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Pain after Ureter Stent removal

I had a stent for 1 week after my 1st stone was removed. Since the removal of the stent, I have had waves of severe back pain similar to the initial pain I had when I discovered the stone. I heard the ureter can spasm as it heals and this blocks the urine flow in the kidney causing the pain. How long should this last? What is the best way of managing the pain?
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Avatar universal
I'm getting a stent removed this week. Has ANYONE found it to be "not so bad" and has anyone NOT had problems afterwards? I could really use some encouragement!  
Helpful - 1
Avatar universal
I had two stones removed from my right kidney(6mm x 3mm and an 8mm x 3mm)...When I got the stone attack, it was excruciating!!  THey put in a stent to alleviate the pressure which brought the pain down to a bearable level.  I peed blood for a few days and then it subsided to a yellow/marron colour.  

After a week, I was put out for the surgery which was great and successful.  Both stones were removed and a stent was put it.  The next few days were ok with pain at about a 2-3/10.  After about 3 days the stent started to get more painful.  THen for 3 nights, pain increased at night.  I took tylenol 3 one night, percocet the next and then just extra strength tylenol with aleve the night before going to get the stent removed.  

Stent removed in a few seconds which was weird feeling but not painful....I had the string sticking out of my penis.  No numbing gels or anything and it seemed fine,  I went pee a few minutes later and some small clots came out without issue.

12 hours later, the pain came back with a vengeance!!!  Its like the origianl pain of the stones themselves.  thought I could deal with it without meds....but just kept getting worse and worse.  I crumbled and took a tylenol 3.....pain is subsiding now as I came to this forum and read about everyones experiences.

Hope that helps someone....love the idea of taking pain meds prior to having the stent taken out or immediately afterwards to help with this pain that I now have.....I'm presuming it will go away.

To all those suffering in kidney pain or addicted to opiods cause of their pain management, my heart goes out to you.  This has been the most excruciating pain I have ever felt in my life and it literally sucks the life out of you so God bless those of you living with this on a more constant basis.

Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I peed out a double I stent that was supposed to be removed by doctor.what do I do now ?
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Avatar universal
I had a stent removed February 2015. It is now August 2016 and I have painful urination upon waking every morning since. Have been treated for UTI. Nothing works. At least the spasms ended 1 day after removal. I have had 2 CT scan since removal, no stones show.
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Avatar universal
I had litho 5 days ago.  They put in a stent, pushed the 12mm stone back into kidney before blasting.  So will it still come out if it was pushed back in BEFORE litho?  I have other smaller stones in each kidney.  Xray in 2 days, stent removal in 3 days.  
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Avatar universal
hi.it will pass,mine was similar.but just gotm less.im sure was the huge stress.i was so anxious when i stent removed i nearly passed out!,especially when i heard the consultant say to the nurse (whilst colonoscopic thing was up my "doo dah"    "nurse pass the grabber!,,,but im sure the stress finds the bodies weakest point..and then youre old its youre brain plays tricks with you..and before you know it youre in a bad place again,just hang in there..itll be ok
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
hi.it will pass,mine was similar.but just gotm less.im sure was the huge stress.i was so anxious when i stent removed i nearly passed out!,especially when i heard the consultant say to the nurse (whilst colonoscopic thing was up my "doo dah"    "nurse pass the grabber!,,,but im sure the stress finds the bodies weakest point..and then youre old its youre brain plays tricks with you..and before you know it youre in a bad place again,just hang in there..itll be ok
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
the stent caused me the same pain. But I couldn't urinate. So the ER cathed me at my request. A week later they took the cath out and numbed me and took the stent out. No more pain urinating. Peeing was nothing definite and went everywhere for about a month. But that subsided and things are better. Now I have another stone, 7mm but in the other kidney. Oh Boy.
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1 Comments
Twice since last January and June I had kidney stones removed and a stent was placed.  Few days later the stent was removed both times.  Within a few hours I had 103 fever, vomiting and pain.  Both times I was hospitalized for four days.  I now am facing a possible removal of more stones but am scared of the stent.  
Avatar universal
Could it be okay once you make it right with those whose hearts you've broken? Jay's? Mine? I'm sorry you're suffering. We are suffering, too. Me, for sure. He has given up. I try to take his perspective instead of my own. And I know I'm in danger anytime I track you down and dare to write words. But I am so deeply saddened, still. Yes, connecting with Jyay, including weeks of him in my home, has been deeply redeeming. But apart from you? Not so much. The Divine has something bigger, I know. I'm so sorry you've suffered physically. I think there's more healing to be had. Please, Bill. Please. Hear our cry.
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Avatar universal
After removal of a kidney stone, the stent was removed 4 days later, with the admonition that I might experience some cramping for a few days. Before I could get home, 45 min away, severe pain hit me. I called the dr but was told nothing could be done. I suffered agonizing pain for 6 hours and it suddenly disappeared. He didn't even schedule a followup for several months. Needless to say I have found a new dr.
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
I've had this done twice before and currently just had surgery yesterday so I've got another sent.  Yes what you experienced is normal.   From what I understand removing the stent temporarily causes the ureter to react,  get inflamed,  so it starts pulsating for awhile then normally suddenly stops often as quick as it starts.  At least that has been my experience.  I'm taking a few percocets before going to the doctor to hopefully limit the pain.  It is usually bad for awhile and I'm not looking forward to this.
Avatar universal
Very true.  It was quick and relatively easy.  But I have had on and off side pain for 7 years now.  I had several follow-up x-rays, but nothing was seen.  It's not excruciating but it's there.  Not sure why.  I thought maybe some scar tissue developed since mine was broken up through a surgical procedure and the stone was pretty large.  
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Put a bullet in his head.

