Kidney stone Shock Wave Lithotripsy treatment?
Discussion
For the third time I have a kidney stone. Not as bad as the previous two incidents (in that I'm not screaming in pain so far) but the little f
ker has been grumbling away for the past month with no sign of passing (thank god).
The good news is I have my first shock wave lithotripsy session in a couple of days to pound the little bugger into dust. However, it's my birthday at the weekend (50 - yay!
) and was wondering a) how painful the treatment is, and b) how long it takes to recover? Stuff I've found on the Internet has been ambiguous - some say recovery is usually quick, others say several days. I really don't want to be feeling like crap and have to cancel stuff at the last minute.
Anyone had this done care to shed any light?
Ta
ETA: I'll take that as a 'no' then. I'll report back with all the grisly details tomorrow then for any other poor bugger who has to go through it
ker has been grumbling away for the past month with no sign of passing (thank god).The good news is I have my first shock wave lithotripsy session in a couple of days to pound the little bugger into dust. However, it's my birthday at the weekend (50 - yay!
) and was wondering a) how painful the treatment is, and b) how long it takes to recover? Stuff I've found on the Internet has been ambiguous - some say recovery is usually quick, others say several days. I really don't want to be feeling like crap and have to cancel stuff at the last minute.Anyone had this done care to shed any light?
Ta
ETA: I'll take that as a 'no' then. I'll report back with all the grisly details tomorrow then for any other poor bugger who has to go through it
Edited by judas on Wednesday 2nd March 15:15
Very apt topic for me - I'm currently in hospital having today thought I really was dying!
CT scan has just shown a 3mm stone wedged seemingly at the junction of my kidney and a tube ( can't remember what the doc said - still morphine floating around my veins..)
I'm about to be moved to another hospital with specialist urologist to determine what they're going to do.
I'll ask about this treatment.
That pain though.... having collapsed at work and realising something was wrong, I drove home and collapsed again!
Good wife called an ambulance and I've now been here for 13 hours.
Hope you get sorted!
CT scan has just shown a 3mm stone wedged seemingly at the junction of my kidney and a tube ( can't remember what the doc said - still morphine floating around my veins..)
I'm about to be moved to another hospital with specialist urologist to determine what they're going to do.
I'll ask about this treatment.
That pain though.... having collapsed at work and realising something was wrong, I drove home and collapsed again!
Good wife called an ambulance and I've now been here for 13 hours.
Hope you get sorted!
Hope it's sorted soon; you have my complete sympathy! My first two times I was rushed into hospital with crippling pain. On the pain scale kidney stones are a solid 8/9 out of 10. Still, pethadin deals with that very nicely
Currently in hospital being bounced around for x-rays and the like before they zap me.
Currently in hospital being bounced around for x-rays and the like before they zap me.
Good news (for me anyway)!
Pain has subsided significantly so I'm being let out.
They reckon the stone's either on its way out or already gone.
Slightly inflamed kidney so will need a follow up to make sure it's ok
Good luck with your zapping and report back - odds are I'll be getting another stone....
Pain has subsided significantly so I'm being let out.
They reckon the stone's either on its way out or already gone.
Slightly inflamed kidney so will need a follow up to make sure it's ok
Good luck with your zapping and report back - odds are I'll be getting another stone....
I have had this. It is done under a sort of general anesthetic where I was spaced out as hell and seeing the ceiling coming at me like some kind of space warp whilst it was being done. It is quite alarming as you piss out a lot of blood afterwards but I was ok to go home a few hours after the operation. I felt weak but was ok to drive the next day.
I don't remember much of the operation due to being spaced out but the machine makes a horrid noise and you can feel some force on you. Otherwise nothing to worry about.
They normally ask you to sieve your wee for a few weeks so they can analyse the crystals.
I don't remember much of the operation due to being spaced out but the machine makes a horrid noise and you can feel some force on you. Otherwise nothing to worry about.
They normally ask you to sieve your wee for a few weeks so they can analyse the crystals.
Sympathies to those suffering, have passed three now over the years. Once you've experienced that pain you never forget. Plus any twinges in that area raise the stress levels you think you're getting another on the way out.
Hope all goes OK, and one if they say it's on its way out that just temporary relief. I find the muscle relaxant is most effective in helping things along. Though it's interesting how different nations do things. UK you get pills and if it's serious an injection, Sweden it's a suppository. Lovely jubbly, not.
Hope all goes OK, and one if they say it's on its way out that just temporary relief. I find the muscle relaxant is most effective in helping things along. Though it's interesting how different nations do things. UK you get pills and if it's serious an injection, Sweden it's a suppository. Lovely jubbly, not.
