kidney stone question (Katie...?)

The ER did not give me anything to strain the urine with. 

The pain is definitely not anywhere NEAR the pain I had on Friday... if it even STARTS to feel like that again, my butt will be back in the ER for more dilaudid PDQ!  It is just enough pain to know that something is amiss.  Will see how it does today, I guess, and then consider going to a doctor...

Thanks for the info.  Other than the problem I had a couple of years ago with the stone(s) in one kidney causing bleeding (since I am on blood thinner)  --  but never moving... still there apparently -- and one UTI many years back, I have never had kidney/bladder/UTI issues so I know nothing about them.

Lora

I don't know if you were referring to me (randi) but it doesn't sound like you still have a stone.  I dont' understand how if you had multiple stones and you only passed one, how there were none on the follow up scan?  That makes no sense.  Plus you said you had them in both kidneys and now nothing?  Something is wrong.  A bladder infection would cause visible blood - only microscopic amounts in the urine.  3 days of bactrim?  That doesnt' sound like much either?  I have always been given atleast 7 - 10 days of antibiotics for an infection.  I can't see 3 days doing anything other than starting to kill a bacteria and then letting it grow back.

As far as a CT showing a stone in the bladder - it depends.  My CT couldn't see the bladder because it was empty, so it was collapsed.  You need a partially full bladder for it show up on a scan.  I didn't know this or I wouldn't have pee'd before hand.  My stone was stuck in my ureter, blocking the flow of urine - so I could only pass tiny bits of urine at  a time also causing my kidney to enlarge.

I don't know alot about passing stones - I have never passed one - mine was blasted with a laser and I didn't have to pass it.  Now I have to go to Nephrologist to get my urine tested to see what type it is, they can tell by doing a 24 hour urine test and then in 1 month, I have to go for an Xray of my Kidney, ureter and bladder - then schedule the surgery for the stones on the other side.

I would definitey find a new urologist and get retested.

(I just put Katie's name in the post because she currently has a stone in her bladder waiting to pass and thought she might know about whether it shows up on a CT... but you gave me some great info!)

The scan in the ER still showed the stones in the other kidney, just none in the first one.  I am also not sure how carefully they strained my urine, so it is entirely possible that they missed the other one(s).   My bladder was empty by the time they got around to doing the CT scan, so I guess the CT doesn't really help me know what's going on.

I wondered why only 3 days of antibiotics (twice a day).  I have never taken less than 5 days of any antibiotic for ANYTHING, but I have only had one urinary related infection in my life and it was quite a while ago, so I didn't know whether to question it or not.

Sounds like either way I need to just break down and make an appt with the new urologist my PCP recommended (the one I saw when they found the original stones about 2 years ago was a jackass so I will NOT go back to him... he had no "bedside manner", told me to discontinue all my calcium supplements even once I told him about the RNY, and told me I should be thankful that I didn't have a penis because if the stones I had were to pass, it would hurt much less than if I were a man (WTH?!?)!).

Lora

Do you have any woman urologists in your area?  Mine is a woman and is great and very understanding.  All the women in the area use her and it is tough to get appointments with her but for me having so many problems, they always squeeze me in.

Are you near a teaching hospital? It might be worth traveling a bit to get a really good specialist, since this is something we are doomed to live with - I am hoping my nephrologist can shed some light as to why I am getting them to reduce the frequency.

Being you passed yours, did they test it?  What was it composed of? This can really help prevent future ones.

The ER sent it to someone to be tested and said my PCP would be sent the results.  I have not heard anything yet.

No, there are no female urologists within 50 miles of me, and the closest teaching hospital that would have a good urology specialist would be Ohio State (about an hour and a half away).  I will try the second urologist my PCP recommended (the first was one of his med school colleagues).  Hopefulyl he will not be such a jerk.

Lora

Good luck.  I guess I have an advantage being 30 miles from New York City and luckily, several of my local doctors are affiliated with  Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in NYC - the hospital where I had my RNY.

 I don't really know too much about it. Thankfully I only have one stone. It still hasn't passed. It isn't stuck in my bladder though. It is stuck right on the entrance to the bladder. I think you should definitely make an appointment though and maybe try to get better pain medication. I'm not sure if the stone can get stuck in the bladder. Ususally people pass it when it gets to that point. I'm sorry you are having such a time with it. It is such a pain in the butt.

On a side note...the other day I ran out of medication and called the Dr three times to get a refill and they never called me back. Running out of pain meds is not a "call back" type of thing. I was so mad! Kidney stones are so painful! They NEED pain meds. They have yet to call me back three days later even though I left several messages with a person who kept saying "The nurse will call you back. They got the message but I will give them another." THANKFULLY I called my surgeon and he called in a prescription for me. The urologists office was useless.

Now I am going to get an xray for this stupid stone to see what the status is and then tomorrow is my urologist appointment.

Sorry I couldn't be much help. Go or call to the dr and update us!

Feel better Lora!