Wellness

[Pooky1]

if you need to rant or vent. go for it we dont mind. i know all these places with severe weather issues are just unbalievable.sending prayers to everyone.

[Pooky1]

if you look back on this wellness thread you can see alot of stuff i posted about my wifes journey thru the process and some of complacations she went thru.its all in the month of august. and once again naughtynan -mwc good luck with eerything. some of my wifes issue dont usually happen . 

[Toppers3]

Hi @NaughtyNan-MWC,

I had a Ureteroscopy done at the end of June because I had two larger-sized kidney stones that were sitting in my left kidney that were trying to move down and out of it, trying to pass.

They were causing pain and discomfort, so my Urologist wanted them to come out.

I did have a stent placed while under the general anesthesia from the Ureteroscopy.

I had the stent in for 8 days. It was uncomfortable for me, because I already have the discomfort of an overactive bladder, so it made my bladder symptoms worse for awhile.

It kept irritating my bladder because it is flexible and it would move against my bladder, and I was more incontinent with it in, when I would stand up. I take medication for my bladder for this problem as it is, and that helped. 

Once I had the stent out, my bladder calmed down but I had to stay at the maximum dose of my bladder control medication for awhile, until my bladder calmed down more. 

The stent is removed out-patient in the doctor's office. The assistant/nurse uses local anesthesia when you're prepped so that the doctor can remove the stent without you feeling pain. You may feel some kind of pressure, but that's normal.

You still have some discomfort that same day that the stent comes out because your urinary tract is still irritated from having it in, but it should go back to normal soon afterwards. 

My bladder is a lot better now and I am back to only taking my bladder medication as needed. 

[NaughtyNan-MWC]

Thank you, Toppers and I'm sooo happy that this ordeal has brought you such good response.  Appreciate all the details. May good health follow you.

Nancy

[Gooday]

I just saw this topic.

My DH had 3 infections within 7 months of having his bladder removed from Stage 4 cancer.

From 1993 to 2005 he underwent ureteral stent changes.  Every 90 days he would have an Interventional Radiologist remove and change the stents which was done in the Radiology Dept.  It took minimal time and was painless.

The next day he would have blood work to check his creatinine level. In that time he lost the function of one kidney.  He eventually went on dialysis and in 2006 he finally received a kidney from a friend's husband.

So....his experience was painless, minimal time followed by lunch with me afterward.  I worked in the hospital where he had this done.

[LTT1]

@NaughtyNan-MWC

DD recently had a urethral stent placed in for two days after kidney stone removal.

[Pooky1]

how is he doing now?

[pepes mom]

Hi.  I had my first (hopefully the last) kidney stone 2 years ago.  It was a 5mm that was stuck in the ureter.  I had moderate hydronephrosis also.

I didn't pass the stone on my own.  That stupid little bugger moved 2mm and the bloody urine started.  I went to the ER with increased pain and urine that looked like Merlot.  They did a CT scan and said I passed it.  

Well, my urologist and I could clearly see a stone on that CT, so I was scheduled for surgery 2 days later.  They removed a 5mm from my ureter.

I couldn't have ESWL, the procedure where shock waves are aimed at your body, since I was on blood thinners.

I had ureteroscopy with laser lithotripsy and basket removal.  They went up my urethra with a scope, lasered the stone and grabbed it with a basket grabber.  A stent was placed.  This was done as outpatient surgery.

The stent, although evil, is a necessity.  It keeps the ureter open and allows it to heal.  I was miserable while it was in.  I dont care what the pamphlets say, drinking tons of water does not make it better.  I did drink a ton, but still had pain.

Urinating with a stent isn't fun.  First, it feels like you constantly have to go.  I got fed up with going upstairs so many times that I had to mentally think about not giving in to that feeling.  Second, I had bloody urine the entire time my stent was in.  Don't be shocked by that.  My discharge instructions said the more you drink, the lighter your urine.  Lies.  My doc said it was normal to have bloody urine the entire time.  Last, at the end of urination, some people get bladder spasms.  I had the sensation of razor blades. Yay. Not.

I took Norco for pain control and added AZO, an over the counter spasm medication.  That helped a bit.  My heating pad was my best friend through those 17 days from Hell.  

Although I despised my stent, I understand that it is medically necessary.  Do I want one again, absolutely not.  If I need another surgery, I would never refuse to have one.  

Oh, stent removal is easy.  I had it done in the office.  They insert numbing gel into urethra.  Doc comes in and inserts a scope through urethra, locates the stent and removes it through the scope.  I watched the entire less than 2 minute procedure on the monitor.  It was interesting to see the inside of my bladder, which was banged up from the stent.

[LTT1]

@pepes mom

DD (who tells me nothing medical) had at first they said 3 urethral stones -- all 3-4 mm. (According to CT SCAN). So they sent her home on a Th night to see if they would "pass." 

By Fri she was so miserable and decided she should have these removed on Monday. The weekend was bad for her. Percocet relieved the pain (and toradol) somewhat. 

On Monday, they removed 4 stones (on was nearer the kidney) in a row ("The Rolling Stones.")  The surgery was by "scope" and a stent was placed to stay M-W.

[pepes mom]

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@LTT1 wrote:

@pepes mom

DD (who tells me nothing medical) had at first they said 3 urethral stones -- all 3-4 mm. (According to CT SCAN). So they sent her home on a Th night to see if they would "pass." 

By Fri she was so miserable and decided she should have these removed on Monday. The weekend was bad for her. Percocet relieved the pain (and toradol) somewhat. 

On Monday, they removed 4 stones (on was nearer the kidney) in a row ("The Rolling Stones.")  The surgery was by "scope" and a stent was placed to stay M-W.

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@LTT1:  I am assuming that the stones were in her ureter (tube that goes from kidney to bladder) not her urethra, which goes from bladder to the outside world. I hope her stent isn't too painful for her.