Kidney Stones - When Doctors Become Patients
Most people hate going to the doctor, but guess who hates going to the doctor more? Doctors and other medical providers. Yes, we have health problems, too. Most of us ignore the rule: "If you treat yourself, you have a fool for a patient AND a doctor". I just came back from my routine medical check, and I had to force myself not to sit in the little round chair with the wheels....
Now that I am over 50 (54 to be exact), some things start falling apart. Last year, I became a hospital patient for the first time since my appendectomy in high school.
I was examining this cute four-month old when suddenly it felt like someone kicked me in the back. I knew immediately what was happening. Having diagnosed kidney stones on many people in the past, I knew the tides had turned. The pain was incredible. The mother of the child being examined told me that she had a kidney stone in the past and it was worse than childbirth. Great! This is all I need.
Maybe it was the pain that clouds your judgement, but I went in to see yet another patient, informing my nurse that (a) I have a kidney stone, (b) I am in excruciating pain, and (c) I need to cancel the rest of the patients. Not wanting to go by ambulance out the door in front of my staff and pediatric patients, and not wanting to leave my car in the parking lot to be vandalized, I decided that if I took a pain medication, I could drive the 30 miles or so to the hospital ER near my home. Bad decision.
I made it about 5 miles, then stopped to vomit. Got back in the car and made it another 10 more miles before the second retch. I was in so much pain, that I couldn't find the hospital! I finally walked through the ambulance entrance and announced, "I have a kidney stone, and I really need some help!". To make a long story short, the CT confirmed my self-diagnosis, and some IV pain medications put me in a pain-free stupor. Much better.
After an interesting procedure called a lithotripsy where thousands of sound waves bombard the stone to break it up, I am back to my old self-treating self again. I hate being a patient, but I was sure glad that there are doctors out there.
Related Links: Kidney Stones and Diet, Kidney Stones, when to call the doctor
Technorati Tags: kidneystones, doctors, patients
Now that I am over 50 (54 to be exact), some things start falling apart. Last year, I became a hospital patient for the first time since my appendectomy in high school.
I was examining this cute four-month old when suddenly it felt like someone kicked me in the back. I knew immediately what was happening. Having diagnosed kidney stones on many people in the past, I knew the tides had turned. The pain was incredible. The mother of the child being examined told me that she had a kidney stone in the past and it was worse than childbirth. Great! This is all I need.
Maybe it was the pain that clouds your judgement, but I went in to see yet another patient, informing my nurse that (a) I have a kidney stone, (b) I am in excruciating pain, and (c) I need to cancel the rest of the patients. Not wanting to go by ambulance out the door in front of my staff and pediatric patients, and not wanting to leave my car in the parking lot to be vandalized, I decided that if I took a pain medication, I could drive the 30 miles or so to the hospital ER near my home. Bad decision.
I made it about 5 miles, then stopped to vomit. Got back in the car and made it another 10 more miles before the second retch. I was in so much pain, that I couldn't find the hospital! I finally walked through the ambulance entrance and announced, "I have a kidney stone, and I really need some help!". To make a long story short, the CT confirmed my self-diagnosis, and some IV pain medications put me in a pain-free stupor. Much better.
After an interesting procedure called a lithotripsy where thousands of sound waves bombard the stone to break it up, I am back to my old self-treating self again. I hate being a patient, but I was sure glad that there are doctors out there.
Related Links: Kidney Stones and Diet, Kidney Stones, when to call the doctor
Technorati Tags: kidneystones, doctors, patients
9 Comments:
Hey Doc..
Im David Donerlson..Im in Atlanta,ga.
And i too had an episode of kidney stones..IN BOTH KIDNEYS!!!
An mri diagnosed it,and stints were placed thru my ...into both kidneys..The procedure was done by Dr.William Allen of Piedmont Hostpital here in Atlanta..He sure calmed me down when he came in my room with the MRI results that next morning..
I don't know how i got it..But,i was a fan of preventive medicine..And wanted to prevent myself of catching a cold that winter,so i was taking a dose of Vitamin C every day..500mg,1 rosebud tablet..
I was so nervous about going under anesthesia(if thats spelled right)..I was 38 at the time,and i was really gonna ask for my MaMa when they wheeled me in..
The whole procedure went on for 3 weeks..The 1st week the stints were in place..So the plan was to go thru the lithro procedure(like what u did),1 kidney at a time with the biggest stone 1st..So the 2nd week we did that,it was a success,then i had to go thru it once more for the last stone..
Im thankful to god for my Doctor and his blessed staff at piedmont..But,i want to ask u something..I heard that u can get kidney damage thru the procedure..My doctor,although im greatful,but he didn't tell me that..Were u aware of the potential of that happening before u went in?? And,do u tell your patients parents about all the ill effect about procedures or conditions that your patients may have,u know,something to look out for???
