Posted , 7 users are following.
I'm scheduled for Lithotripsy for my 7 mm stone and I am unbelievably stressed about it! Everything I read is so scary. Does it ever go well with decent recovery? Is it ever painless? Do the stones ever pass quickly or am I in for several weeks of agony? I'm trying to get into the right frame of mind. All input is welcome.
0 likes, 15 replies
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allen_1272 Scareddcat
Posted
Hi, I’m sorry to hear that you are suffering with kidney stones and have to have lithotripsy to solve this. I’ve had two sessions of lithotripsy in the past to deal with kidney stones and both have gone successfully and relatively painlessly. The procedure itself feels weird but more uncomfortable than painful. As long the stone is fragmented to a small enough size then they will pass painlessly. They should scan you during the procedure to monitor the effectiveness. I recently had two operations to remove a 9mm stone and still have a stent fitted, trust me you would rather have the lithotripsy!!
Hope it all goes well for you 😊
jeanette01068 allen_1272
Posted
How did feel the litho when here in my local area, they refuse to do the procedure unless you are knocked out? They claim it's too painful to handle, but I suspect they just want to make it easier for themselves. I personally do not want the drugs. They also told me they won't stop until all the shocks are used up even if it shows smashed up. I mean, at what point is it pointless and maybe more harmful?
Luna_Sea Scareddcat
Posted
I completely agree with Allen. If you are getting out of this without a stent in place, you are winning already. The lithotripsy wasn't that bad...just keep giving them the signal if the discomfort is too much and they will up the pain cocktail (as long as they are paying attention - I got a little too aware of my surroundings because my techs were busy catching up with my horrible urologist at the time). Overall, my biggest complaint about the lithotripsy was the expense. Fortunately I had almost completely reached my total out of pocket by this procedure, so insurance had to pick up most of the tab. If you don't have to have a stent, then the rest of this will be a breeze. Take your hydrocodone, Flomax and Urabel (hopefully they give you all these drugs) and passing the debris should be mostly pain-free. I passed 4 separate 4mm stones in May in the ER. That was painful without the hydrocodone. Once I was sent home with the pain pills, I passed two more 4mm (one of them was closer to 5mm) but I barely noticed other than the scratchy feeling as they came out. Since yours is 7mm, the fragments will probably be smaller and you might not even notice you are passing them other than from the little sifter they give you to collect them. Most kidney stone patients will tell you the stent is the worst part and even I was able to get the discomfort from that under control with the right medications. The lithotripsy is nothing to get upset or worried about. I've had a worse time getting fillings at the dentist.
Luna_Sea
Posted
I forgot to mention...it's kind of like a rubber band snapping at one spot, accept the pain is numbed from the snapping. It's annoying getting snapped over and over in one place, but as long as you aren't feeling the pain from the snap, it's tolerable.
Scareddcat Luna_Sea
Posted
I sooo appreciate yours and Allen's comments! I live in California, which must have a bit different guideline. I will be put to sleep with general anesthesia for the procedure.
Luna_Sea Scareddcat
Posted
Are they doing a lithotripsy where they put you on a special table and the shockwave is administered outside your body? Or are they doing a uretorscopy with laser lithotripsy (going inside and up your ureter?) I have had both procedures. I was doped up for the first and sedated for the second. You don't usually need a stent for the first kind, but they also don't tend to sedate people for it either. With the uretorscopy, sedation is necessary and the doctor will decide while he's breaking up your stone whether or not to put in a stent. It depends on how irritated and inflamed your ureter is after he's been messing around up there. I had this procedure in October and woke up with a stent to my horror. If this happens to you, I can't stress how important it is to get the pills that turn your pee blue, Flomax and an anti-spasmodic. The first few hours after waking are not fun, but the sooner you get those meds in, the quicker you will feel relief from the stent (if you get one). And usually they can remove the stent within a week after procedure (my first doctor sedated me for the removal, which now seems a dangerous and unnecessary option considering my second doctor inserted a clamp with a camera and pulled it out in seconds without the risk of anesthesia.
Scareddcat Luna_Sea
Posted
I will be having the first one where I'll be on a table and they'll zap the stone from the outside. The proceedure here in California is to use either lical or general anesthesia.
Luna_Sea Scareddcat
Posted
I kind of wish they had sedated me for mine. It's going to be a breeze for you, nothing to worry about. The fragments should be small enough to pass without much discomfort. And it's not such a big stone that you are likely to need multiple treatments. You might have a red, sore spot where they put the shockwave, but other than that I think you are going to have a much pleasanter experience than most people.
Scareddcat Luna_Sea
Posted
Thanks so very much for the encouragement. I've barely slept worrying about it. I will have it done on Dec 18th. I'm not worried about the bruising or discomfort at the site, I'm just worried about passing the stones afterwards! I don't want to be in the intense pain and throwing up like when I passed a 2mm stone 4 years ago. Another concern is that I'm supposed to go on vacation around the 1st of January and am hoping so much this won't cause me to have to cancel. :-(
Luna_Sea Scareddcat
Posted
I didn't even notice the two 4mm ones I passed after they gave me pain meds and Flomax. Without the pain meds...yes, that's excruciating. But I bet your doctor will have you covered. They give you enough to keep you from having to go to the ER. In my experience, the only thing they do for you when you are passing a stone at the ER is pain management and send you home to pass the rest with prescription pain meds.
Luna_Sea Scareddcat
Posted
sudhirhardik Scareddcat
Posted
I took it and you know what within 12 hours my 7 mm stone passed out. I am much relieved now.
The remedy is that first I had around 8 pint of beer yesterday night. After that I took half cup of lemon and half cup of olive oil and I slept.My stone was in between kidney and urethra till yesterday.it started travelling. Today morning I could feel the stone in my urethra. I then decided to take lemon squeezed with lukewarm water . I almost had a litre of water and to my amazement my stone like a screw got out. If you can bear the pain you just go ahead with the remedy. I can share you my stone pic if you want. Search the net for more info. I will guide you how to get rid of it.
Scareddcat sudhirhardik
Posted
No offense, but if I drank 8 punts of beer I'd be unconscious and unable to follow through any further. Thanks, but no thanks.
Barb1705 Scareddcat
Posted
In Aug. a CT Scan showed I had a 7mm stone at the Ureteropelvic Junction. When I would urinate, it would be all blood. In the middle of Sept., I had a great deal of pain (went to ER), and another CT Scan showed the stone was 9mm, and had moved to Distal part of Ureter. Went to Urologist. He scheduled a procedure on Oct. 23rd, to remove stone, as stone was blocking urine flow from kidney. Was done thru Short Procedure Unit at hosp. Was given Propofol, Versed, & Fentanyl thru IV, and then given a Spinal - could not have a general because I have severe COPD - Emphysema. Doctor could not get the stone out. It was impacted in the wall of the Ureter. He used a Laser, but stone would not break up. Put a stent in to let the urine flow, and to make Ureter open up. Have had stent in for 7 weeks. Scheduled to have another procedure this week to see if he can get the stone out this time. Was told he's going to use a Laser again, and since that makes the Ureter swell, I'm going to have to have another stent put in, so urine will be able to flow thru. Any comments about "this mess" would be greatly appreciated, and I am really scared.
sarah87162 Scareddcat
Posted
Sarah