I had mine in going over 4 months and now the SOB is cutting off my pain pills.  Not a problem because I can get whatever I need online without a script.  Because of this goddamned stent I lost a $56k year job (and insurance)--after being unemployed for over 4 years, I'm trying to look after an aging parent, her house is falling apart and I am in too much pain to do anything about it...I can't get away from the crapper for any length of time.  Now they are turning my bills over to a collection agency (after they were responsible for losing my job for me)??? And trashing my credit score over 800 (vantage 3 model)  And I TOLD the SOB that my employer will NOT put up with the chronic absenteeism--TAKE THE STENT AND STONE OUT!!  I have a 6x12mm stone stuck inside the stent near the UV junction...and it has been sitting there for nearly 4 months!  As you might have noticed the pain has been excruciating and I'm pretty pissed over this ordeal.  If I end up with the same chronic post stent pain as a lot of people do and they have the audacity to tell me "it's in my head" or I'm a drug addict (I have a long verifiable history of being clean...I don't drink, smoke, take any kind of drugs unless I absolutely have to)...I will file suit against them.  If their herd of lawyers overpower mine, then he will become midnight snack for coyotes or bear(s)...whoever gets to his sorry *** first and there will be no damned lawyer out in the scrub oaks to protect his lame, irresponsible ***.
Our health care system was rated the absolute lowest among the developed countries...and for good reason, it is the most unaccountable, counterproductive, overpriced/underperforming, and an incredibly useless organization of idiots on the planet.  They are literally on the opposite side of the scale with the morons in our government.  This is what happens when the corporate entity slithers into any profession/industry....whatever.  It is ALWAYS a merciless raping of the consumer and an obscene windfall for the pricks hiding behind the veil.  This crap needs to come to an end NOW or the insurance companies had better make better accommodations,  plans, and provisions for patients seeking medical care outside this country.  The UK, France, Germany, and Italy have massacred us in this industry.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/danmunro/2014/06/16/u-s-healthcare-ranked-dead-last-compared-to-10-other-countries/

http://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/fund-reports/2014/jun/mirror-mirror
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Avatar universal
My stent was inserted Oct 17 2014, I just got it removed yesterday afternoon. I dreaded for 5 months of the day it was going to come out, It was in to correct a narrowing in my right ureter. It was a long and discomforting 5 months. This is what I did, and the only discomfort was the scope passing through the flap that closes to the bladder. A few seconds of burning. An hour before I took a 5mg Valium, a 5/325 Hydrocodone, and just in case of any nausea a 4mg Zofran(which really wasn't needed). In the office I made them wait 20 min after the lidacaine was injected. They came in inserted the scope, after passing through the flap or sphincter I felt nothing while he was trying to grab the stent in my bladder. He then told me he was going to pull, it came out I felt a little pressure like I had to pee. That was it, I worried for nothing. It was the Valium that kept my body calm and relaxed, the hydro I had kick in an hour before was already numbing pain receptors, and the Zofran, I'm not sure? So the key is take meds before you go especially the Valium. My urologist actually prescribed me the one little 5m Valium, and the hydro, and Zofran I had left over from when I had the stent inserted. You will read or hear the horror stories on here or other sites, most of the time these people are not medicated beforehand, very nervous and unrelaxed, of course its going to be painful if you are going that route. It is now 9am and I haven't had the terrible after pain or spasms people talk about after their stents have been removed. No pain med, no more heating pad. All I have had is a little burning when urinating, and the rest of that gel stuff had passed as well, with some blood. Anyway if at all possible, medicate yourself before you go, it will pay off during what seems to be a terrifying procedure. Being relaxed will only make this procedure more comfortable.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I just had my second stent removed, first one not knocked out for. I was petrified, losing sleep and visibly shaking this morning in the office. I don't handle pain well and this whole experience has been crazy (large stones in both kidneys, 3 surgeries total and 2 stents).

