Pain after Ureter Stent removal

[jzimlin]

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?

[Dr_Veena]

Hi,
      Thanks for writing in. Pain after stent removal can be due to recurrence of stones, stricture in the ureter or inflammation. I would suggest  that you get a ultrasound done to check the possibilities. In case of stricture immediate action needs to be taken to prevent scarring.
I would suggest that you visit your urologist and discuss the above mentioned possibilities for further advise.
Best.

[jellyfishguy]

I too have kidney stone like pain a year after stent removal. It is now unbearable and noone seems to believe me because I've been x-rayed for stones and there's nothing there. Has your pain subsided or did they find out what was wrong?
thanks!

[Auburn2000]

I too had a kidney stone removed, mine was  by blasting as it was stuck between the kidney and the baldder. 7mm  After they removed the stent ( after a week) I had pain that started in my back like a backache then it spread to my hip area then around to my front. I caused me such pain I had to take a pain pill.  I called the Dr and they said it was normal to have that after a stent removal.  Well about every month since then I have a reoccurance of the same pain.  It has been about a year and a half since my surgery. I have had three CT scans and 2 more MRI's and they don't see anything that would be causing this pain.  They said maybe it was from stress that when you have stress it goes to the place that has a weakness.  It is very annoying not to mention extremely painful.  If I catch it right when I start to get a backache and take medication I can handle it but spend most of the day on a heating pad. It would be nice to know if this is normal and from what I am reading, I am not the only one that is going through this type of thing.  Wish they could pinpoint a reason for it.

[sickofpain08]

I had surgery to remove kidney stones on 09/16/09 and a stent was placed. Stent was removed on 09/22/09.  I was pain free for about three weeks. On 10/19/09 started having some back pain. By 10/22/09 i ended up at the E.R. with excrutiating pain. Doctors ordered CT Scan, Ultra Sound and found nothing. They make you feel as if it's all in your head and you are making it all up.  they make me feel like i'm a pill popper/pills seeker. I don't know what else to do if i take pain killers i can't function and if i don't the pain is unbearable.  

[lmueth]

When was the 1st time you had the pain? Your story and mine are on the money identical and i am in pain as i type here. i dont know what to do. I had my stent removed this morning and had the burning/cramping initially then felt better through the evening. No pain for a couple of hours except urinating. Then I started to get a back ache and woke up about 4 am in severe pain. My pain progression and locations have been just like yours and i almost feel like i need to have a bowel movement. a lot of pressure. help!

[Annsan3000]

Hi there, I know this is many years later, but I'm having the exact same symptoms as you. What eventually happened?

[Lms_16]

I am experiencing the exact same thing right now!  I had stone removed then stent removed a little over a week ago. (Had stent in for 2 weeks). A few days ago I started feeling the same discomfort I felt when I had the stone. I called my urologist and she has ordered another CT scan. Ins, will not pay for another since I have had several already this year with the stones. I really hope this in not another stone and it is just part of the healing process after stent removal?!

[Mdaggs7106]

I have a stent in now. I am a 24'year old male that handles pain really well, but I all but cry every time I pee. I have sit down to pee cause the pain is so bad that my legs give out and I fall. The stent was part one of a two part precedure, but I was informed after stent placement that the lythotripsy was too much money and without insurance wouldn't be done. Now they won't even remove the stent. It's been at least two months and feels like a lifetime of cruel and unusual punishment. I HATE THIS. :-(

[hangern]

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!  

[jeffthebaptist]

I was admitted to the hospital on 3/14/10.  The CT scan showed no stones, but because of a history of gout, the urologist felt like it was uric acid stones which may not show up on the CT.  A couple of days later they did the cystoscope and put in a stent.  They still didn't find a stone.  I was passing large amounts of blood and having severe pain.   After 5 days they took out the stent and the pain got worse.  I was released from the hospital on 3/22/10, only to have to go back to the ER the same night due to even more severe pain than the original.  Today is 3/25/10 and this is the first day I've been reasonably comfortable.  My urologist still says it's bladder spasms.  He has now put me on a medicine to help with those spasms.  Hopefully I'm over this now.  I've been out of work 2 weeks, I have to get back to work.

