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Kidney stone

I am diagnosed with two stones in my left kidney 7 days before. 5 mm is in the lower ureter and 3 mm in the left kidney. Since then I am drinking lots of water. I am taking Alfuzosin since last two days. For the last week I am having no pain and I am not taking any painkiller. My Dr says he will wait for ten days for the stone to fall else it has to be removed. Has the stone passed the ureter as I am not having any pain ? Can I wait more before removing it ? Is it necessay to forcebly remove it ? What can be done for the 3 mm stone laying in the kidney ? Please give me your expert advice. Thankyou.
Best Answer
1050938 tn?1311553578
Kidney stones are not generally known to be painless, since when they are magnified under a microscope they look like jagged crystal rocks...which scrape their way down from the kidney when they travel, causing varying degrees of pain, discomfort, and even bleeding until they pass.

Did the doctor provide any disposable "sifting cups" for you to urinate in just in case the stone does pass without any symptoms, or will he just perform another x-ray or ultrasound to see if it is gone when the 10 days are up?

Waiting "more" makes it difficult to determine how much time is enough, especially if it turns out that the stone in the ureter is in fact STUCK and won't move no matter how much water you drink. The main concern with a stone in the ureter is that it disturbs the flow of urine from your kidney, which can lead to infection. Stones that are not removed are also capable of growing even larger, which increases the risk of infection and obstruction of your urinary tract, which then becomes a medical emergency.

Treatments for kidney stones which refuse to pass can usually done with either traditional lithotripsy (ultrasound shock waves are aimed at the stone to shatter it into smaller pieces which can then be passed), laser lithotripsy (a scope with a laser is passed up the ureter and aimed at the stone to shatter it directly), or in very severe cases, a procedure called PNY (percutaneous nephrolithotomy) in which a surgeon enters your kidney directly through an incision made in your back to manually remove the stones. (The PNY is NOT a procedure that your doctor is likely going to opt for in your case, so don't worry too much there)

I'll throw this in since there is a lot of people who will claim that you can take herbs and natural supplements to either help pass or even DISSOLVE the stone you have. First off, many of the herbs and supplements suggested for kidney stones, at best, may aid in urine flow to some degree, but there is no plant or vitamin that can MELT kidney stones, because all stones are made with varying amounts of CALCIUM, which cannot be dissolved without risking losing other things made of calcium such as bones and teeth! Only Uric acid stones have the least amount of calcium content and therefore CAN be reduced in size through medication.

It will be important for your doctor to find out what type of kidney stone you have (by obtaining a sample), since that will determine which direction your treatment must take, since different stones have different causes.

Hope all will be well soon!
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Avatar universal
Your first option has turned true :(

Yesterday I have done sonography after one week and the stone is STILL THERE, but it has moved by 1.5 cm. It is still 2.5 cm away from the bladder.

But since it is moving (Though slowly) can I wait for it to fall on its own.

Thanks a lot for all the information. God bless.

Helpful - 0
1050938 tn?1311553578
No problem :)

If you experienced a lot of pain on the first day and nothing thereafer, 2 things may have happened: 1) The stone stopped moving somewhere in your urinary tract, or  2)You may have already passed the stone sometime that same day.

Lithotripsy is usually done under a general anesthetic, so you would not be aware of any pain DURING the procedure. The feeling you get after Ultrasound shockwave lithotripsy is much like a very deep, painful bruise on your middle back/flank over the kidney area. Laser lithotripsy, which is done internally, can also make your kidney area "ache", and the pain from the catheter that must be placed in you during the procedure can make urination a painful, burning misery for up to 30 hours after surgery. (Water is the best liquid to drink after a catheter, since it reduces the pain of urination the most. Soda, however, is the WORST thing to drink as its tendency to irritate the urinary tract can magnify the burning sensation during urination 10X over!) Tea, coffee, or juice can be okay, but they don't work as well as water.

Also, Laser Lithotripsy is sometimes followed by the insertion of a long, thin tube called a "stent" from the kidney to the bladder to ensure that the stone pieces that are broken up do not block the ureter while they travel naturally out of the body. Stents, unfortunately, are a severe irritant to the ureter and can cause extremely painful cramping in the ureter during urination. Stents are typically left in the body for up to 10 days and then finally are removed in the doctor's office.

Make sure you discuss these options with your doctor, and hopefully your stones will be resolved soon!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thanks a lot for the reply.

Actually I had a severe pain on the first day and I had rushed to the hospital and taken two painkiller injections. But since then the pain has vanished without any painkiller after that.

No, the Dr has not provided any kind of cup but I will arrange it myself.

However, if the stone doesnt want to move is the laser lithotripsy painful, is local anasthesia required ?

I once again thank you for your valuable time and support.
Helpful - 0
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