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Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,634
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Anyone with experience with kidney stones?

I had kidney stones this past September. I went to ER and ended up being admitted to hospital. I had blood in my urine and a bad infection, so was put on antibiotics. I had a stone in one ureter and another larger stone blocking the other ureter. I had a stent put in and had to have surgery for the worse side.

 

The urologist wants me to go back in a year to make sure stones aren’t developing again. He said once you have them you’re likely to get them again.  I’d really like to know what causes them and why some people get them and some never do.  I find in reading and talking with people—even the doctor—they all give conflicting advice. The things the doctor told me to do—none of that applied to me. 

 

It’s sure not fun, is it. 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 9,592
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Anyone with experience with kidney stones?

I had one, once. Drove myself early on a saturday morning to where I remembered there being a 24 hour walk in ER.  

It had been converted to a 24 hour pet hospital.  

I was in such pain at that point.  Had to drive to the new location, and I apparently passed the stone in the bathroom at the new location, when they asked me for a urine sample. 

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 5,457
Registered: ‎08-28-2010

Re: Anyone with experience with kidney stones?

Dr. told me to drink lemonade.

Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,257
Registered: ‎10-15-2018

Re: Anyone with experience with kidney stones?

@mare54, boy, you sure have my sympathy! I've had a kidney stone twice and it was truly beyond painful, and I have a pretty high pain tolerance. E.R. visit each time, nausea/vomiting, horrible! Just thinking about it and the possibility of another stone makes me break out into a cold sweat!! Good luck passing those awful stones!!!
Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,140
Registered: ‎07-23-2014

Re: Anyone with experience with kidney stones?

I have passed multiple stones and still have stones in both kidneys even though I've had Lithotripsy.  Luckily they seem to be staying about the same every time I have an ultrasound.  Mine are mainly caused by too much calcium in my urine.  

 

I squeeze a fresh lemon every day and add it to my water, my urologist told me that's the best thing i can do along with drinking enough water and avoiding high oxalate foods.  This was a bummer because I used to eat spinach and drink tea every day, no longer can have either except once in a while.

 

Try to avoid the foods below and drink lots of lemon water! !  Good luck, they are awful things to deal with.

 

Foods high in oxalate include:

  • Beans.
  • Beer.
  • Beets.
  • Berries.
  • Chocolate.
  • Coffee.
  • Cranberries.
  • Dark green vegetables, such as spinach.
  • Nuts.
  • Oranges.
  • Rhubarb.
  • Soda (cola).
  • Soy beans.
  • Soy milk.
  • Spinach.
  • Sweet potatoes.
  • Tea (black).
  • Tofu.
  • Wheat bran.
Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,665
Registered: ‎10-25-2016

Re: Anyone with experience with kidney stones?

[ Edited ]

@mare54 wrote:

I just recently found out I have 2 kidney stones which explains the discomfort I have been having. Besides drinking a TON of water, are there other remedies? 


I have a history of forming stones in my left kidney, for some reason.

 

I've had a couple of Ureteroscopies on that side, with a stent put in afterwards. Not a fun procedure, and having the stent left in for awhile afterwards is one of the most uncomfortable feelings, too.

 

The thing that has helped me the most is to drink as much water as possible. I try to do this as much as possible.

 

The Urologist that I see encourages this, most of all. He says that it's also fine to drink the other kinds of water beverages too, but that water is still the best. 

 

I will also drink the Crystal Light-type soft drinks to encourage myself to drink if I don't feel like drinking water, but I do try and drink water more than anything else. 

 

Lemonade and/or lemon water have also been recommended as stone preventatives to me.

 

I have a tendency to produce Uric Acid stones, so I take a medication to help with my Uric Acid levels.

 

I also have to watch what I eat, too, and I have to watch my sodium intake.

 

I used to see a Urologist twice a year, but have moved now to a yearly appointment as I have been stone-free for awhile now.

 

I go in and get checked to make sure that I am not forming any stones. Smiley Happy

Honored Contributor
Posts: 13,510
Registered: ‎05-23-2010

Re: Anyone with experience with kidney stones?


@mare54 wrote:

I just recently found out I have 2 kidney stones which explains the discomfort I have been having. Besides drinking a TON of water, are there other remedies? 


There are different types of kidney stones and the suggestions should vary in accordance with the type of stones you have. 

Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,747
Registered: ‎11-02-2014

Re: Anyone with experience with kidney stones?

8 years ago I had 5 kidney stones.  Fortunately the pain was not excruciating like in most cases.  It took 14 months to pass the largest stone.   I followed the instructions of my urologist and still drink 6 bottles of water everyday.  

Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,417
Registered: ‎02-09-2016

Re: Anyone with experience with kidney stones?

@LIndaMJ Didn't the stone cause your kidney to stop functioning ?

Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,747
Registered: ‎11-02-2014

Re: Anyone with experience with kidney stones?

@BeccaLou, no they did not.  The 4 small ones did pass quickly once I was diagnosed.  My urologist did mention a concern about the largest one (7 mm), but it did not get any larger requiring surgery and finally passed.