[melyssa55]

i had a laser lithrotripsy surgery last thursday 4/22 and had the stent removed monday 4/26. after it was removed i had random back spasms and STILL pain when urinating, yesterday i began having unbarable pain about 2 minutes after urinating in my bladder area and it lasts up to 2 hours...is this normal...its only been 8days since the origional surgery so i feel as though i am still recovering but havnt felt this bad of pain since this all began
thanks

[Davulia]

I had a lithotripsy thur, April 29th. I have been in severe pain since then. I had a stone lodged in my ureter about the size of a quarter. My urologist had to go in 20 times to get the pieces of stone removed. Then he placed a stent in. I have called my Dr. office now 3 times because of the pain. 1st the nurse said all this pain was normal, so I decided to just deal with it and not be a "baby". After 3 days of pain and urinating blood clots, I called the exchange and the Dr. on call said my Dr. or the Hospital forgot to give me a script for bladder and kidney spasms. I got that script filled hoping for relief. NOTHING!!!!! I wanted to return to work on Monday (today) but I could not bare the pain. I also have an 8 month old that I have not been able to take care of due to the pain. I called the Dr's office again today and they said "ohhh the Dr is gone for the day so there's nothing we can do." That sent me over the edge so I asked her if anyone in the ER could remove my stent, she advised me if the stent doesnt have a string the ER cant remove it b/c it requires a special procedure to remove it. I've been waiting on a call back for an hour now from the Dr. to find out what I can do. I am very unhappy and cant believe nurses and Dr's would let their patients suffer like this. I pay alot of money for my insurance and this is my life they are messing with. FYI, my discharge papers say that urinating blood clots are a bad sign. It could mean you have a clot in your kidney. I will do whatever it takes to get this stent removed, thats how awful this is. I had a baby and it wasnt this bad.

[ray1953]

After much anxiety about having a stent removed a week after litho, I must say that my fears were totally unfounded. Minor discomfort, not pain and then it is over. A few hours later a sore back feeling kind of like being hit in the side. Initial urination was irritating, but tolerable. Pyridium (sp?) for a couple of days will help.

Do not fear removal. The apprehension is 10X worse than the actual procedure.

[Davulia]

I recently wrote about a lithotripsy and placement of a stent. I finally got to see my Dr. on Wed. May 5th. I had a KUB x-ray (kidney-ureter-bladder) that shows the placement of the stent and tries to pick up any kidney stones left behind. The x-ray takes about 3 minutes and then goes straight to the DR. to see results. My results called for another trip to the O.R. TODAY! My urologist had to remove the stone fragments as well as my stent. I was protesting having the stent any longer. My DR. was nice enough to remove the stent as requested but I now face a few risks. I had to have a steroid based anti-inflammitory injected into my ureter because it was so inflamed. I take a chance at my ureter closing off and needing another stent. I told the DR. no way will he hear from me unless the pain becomes so unbearable I can no longer take it. My back does hurt pretty bad and I still have a small sence of urgency but I can tell the stent is out. Maybe I have really good pain killers now, but I feel better already. Im sure the back pain will subside after a few days. I just have to be closely monitored due to the inflimation. Im not sure what to expect or how long the pain will actually last, so if anyone has been through this please share with me your experience. Oh and I never stopped passing blood clots, which the Dr said can be just as painful as passing a kidney stone itself.

[Treety]

Like you I also had stint pain so I had it removed today . Felt lots better until I took the "blue" pill with water that is supposed to help with pain . After an hour ride home I was in extreme pain from kidney and bladder spasms . I took a flexeril muscle relaxer and finally got some relief . Hope tomorrow is better.

[pat108]

I had a kidney stent removal today at about 1230, its now 1040pm and im in excruciating pain, taken demerol, will pain subside

[StaceRdz]

I had severe pain on my left side under my ribs for a day with fever and chills and feeling a bit disoriented so I headed to the ER. Once I was in the hospital I was told that I had to stay over night for observation. I ended up staying there for a week. I was told I had a severe intense kidney infection. Different studies, xrays, ct scan and even 2 mri's finally showed kidney stones. A double j spent was put in and that was  12 days ago. Every time I go to the restroom I am in immense pain. Is this normal? My next appointment is not until 6/23/10. I was not aware that this was going to be so painful.

