Health update

LifeNRA

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Joined
Jan 29, 2004
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Hello all,
I thought I would let you all know of my most recent Doctor visit. I have had several people asking me about my health recently. Thanks to everyone for your prayers and thoughts over the last several months /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif. In case anyone is reading this and wondering what in the world I am talking about let me give a brief history. I have suffered from kidney stones since I was 21 and since that time have passed around 80 of them. I have passed 14 this year (I thought it was 16 and I may have stated that in another thread but my wife keeps them all written down and she has only 14 recorded)and I have 3 inside of me right now. Needless to say all of these kidney stones have taken a huge toll on my life and the lives of my wife and 2 children. Anyway back to the Doctor visit yesterday. They run dye through me and took a bunch of x-rays. They of course took the mandatory urine sample and are also testing me for a few other things which I really do not need to go into right now. The Doctor is mainly trying to see how my left kidney is holding up and how much more scar tissue may have formed in my left tube. Since I have been in pain for the last year he thinks the scar tissue is the main culprit when I am having pain without a kidney stone passing. I should hear something today or tomorrow. My main concern is that if I can not stop producing kidney stones then I can at least handle the pain better. I am on oxycodone 10/650 which they tell me is the strongest they can give me. It helps take the edge off but does not relieve all the pain. The only thing that works better is going to the emergency room and getting morphine /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif. But for some reason they will not let me take any morphine home with me /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinser2.gif.
I know it is not much of an update but we are still trying to figure some things out right now. Just please continue to keep my family in your prayers and thoughts and everything will work out fine in the end. I appreciate all of you and thank you for letting me rant a little about my conditon to you. I will ask that you continue to remember those who are much worse off than myself. The nurse that did my xrays yesterday said that there was a lady in there last week who's kidneys looked like swiss cheese and they had stones in them the size of your thumb. I guess she had some kind of kidney disease. I think about that poor woman and wonder why I ever complain. I sometimes feel a little guilty and selfish mentioning my own problems when so many others are suffering more than I am. I guess I consider all of you as part of a larger family and it helps me to share with you. Again please remember my family because when I suffer they suffer also. Thanks for letting me vent a little and thanks everyone here who makes CPF the best forum on the internet. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 

pedalinbob

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wow, hang in there!

I get a lot of consults for people being treated for renal stones (pre and post op). such a painful condition!

it is tricky to treat this pain, because usually much of the pain is from inflammation, but antiinflammatories are contraindicated with renal problems.

we usually blast the patient with lots o' morphine, or dilaudid if their creat is elevated.

take care,
Bob
 

cy

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Dec 20, 2003
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owwch... I feel your pain from here

hope you get better
 

justjim

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Jul 1, 2003
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14 stones in one year? man, that must be agonyzing! my dad was a pretty tough guy, but a kidney stone had him doubled up in a fetal position, writhing in pain. he said it was the most painful event in his life - kinda like being kicked in the groin but lasting much longer. i feel for ya.

-jim
 

coachbigdog

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Feb 3, 2004
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No reason to feel guilty.The mere mention of feeling guilty shows your compassion for others.Praying for you right after I send this post.
 

_mike_

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Hang in there man! I hope the doctors are able to help you out.

Thinking of you,
Mike
 

Roy

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Just had a 6mm stone blasted to sand sized pieces last week. Now waiting for the sand to pass. I'll send a prayer off to my God for your recovery!
 

eebowler

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Everyone has the right to complain especially if they've gone through what you have up to now. Rant away! It is the best way some of can help. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon23.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grouphug.gif
 

jayflash

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Ouch, I can't imagine going through all that. Pester your MD for proper pain control, if you haven't already. I understand it takes most people a LOT of narcotics over a long time to get hooked. Then again there are the exceptions - but how in the world can severe pain be medically more acceptable to temporary, controlled, drug use? Good luck to you, Jeff.
 

verbie

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/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/awman.gif so sorry to hear your condition. hope you'll feel better soon. btw, rant, rave, complain, whine, cry....all you want and as often as you need. that's what we're here for /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grouphug.gif
 

kubolaw

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May 15, 2002
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Oh my gosh, this sounds excruciating. Hang in there LifeNRA, you've got a lot of people pulling for you.