I took a pain pill and 2 Aleve an hour or so before my appt. In the room I was literally crying, tears streaming down my face in fear.

They first applied the lidocaine and after a few minutes my doctor came in and started by inserting the scope into place. He told me the reason it can be painful is bc your reflexes tense up and cause the bladder to spasm so he gave me specific directions for how to breathe when. It only burned a teeny amount as I took my 5 second breath in. After that I got to watch on the screen as they use these little clamps to grab the end of the stent (0 sensation during this part). And then more breathing while he slowly pulled it out on a long breath in. There was burning for the first few seconds and then after that nothing for the last 2/3 of the pulling the rest of the way out. I was elated when I saw that thing was out of my body. :)

So that's my story. My best advice is have a great experienced doctor if possible, try not to worry if you can but if you can't you can't, take a pain pill + Aleve if you can get a ride to and from the appt, and really focus on your breathing and take nice deep slow yogic breathing style breaths when they tell you to. It will be over before you know it!

So far I have had no cramping pain and its been about 2 hours since I left the doctor. I took 1 more pain pill in the car on the way home just in case but so far so good. I believe the Aleve might have stopped the residual spasms from happening.

Good luck everyone! And it really isn't as bad as all the Google stories make it out to be.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I had my stent in for about 2 months. I read these comments and went back into hospital with confidence. Then the moment of justice came. I doubt my surgeon used any kind of numbing gel at all because it hurt like getting a tooth removed when he put that monster camera in my tiny hole. I screamed out until he took the evil tool out.

One of the nurses was patting my hair and shoulder and telling me it was all ok. No one in the room has had a stent before. :/ But it was all over quickly. The Dr offered me a view of the screen while he was in my body but I think I would have cried if I looked.

They say it's worse for men, because there's a longer track to go through, but I think on the pain scale we are all equal. I took about 60g of codein half an hour before I was due to go in. I recommending getting high on stronger (recreational) drugs before going in. I regret being sober as I was for that. I had zero kidney pain afterwards. I had PUJ. Maybe different for people with stones.

3 months after I have to go get x-rays to make sure stuff is right or whatever. So people, don't get scared, get high. Peace.
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Avatar universal
I am 18 years old and last week i had 9 stones removed from my right kidney and 3 removed from my left and had two stents put in.. Been experiencing excruciating waves of pain mainly in the morning from urial spasms and bladder spasms. Ive been on some really good Pain meds but as soon as they wear off i can feel a difference and pain follows shortly after. The stents don't hurt as much as the initial stones did but its been about a week of just uncomfortable abdominal pain from the stents and all i want is them out. Stents cause me to pass blood and when i don't have the smooth muscle relaxants in me i feel like my kidney is going to explode when i pee.. (Mainly in morning because i havent taken meds yet) having two stents in is the worst i cant even move. Im just glad my doctor is putting me under when i get these taken out and im ready for the pain i know ill feel afterwords. I just want them out.. **** stents
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Avatar universal
I cannot give you any good news. When we removed my stent I felt fine for about an hour. Then like so many others here, I started to have some pain in my kidney that ramped up VERY quickly reaching a level equal to that which first lead me to the ER with the stone! And the removal itself?? I will NEVER have another removed while I am awake. Horrible experience and the only time in my 46 years I will say I had pain to a level of 10. The medical staff either lied to me or my experience was not typical. Its been about 14 hours since removal and I'm still very uncomfortable. My advice? Don't do it yourself and don't subject a loved one to causing you that much pain. Not fair to them. If possible, be knocked out first and have pain meds at hand!
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Avatar universal
Hi,

I know you updated this site with your concerns in 2009 I am however going through the same pain for a year and a half now ... Did you find any cure in the past years ?
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Avatar universal
I had kidney stone 8/2013 removed 10/2013.
The stint pain was so horrible they removed it 3 days early...
Today I am still in pain.
Many tests: CT scans, ultrasounds, Renal test, X-Rays: All Negative.
My Urologist did a Cystoscopy to look & found my Ureter Valve was hard to open (but found nothing) yet afterwards the pain continues...
UC Davis Urology told me "stop looking for an answer"
Almost one year & the pain continues...
When will it stop?
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Avatar universal
drink a lot of water and get the stent out of you. You can usually pay it off over time.
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Avatar universal
I'm going to post this for future reference as most of these are old responses.