[share44]

I had 2 stones removed from my left kidney 10 days ago...1 was 10m"m and the other 12m"m. The next day i was sent home with a "pigtail" stent in me. I was given 500m"g antibiotics pills to take (enough for 51/2 days) and 2 days ago i got it removed. Two days ago i went to the hospital to get it removed even though they insisted it could be done by myself at home.It did not hurt at all but i like to be safe than sorry. A few hours after, i had side pain and bladder pain (pretty severe at times). The first time i pissed it hurt a bit and at the end of the urine i pissed pure blood. I was scared. I drank lots of water and each time i pissed it got better...it's been two days since, and i feel and urinate fine and with no pain/blood. I hope i helped and keep healthy

[krowe3333]

Hope everyone gets better.  Yes stent removal is *ell.  External stents are far worse than internal.  And after 50 kidney stones I have a whole lot of answers or help.  Yes I have had spasms with internal and external stents in.  Yes stones DO hurt when they move in Kidney and Do hurt in Bladder when they move.  Yes I believe Radiologist are not accurate when reading IVPs, CTs, Ultrasounds, etc.  

This is exactly what I have been through since my 1st stone when I was 18yrs old and I am 34yrs old now.
Last week went to ER and in severe pain-yet say renal colic, no stone-although passed stone 2 days ago-looks like a 2mm.
Yet at ER or Urologist look at me like I am just wanting pain meds and they really have no clue.  
I get a CT Scan every 6 months and have 4 stones in left kidney and 2 in right kidney.

Please read my post about kidney stones (says something like Kidney Stone & this is my story) cause I need someone to talk too or someone that is or has gone through all this agony.  You will understand if you go to my post.  Thanks for listening/reading.

I have been through several urologist & they just don't know.  They say you can't feel them in your bladder or kidney--yes you can and have spasms from them.  I have passed over 50 kidney stones, had basket surgeries, had lipotripsy surgery, hundreds of IVP's and tons of CT scans----now a few times they say yes it is a stone, but 98% of time they say no stone.  Then I pass it later at home.  I even started putting my hand in any toilet that I have passed a stone and picked it out-brought home-put in plastic bag-had some sent to lapcorp-calcium oxolate--and I felt and feel like I still nee to do this (get out of Mc donalds toilet, walmart toilet, my toilet-) & put in ziploc bag to bring with me to show these "radiologist/doctors" that there is people like you and me that are not taken seriously.  Sorry I am so bitter-had a 1cm kidney stone blocked kidney while 4mths pregnant and duration of that pregnancy and both me and baby were almost lost.

[twebster]

I had surgery on 09/18/2017 to remove stones, I had a stent put in for 1 week and after it came out I still had some problems pressure, pain in the ureter, and when emptying bladder. I had to go back to my Urologist and did CT scan more Kidney Stones. I am not sure why they did not get them all when they when in. The Dr. gave me Flomax to try and pass them. I may have passed one but I still think I have more. The Flomax gave me leg cramps, headache, and other issues. I just went back to Dr. yesterday and he says he don't see the stones now that he seen a week ago, but I am still having some same issues. It is very frustrating and he says to quit taking the Flomax and just drink lots of water, and if no better come back in 2 weeks and he will do the Cystoscopy with camera to see if he sees anything. I am so tired and hope I get better soon. Thanks for all the comments

[venkat77]

I have surgery and the stone was removed ,but stent was place tomorrow i am going to DR for remove of stent

Does it pain a lot while removing ?

[EnriqueM]

I had the stent surgery last week. The pain was hardly anything at all after the surgery. It was MUCH less than the stone itself. Mine was 7mm caught in the distal ureter. I pulled my stent out tonight as instructed. Pulling it out was not painful, it was just uncomfortable more than anything. It was a strange feeling but I would not classify it as painful per se. It was a piece of cake. I read so many stories on here of the surgery being horrible and the pain was horrible, but for me, it wasn't. I am taking Ibuprofen for pain as well as Dilaudid as needed. I will say this, I had not had any pain for three days other than the pain when I would urinate. But after the stent removal, I am having some dull pain in my right flank. I believe this to be normal. I am passing blood clots again in my urine, but that is to be expected.

