you have to go to a dozen different urologists to get this addressed and find someone that believes you, do it. I had the stone in my kidney and I was in varying degrees of pain for months. The stone was removed and the pain went away. It took months to discover because all these doctors assumed the only pain you get from kidney stones is when you pass them and if I was passing them, I would be in the ER screaming my head off. It never occurred to them. My stone was only discovered because the doctors were looking for something else. Even though I didn't care for my first urologist, he was an older man and he never doubted I was in pain from this non-obstructive stone. He gave me hydrocodone immediately for relief until he could treat it. I'm so sorry you have had your very real pain issue ignored all this time. I know exactly how painful it can be. I remember starting my current job and trying to stand up straight and act like nothing was wrong...but the pain was so bad I had to ask for an ibuprofen from my new co-worker. I didn't want to tell them I was pretty much in too much pain to effectively do my new job that day, but that was a bad day. And of course, ibuprofen barely touched it. I was popping 4 ibuprofen every four hours for months just to take the edge off it. When I found out about the stone and told my mother-in-law (the nurse) that it might be the cause of all these months of agony, she said there was no way it was the cause because kidney stones only hurt when you are passing them and I would be in the ER. Yeah, I didn't get much sympathy from anyone including family while this was going on. You need to get that sucker out of you so that your quality of life can return and it's time to put your foot down.
julie55251 Luna_Sea
Posted
Thank you SO much you don't know how much your reply means to me I will put my foot down. I read this to my mom in tears -she thinks the same. I have an appointment tomorrow thanks again. Julie.
julie55251
Posted
Luna_Sea julie55251
Posted
I'm so happy for you Julie! Did he say what procedure? Since he couldn't get it out the first time, you might need a lithotripsy to break it up so it can flush out. You are going to feel so much better once it's out of your body.