Thanks..
David Donerlson
junkatl@yahoo.com
I also went thru pain in lower abdomen and back on the right side. I went in had a stint placed but the doctor never told me it should be replaced every three months. One year later I went to hospital for same thing. This time they told me they had to remove stint. They removed then for some reason they put in another 2 months later. Never told me why but I trusted my doctor. Then this year in January same pain again. Went to ER and they said I should have had it taken out and replaced every 3 months???? I am so confused. Now I am in process of finding someone reliable to tell me what I need to do. Any suggestions please help!!!!!
Comment for Linda-- Find a responsible, sensible personal injury lawyer! It was inexcusable for that many medical personnel to fail to tell you to obtain the proper follow-up treatments. This oversight put your health and comfort at risk.
Next time, always ask about follow-up care, additional procedures needed, medications, and other therapies, etc.. You can't be too careful- or too informed!
Linda:
Medical malpractice attorneys are sometimes called personal injury lawyers.
Hey Doc...
I am also going through the same thing with stones in both kidneys. I have been traveling back forth from hospital to hospital due to being unable to have this procedure preformed in my local hospital. What a pain more so then the stones. The weird thing is that I am not having any pain at all and it was by accident that the stones were even found.
Still waiting for this to be over...I have been getting them on and off since 1999 ahhhhh......
My question is: I have had stints in place since the beginning of Feb and I have one side blasted and I still have to go back to have the other one done. I have been given a strainer but because I am not having any pain I don't know if the stones are being passed. I was told today after another x-ray that it was possible the stone may not be able to pass because of the stints, but i may be passing anything that is grounded up. Is there any truth to this?(MEDICAL PERSONNEL TOLD ME THIS)
Thanks Nancy
I have a question/comment. My husband had a stint put in last week and the pain from it is near if not the same as the stone itself. Is this normal?
I have a question. My husband have a kidney stone. he didn't have any pain but he pee blood so we have to go to the doctor for check up and then they found out that he have a kidney stone. and they put the stint there for 4 days and he have the pain even from the first day. when he came back on the 5th day to pull out the stint the doctor found out that the stint move and he said that's why his having the pain. and when he pulled it out. we thought his gonna be ok then. but his still having the pain.... can you tell me something about the pro's and cons of the stint. or maybe the doctor made something wrong that's why his having that pain....
Labor Day 2006 I ended up in the ER. They did a MRI and found that I had 1 small kidney stone. They also confirmed that I only had 1 kidney. (My Dad had 3 kidneys and died from Kidney Cancer in 1976 at the age of 54) The specialists told me the usual ways to get rid of a stone. He said that he didn't want to do any other treatment, cuz I only had 1 kidney and he didn't want to take the chance of injuring that kidney with a stint or the lithro procedure. So I did a little research on the net for holistic ways to get rid of stones. I found 1 oz of pure lemon juice mixed with 1 oz of olive oil. I tried that and passed the stone. Well I assume it was the stone. It was a small whitish partical. There was no pain when it passed. On the website (from the lemon mixture) it said the lemon juice softens the stone and turns it into a jellybean consistency so there is no pain when passing. I have found this to be true.
But I think something more is going on than just having stones. Cuz in 9/06 when they did the MRI, they said I had 1 small stone. Well either that has passed and I've acquired more or something else is going on with my kidneys. I did have edema on my legs from the knees to the ankles. The edema did not pit when pushed. I did go to the doc and he did an EKG and took some blood and urine samples and said everything was fine. Well something wasn't fine. The edema lasted for 2-3 weeks. That was a 1-2 months ago and has not come back.
My question is this: Should I be concerned that something else is going on? I am 51. I guess I wanna know what are the signs that ur kidney (in my case) is in trouble? Thank you for your response. ...Dee Dee
Hey Doc,
I have a few questions ,I sure hope you can help me. I have a 8 year old daughter ,she has been complaining of pain in her side. It is the left side,not quite on her back but not in front on her abdomen either. Sometimes it is so severe she just cries and cries. I have taken her several times to her pediatrician,he sent her for x-rays. He also said her x-rays were normal. But she is still having problems. Im getting to the point I want something done now. It has been going on for almost 2 months. What do i do? He also said something about sending her to a orthopedic doctor,for what?Im concerned because my nephew had kidney failure at birth. Also her grandma on her fathers side had kidney problems. She had something the affected her kiney arteries or something of that nature.Im half tempted to take her to the east Tn childrens hospital here,matter of fact if he cant tell me something tomorrow ,that is exactly what i intend to do! There is nothing in this world worse than a mother watching her child suffer and there is nothing I can do to stop it. Thanks Peggy,you can email me at GEM6270@aol.com
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