Let me put it this way, I HATE pain. I am a medical student. I had the surgery done Thursday morning and was back in class Friday morning. Im just ready for all of it to be over so I can  move on and get back to normal. I hope I never get a stone again.

[jillybean437138]

I had a large kidney stone removed on July 22, 2010.  I had the stent removed a week later.  I was fine for about a week after the stent was removed and then began to have pain in the kidney in which the stone was removed.  Since then the pain has gotten worse and worse.  It has now gotten to the point of where I am on the heating pad constantly when not at work and I am always taking pain pills.  What kind of a life is this.  The pain is CONSTANT whenever I lean down to pick something up off the floor or etc, so I avoid doing that.  When doing other things the pain lasts about 15 seconds, then goes away, only to return 15 to 20 minutes later.  It is a sharp pain, and stops me from whatever I am doing.  I just stand still and wait for it to pass.  The reason I haven't been back to the dr. is because I had no insurance with all the dr. appts prior to my surgery, and the surgery and hospitalization so I am making all kinds of monthly payments.  I am avoiding going back to the dr. for that reason, and honestly doubt they would let me come back until I am paid up.  Is this pain all normal and what I have to live with maybe cuz it takes a long long time for the kidney to heal up?  I hope this is the case but I hate living like this.  I handle pain very well.  Having the stent removed was a piece of cake...just like having a catheter put in, but these waves of pain I have now are really taking over.  Any help would be much appreciated.  Thanks.

[littlemama66]

I removed my stent at home myself.  I was so worked up about it hurting, that it really did not hurt.  I was fine until about 30 minutes later, then I started hurting just like having another stone.  It finally went away about an hour later.  Now I have pains in my side/back ever so often.  I removed the stent on a Thursday 2 days later still having pain. Does this sound normal?

[bigred777]

On 11-02-10 I had a stone removed, and a stent put in. I WAS MISERABLE  with that stent. Yesterday. I was so relieved to get the stent removed,,but by the time I got home I was in pain. The same pain like when I was trying to pass the stone! Then I look at this site and alot of people are going through the same thing. I don't know if I should stay home and suffer or go to the er

[tracey3409]

could you tell me your symptoms prior to having your stones removed please i have had numerous kidney infections this year  i have another now my back is really hurting but not like a stabbing pain plus it feels on fire it is also along the bottom of my back im fed up of taking antibiotics and the infection coming back about every 8 weeks

[kuhlst]

my kidney stone story is long.  but will try to make short.  wanted to comment bc i saw jellyfishguy from oct 3 2009.  my story is similar.
i have had three procedures.  two lithotripsy's and one laser lithotripsy. the last laser was 9 months ago.  and i am still having pain . have had ultrasounds , xrays, kub's. had a second opinion in sfo which was a waste of time (they basically said i looked constipated in my xrays and i should go home and poo and maybe the pain would go away!@ really?  also have gone to a gi dr and to my gynocologist. know one knows why i still have pain.
urologists make me feel like i am crazy. but i just keep taking tramadol everyday for the past 9 months.  non-narcotic works well but you have to eat with it.  sometimes i need to back it up with ibuprofin.  
was told by someone ligitimate that it could take up to 18 months to heal from a stent removal. told this to my doc and he said "ive never heard of that" but why would they.  stents stay in such a short period of time and there is no alertnative.  the terms of  4 days vs 18 months. people would freak right?  we are not crazy. hang in there anyone with long term pain.  i am counting down my months.  9 more to go.  

[AnthonyF75]

I am having my stent removed on Tuesday 11/30/10. I spoke with the medical assistant on the phone today in hopes of moving the date up, but they are only available Tuesday. The stint is uncomfortable. They taped the string to the shaft of my penis, but didnt leave enough slack. I gave myself some slack, but it still hurts when I walk as if like the string is cutting into me. My kidney spasms when I finish urinating most of the time. The blood is pretty much gone in my urine, but it still burns while urinating.

The medical assistant today told me that the stent removal may cause excruciating pain. If the pain is unbearable they may have to put another stent in. That didnt make sense to me. After reading these posts I am really nervous. I cant afford to take off of work, I just started a new job. I am miserable. I will post my stent removal experience next week. Hopefully I will be the one that brings a positive non painful post.