FiF said:
Though it's interesting how different nations do things. UK you get pills and if it's serious an injection, Sweden it's a suppository. Lovely jubbly, not.
Well I'm in the UK and had the suppository prior to Lithotripsy - cue John Wayne walk! The zapping itself is a pretty boring affair although at full strength toward the end of the session, I could feel it. Anyway, I bleed too much post zapping so had to stay in hospital overnight until my urine samples were a lot clearer. The stone finally shifted itself after a 20 mile bike ride as I felt it pass through my re-bored plumbing (had to have a stent fitted (for 8 weeks!) after I was admitted to hospital the 1st time), made a nice ping as it hit porcelain
Further scans indicate I've got some smaller stones in my right kidney so I'm hoping none develop into the monster that had me in hospital the first time (originally just under 8mm). I'm sure I've passed some smaller bits since and thankfully haven't had any other pain.
Good luck OP!
Well, that was fun... 
Grisly details, as promised.
After the x-ray, to make sure the stone was still there and hadn't moved, came the drugs: high dosage of diclofenac delivered up the bum!
Prior to the treatment they gave me an ultrasound to make sure the lithotripsy machine would be able to locate and focus on the stone.I don't know what they make the ultrasound gel from but it seems like it's 100% anti-heat - sooo cold!
The treatment itself is uncomfortable to start with cranking up to moderately painful as they increase the power over the 45 minutes it lasts. Got to go back for the second session in two weeks and so on until they're happy it's gone.
By the time I got home I felt like crap. Don't know if it was a side-effect of the suppository, the treatment or both, but I had the world falling out my arse
After all the bodily abuse I just crashed out for a few hours in front of the TV. Still feeling rough now, hope fully will be better in the morning.
Grisly details, as promised.
After the x-ray, to make sure the stone was still there and hadn't moved, came the drugs: high dosage of diclofenac delivered up the bum!
Prior to the treatment they gave me an ultrasound to make sure the lithotripsy machine would be able to locate and focus on the stone.I don't know what they make the ultrasound gel from but it seems like it's 100% anti-heat - sooo cold!
The treatment itself is uncomfortable to start with cranking up to moderately painful as they increase the power over the 45 minutes it lasts. Got to go back for the second session in two weeks and so on until they're happy it's gone.
By the time I got home I felt like crap. Don't know if it was a side-effect of the suppository, the treatment or both, but I had the world falling out my arse
After all the bodily abuse I just crashed out for a few hours in front of the TV. Still feeling rough now, hope fully will be better in the morning.
so called said:
Are Gallstones treated in the same way?
My Wife is suffering at the moment with the appointment scheduled for 18th April.
Good luck, it doesn't sound like much fun.
Afraid not. Based on my experience it'll be a probe down the throat, or a gallbladder removal, or both.My Wife is suffering at the moment with the appointment scheduled for 18th April.
Good luck, it doesn't sound like much fun.
Not sure "afraid not" is the right phrase. Investigations up the urinary tract, if that's how it usually goes for kidney stones sound much less fun.
Don Veloci said:
so called said:
Are Gallstones treated in the same way?
My Wife is suffering at the moment with the appointment scheduled for 18th April.
Good luck, it doesn't sound like much fun.
Afraid not. Based on my experience it'll be a probe down the throat, or a gallbladder removal, or both.My Wife is suffering at the moment with the appointment scheduled for 18th April.
Good luck, it doesn't sound like much fun.
Not sure "afraid not" is the right phrase. Investigations up the urinary tract, if that's how it usually goes for kidney stones sound much less fun.
Yes, I'm feeling for the guys above, sounds like a very unpleasant experience.
That's the bit I found the worst, once the stone gets lodged in the ureter. Only pressure, or I guess ultimately surgery in worst case scenario, shifts it. My first stone was admitted to hospital, pumped full of pethidine, and didn't know much of what was going on for a while. Later on in the ward, had had my full allowable dose of painkillers and they weren't touching it. The bloke in the next bed thought I was dying.
After passed the stone, the nurses got all excited as after sieving the wee they found the stone, the first one they'd found. It was the size of a very very small grain of rice.
Mind you things weren't helped by one cheery doctor, who advised that after the stone had been passed into the bladder, the next bit would be like pissing broken glass.
But essentially the problem with passing the broken bits is why I've always wondered about this smashing it to bits technique.
You have my sympathies OP, chin up dude.
After passed the stone, the nurses got all excited as after sieving the wee they found the stone, the first one they'd found. It was the size of a very very small grain of rice.
Mind you things weren't helped by one cheery doctor, who advised that after the stone had been passed into the bladder, the next bit would be like pissing broken glass.
But essentially the problem with passing the broken bits is why I've always wondered about this smashing it to bits technique.
You have my sympathies OP, chin up dude.
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