John
 

LifeNRA

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Jan 29, 2004
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/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif Thanks everyone for your support, prayers, and well wishes. It means a lot to me. I also appreciate you giving me a place I can vent a little without the family having to hear it. God knows they hear it enough already. Thanks again.
Jeff
 

RussH

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Jun 13, 2003
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MS
I've had kidney stones several times, but nothing like that. My Doc gave me mepergan for mine. I said "Doc, don't give me that stuff, it will knock me out". He said, that's what I want, for you to go to sleep and pass the stones.

I hope you get over this soon. One study I saw indicated that most people who take opiates for pain on an as needed basis do not develop addiction. It appears that cases such as Rush Limbaughs are a (rare, I hope) exception. So you shouldn't worry about that. Best wishes, RussH
 

LightChucker

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Jun 5, 2003
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Raytown, Missouri USA
LifeNRA,

My prayers and thoughts are with you. I almost died a few weeks back after a kidney stone operation.

I only had 3 stones removed. The blood draining into the bladder from the kidney clogged the bladder to the point that it was ready to explode. I lost so much blood that I had to have transfusions. But, 14-16 stones! Man that is horrible. I have often wondered about how people survived in the past. (I am sure that many did not survive.)

I am surprised that they are only giving you 10/650 Percocet. I am still on 100 Oxycontin per day (10 times your dose).

God, please bless and comfort my CPF friend. Please protect him and his family from pain and suffering. Amen.

Chuck
 

LifeNRA

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Jan 29, 2004
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RussH, I thank you for your thoughts and advise. Means a lot to me.

Chuck, What can I say? You have suffered so much and yet can say a prayer for me and say it on the board no less. If I could I would take all your suffering and pain away. I can however return the kindness you have shown to me.

God, please relieve my friend Chuck from all his pain and suffering. Please bless him and his family with long and joyous lives. I pray that whatever bridge they must cross that you will give them the strength and fortitude to carry on. Amen /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Edit: Chuck, I almost died last year with a kidney stone also. Hang in there and I will continue to pray for your good health. I know how hard it is to not be overcome with depression. CPF has helped me more than they know and I am thankful that so many good people can be found in one place.
 

Draco_Americanus

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Ack! I have been told stones are very painfull, My sister has had to have surgery because of them, you are indeed in my prayers.
I have had a urinay tract infection and I thought that was bad, Felt like I was peeing acid on a constant baises and was rendered urinary incontenent during that. I never did fully recover controll /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif , they gave Me A pain killer that turned my urin a dayglow red/orange!
As for narcotic pain killers I have a sensitivity to them but when in pain nothing is better. I would rather be addicted to them then be in constant pain any day. I allways get concerned when I hear about some stupid politian talking about craking down on doctors that perscribe narcotic painkillers. I think My doctor is afraid to perscribe them my self for that very reason.
 

Joe Talmadge

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Just out of curiosity, do you know what the stones are made from? If they're uric acid, are you guys on allopurinol? Probably a stupid question, but I thought I'd ask. I had a stone that was uric acid and oxolic acid, been keeping my oxolic (wrong spelling, I'm sure) acid down through diet, been thinking about allopurinol for the uric acid.

I imagine you've already been through all the standard drug treatments at this point, and they're not working.
 

LifeNRA

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My stones are calcium oxalate. At least the ones I have had tested were anyway. They were black stones but I have had brownish and white stones as well.
Right now my Doctor is looking into Distel Renal Tubular Acidosis http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000493.htm.
Which in turn may be causing Nephrocalcinosis http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000492.htm" Long and strange words I know but I just do not feel like typing what they all mean right now. I will try to explain them after while when I feel a little better or at least provide a link about them.

edit: for links
Well it does not look like the links are working, sorry about that. You can find out about both conditons with a search.
 
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