I did not have a stent this last kidney stone, although I have had them before without any issues.   The last stone I passed was partially obstructing for 3 whole months before finally passing.  I think during that time it created some scarring or something in the ureter.  Anyhow, even after passing, some of the same symptoms of lower back, flank and around to mid abdomen pain occur. Not servere but to the point of very annoying.  It has been going on a month since passage and this is getting a bit less over time. So I am guessing the long term result of having a stone, stent or whatever up the ureter has causing inflamation, scarring or swelling that just has to take time to heal.  I guess if it is bad enough it may not heal or go away entirely, depending esp. if it caused scarring.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
had a stent removed nearly two weeks ago, but still peeing frequently, how long does it for the bladder/urethra to heal after stent removal.
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
Same here going through it now how long it take you to get to normal
Avatar universal
I am 40 year old healthy male and have only 1 kidney and found blood in my urine several months ago after going to urgent care throwing up (they said I was dehydrated and put me on a drip etc). I was told to follow up after 2 weeks w/ the hospital. Again, blood was found (microscopic) so after a CT scan a 9mm kidney stone was found.

I have the liprotripsy treatment, nothing to worry about there until you get out. The 1st few pees are unbelievably painful but it gets easier. I took the drug Tamsulosin which apparently opens up the urethra after the treatment along w/ some pain killers. You have to be careful which pain killers you take as some are processed by the kidney..not good.  

As far as I know, I was never in pain w/ the stones itself only that I had a solitary kidney I was "a ticking time bomb". After 3 months I had a follow up CT scan, the stone had been broken into 4 pieces and the largest was not 5mm. It was them recommended I have the laser treatment, I did, recovery was easier initially since the stone is turned to powder. As a precaution a stent was placed in for 2 days.  

Having the stent is was bearable but makes you want to pee the whole time, almost immediately after drinking water. I got the stent removed yesterday which was not as bad as I imagined. A numbing gel was placed around the bell end of the penis and left for 20 mins along with what can only be described as a large paper clip looking like it is strangling the big fella. Could not feel much and it was really no big deal.

The doctor then brings out what looks like a kids fishing rod, this has the cameras etc on to put out the stent....up it went, again uncomfortable but bearable. It came out and I walked out the hospital.

Around 20 mins later I was in pain and had to get my wife to stop the car so I could walk around holding my back in pain, after about 30 mins the pain did not go but I was 1hrs drive away from home were I had the meds to open the urethra and kill the pain. It was the worse journey of my life but other than returning to the hospital my only option.

I can only imagine it is like giving birth and getting kicked in the nuts repetitively at the same time. I could not get comfortable in the car and the pain was relentless. I got home and my wife called the clinic.

The on call doctor said the reaction is not unusual and is caused by swelling of the urethra on removal of the stent. I was told to take 2 pain meds, Roxicet, and 1 X  Tamsulosin and something to reduce the inflamation (I took Alieve). And place a hot pack on my bladder area. After about 30 mins the pain gradually subsided. I managed to sleep uninterupted through the night.

What really annoyed my if anything was that if this was expected then why was I not told to A) bring my pain meds to the hospital and B) What to expect in terms of pain. Especially since the clinic is specialising in Urology.

The pain was like no other I have experienced and hope to go never will again. The following morning I still have about 5% pain of what I experienced last night. I am applying hot packs and thanking god for modern medicine.  

I will now be hopefully avoiding this situation by drinking regularly lemonade, apple cider vinegar and all the other wives tales, anything to prevent a re occurance.
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Avatar universal
In case of closing the ureter by anon problem after that my Kidney is full by urine and blood and the d/r make to pass the urine and blood by stent the stent live there for 90 days the liquid also pass and my kidney size is come normal the pine also decrees, after this the doctor also remove the stent but now the pine come mach the closing also the case is not now            
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