Kidney stones…… Anyone get them?

so my quest to stop the kidney stones is ongoing. Since 1991 I’ve had 84 Kenny stones they suck bad.

Anybody get them? Has anybody been able to prevent them for long?

 

Have you had a doctor examine the stones to see what is causing them? I've only had 2 and the doc suggested changing my diet based on info that came back from the lab. Haven't had trouble for a few years now.

 

I had one and it was the worst pain I’ve ever dealt with. The doctor told me that 99% of cases are due to chronic dehydration which most Americans suffer from. He told me to drink 2 liters of water per day and I’ll likely never have another one. I don’t always get 2 liters in, but I get close every day and I haven’t had one since and that’s been over 10 years ago. The doc did say some people are predisposed to getting them based on their diet, but even then, higher/consistent water intake helps those people to have less stones.

 

Looks like their have been a few posts with "Kidney stones" in the title. The thread "Anyone have kidney stones?" appears to have the most replies.

 

OP you really didnt provide much information but what ever. You need to find and be under the care of a “good” urologist. That is your best source of treatment and information.
It’s hard to advise you with so little information but I’ll just say a couple of things. First you need to drink copious amounts of fluids, plain old water is probably the best. Minimum 2 1/2 to 3+ quarts per day. Minimize all soda and alcohol intake. You should be peeing clear not yellow. You need to change or modify your diet. You can do the research for that or discuss with your urologist. There are a few medications you can take. Some over the counter and some are by prescription . One over the counter is calcium citrate. There are various brands, it is primarily used to support bone health and treat osteoporosis but it also helps prevent certain stones from forming in the kidneys. A common prescription treatment is Potassium Citrate. This helps prevent stones from forming and can actually reduce in size and dissolve some stones.
Bottom line you need to be under the care of a urologist.

 

I've had two now. Worst pain ever. Morphine at urgent care didn't even take the edge off the pain from the second one. I started drinking some lemon water regularly and cut back on green smoothies. I was making a green smoothie every day with a lot of spinach and kale in it and apparently that can increase kidney stone risk. Been a few years since I had one now.

 

Oh God yes sadly. Had them twice. First was around 2006 and it was a jagged one that really did a number. Cut out any veggies high in oxalate (spinach) and started drinking more water. Had them again a few years ago but not nearly as bad.

I've heard a lemon juice/apple cider vinegar drink diluted in water helps dissolve the kidney stones ... among having other health benefits. Been doing that for a few years now too.

 

I've had one. Can confirm that the pain is pretty bad. Not a sharp pain that comes and goes. I've had pain from injuries that I'd rate as an 8 or 9 on a scale of 1-10. But that pain was only for a short time and subsided. I'd rate my kidney stone a 6 or 7 but it was constant with no let-up until I was drugged up pretty good.

I went to the ER. Caught them at a busy time and it took about 2 hours to get out of the waiting room. And I waited 2-3 hours at home before going. The closest thing I got to relief was to lie on the cold floor with my side on the floor. As that spot warmed, I'd move slightly to find a colder spot.

Ultrasound confirmed the stone. They gave me something for pain with a script for more. When I left, I was pretty loopy and slept for the better part of 2 days. Over the next 2 weeks I occasionally felt some minor pain as the stone was moving through my kidney. But this was temporary and bearable. I was screening urine to try to catch the stone. Never found it and after 2 weeks no more issues. That was 20 years ago and thankfully it hasn't come back.

 

I've had about 20-30 over the years. Started in my early 20's, I'm 42 now. First couple were scary as I was young and didn't really know wtf was going on. Most of them only caused issues going from kidney to bladder. As I've gotten older I've finally passed 1-2 of them. I've had 3-4 that absolutely rocked my world and would send me to the ER screaming and crying (yes even as an adult grown man)

Biggest thing for me was water intake. When I'm active and working out I drink way less soda and way more water and I noticed they would decline. If I was injured and stuck on the couch for a few weeks or a few months, they would pick back up again. Once I started putting the pieces together I just make it a priority to drink more water. Last CT scan I had showed 0 in the kidneys.

Mine were from calcium like most. The urologist will give you pills that absorb calicum, but they also will absorb your potassium leaving you with the most heinous leg cramps you've ever had in the middle of the night. I think the leg cramps were worse than they kidney stones.

One fact I just found recently, Vitamin D absorbs calcium. So if you are on a big vitamin D dose, you might absorb some excess calcium and be better off. Pure Encapsulations brand off Amazon is the best around.

 

I have had them a few times, the first time I actually dial 911 and went to the hospital in an ambulance cause I thought it was a Appendicitis. I didn’t even know what a kidney stone was before that. Second time I knew what it was and just kept drinking lots of water and passed it. Now days , I drink 1 table spoon of ACV in a glass of water and haven’t had any problems in yrs.

 

Wow, 84 stones since '91? That's brutal! I’ve dealt with kidney stones a few times, and they really are the worst. For me, staying super hydrated was key—I try to drink enough water to keep my urine clear. I also cut back on salty snacks and red meat, which seemed to help. A friend of mine swears by lemon juice; she mixes it with water and says it makes a difference. I hope you find something that works for you because no one deserves to go through that kind of pain!

 

Now I'm packing 5mm stones, 1 in each kidney. A partial obstruction a few days ago laid me out for 24 hrs. Whined my way in to an urgent ultrasound yesterday, family doctor visit on monday...urologist (from 2 years ago) in 2 weeks.
Elective surgery is 2-3 months out...emergency surgery is soon as can be done. Looks like emergency again.

1983, passed it. 2004, first surgery. 2022, second surgery of multiples in right. Now there's one in each. FMKs

 

I assume you’re driving lots of water everyday, so what’s causing them? Have you had the actual stones analyzed to see what kind they are? Sounds like hell. Hope you get it sorted.

 

You are a stone producer and there are a number of things you can and should be doing. The first two are diet modifications and increasing water intake to minimum of 2 to 4 quarts a day. Second Id find another urologist. You should be seeing a urologist at least once a year for follow-up. For awhile you should have an annual renal ultrasound. Your urologist should order certain tests such as a 24 hour urine, basic blood metabolic and others. There are also certain medications (potassium citrate) that help prevent stones and can even dissolve stones you have. You need to discuss all of this with a urologist.
If one or more of your stones are causing obstruction you need surgical intervention soon. Obstruction can cause hydronephrosis which can damage your kidneys and cause kidney failure.
You might consider going to emergency rather than urgent care. ER will do a ct scan which is much better type of imaging for kidney stones than the ultrasound. The CT scan will show all stones in the kidney, the U/S is not as sensitive and may not show all stones. The CT will give a better detailed picture of what’s going on.
Anyway get this stone taken care of asap. Good luck to you.

 

They are painful, you have my sympathy.
Something that worked for me was a suggestion from my great aunt - mix up a little cream of tartar (fraction of a teaspoon, if I recall), and lemon juice in water. Bitter drink, but it does the job.

 

It’s the lemon juice which contains citrate that helps prevent the stones from forming. In fact drinking a quarter cup of lemon juice in water daily is an effective way of preventing stone formation. A lot of old time remedies are very effective for numerous ailments even though no one knew why they worked. Even today we are not sure why some work.