Help!
I've been having severe pain on and off for a couple of years. Each time, I'm told I have kidney stones in each kidney, but they should not be causing the pain because they are non obstructing.
Has anyone else had this issue?
I'm starting to feel crazy.
I've had kidney stones that obstruct and do not obstruct. I don't know what idiot doctor would tell you that they don't cause pain. Every single one is between painful and so much pain you want to die. I've never had a kidney stone not hurt. I would see a urologist. They have a better handle on those things, can give you meds to help pass them faster and run tests to see if you can prevent your stones.
And to add to my previous post, the stones that do pass through the ureter tend to actually cause me more pain than the ones stuck in the kidney that just try to go into the ureter but are too big. My most painful ones were 5 mm and they came out slowly but surely. The 5 mm were the worst and I've had all sizes from tiny sand to 10 mm. They all hurt though. My point being that nonobstructing stones have been my most painful and obstructing stones, while painful, have not been as bad but needed surgery.
It's not common, but some of us feel extreme pain from non-obstructive kidney stones. In my case, I have problems with pain when stones are in my left kidney. I don't notice them in my right until they try to pass. My family and friends thought my pain was in my head. I had a vaginal ultrasound, a colonoscopy and upper endoscopy before one of my doctor's decided to check my joints via x-ray and CT scan. There it was, a giant non-obstructive stone in my left kidney. I had severe abdominal, back and flank pain that was generalized enough that no one thought to check my kidneys. I had days where I was bed-ridden because it felt like the worst menstrual cramps I'd ever had. As soon as the unobstructive stone was removed, my pain was gone. And when the pain comes back, I know I have another stone. I felt redeemed when the problem was discovered because I had people close to me telling me to buck up and get over it, like I was faking the pain so I could lay in bed all day. It took months to figure out.
There are still some doctors wsho insist that non-obstructing kidney stones can't cause pain. -- which I think is pretty insulting to the patient who is then either (1) left with an unexplained pain or (2) let to believe it's all in their head. But they are being rapidly replaced by anecdotal histories of people who have pain in the kidney where the non-obstructing stone is. I've had aches from a non-obstructing kidney stone for about 3 years....
Hello Brandy
Let me share a favorite "quote" of mine. "To thine own self be true," says Polonius in Hamlet.
First of all, You are not crazy! Welcome to the Forum where you will find support, stories shared from other
"Stoners" and hopefully some insight or good information here.
"We" as a group, know our bodies better than anyone. Dealing with a medical condition such as kidney stones
you become very aware to the signs and pain that comes with it. It's a shame that we sometimes have to
Fight to get the attention we need. Never Give Up, Find a Good Urologist who deals with Stones. Even if the stone is non obstructing, you could still have pain. The stone or stones, could cause an infection which would also cause pain. Anytime your body is hurting without a known reason is cause for alarm. So stay strong, and be vigilant in finding a good Urologist. In the meantime, stay away from all sodas, drink plenty of water, cranberry juice mixed with lemon juice. I also use an Herb, Chanca Piedra. You take care & Best wishes ~ Faith
OMG I am so relieved I found this thread!!! I have been suffering on and off for about 5 years with the stupid embedded kidney stone. I call it "bouts" because it lasts for about 2 months and then goes away same left side same pain on and off. It patterns in the morning so for me to get to work at 7 AM if have to get up at 4 AM and then see what type of pain, if any I will have and then use iburprofin up to tramadol - every morning weekend or week day. It is insane. To make absolute insult to pain two urologists won't even address my pain issue because of course if not in ureter can not cause pain. Tomorrow I am going back to the original urologist that tried to take it out and did not succeed. I it amazing that I have to justify this pain!!!! Unreal I am so p****d at these urologists that seem to know. I would love to touch them and let them really feel what I feel.
Julie, if you have to go to a dozen different urologists to get this addressed and find someone that believes you, do it. I had the stone in my kidney and I was in varying degrees of pain for months. The stone was removed and the pain went away. It took months to discover because all these doctors assumed the only pain you get from kidney stones is when you pass them and if I was passing them, I would be in the ER screaming my head off. It never occurred to them. My stone was only discovered because the doctors were looking for something else. Even though I didn't care for my first urologist, he was an older man and he never doubted I was in pain from this non-obstructive stone. He gave me hydrocodone immediately for relief until he could treat it. I'm so sorry you have had your very real pain issue ignored all this time. I know exactly how painful it can be. I remember starting my current job and trying to stand up straight and act like nothing was wrong...but the pain was so bad I had to ask for an ibuprofen from my new co-worker. I didn't want to tell them I was pretty much in too much pain to effectively do my new job that day, but that was a bad day. And of course, ibuprofen barely touched it. I was popping 4 ibuprofen every four hours for months just to take the edge off it. When I found out about the stone and told my mother-in-law (the nurse) that it might be the cause of all these months of agony, she said there was no way it was the cause because kidney stones only hurt when you are passing them and I would be in the ER. Yeah, I didn't get much sympathy from anyone including family while this was going on. You need to get that sucker out of you so that your quality of life can return and it's time to put your foot down.
Thank you SO much you don't know how much your reply means to me I will put my foot down. I read this to my mom in tears -she thinks the same. I have an appointment tomorrow thanks again. Julie.
Luna you did save my life a little thank you. He is taking it out on the 10th.
I'm so happy for you Julie! Did he say what procedure? Since he couldn't get it out the first time, you might need a lithotripsy to break it up so it can flush out. You are going to feel so much better once it's out of your body.
I feel pain in under my left rib, especially after exercising and eating. Sometimes in front and sometimes in back. I am going to subject myself to lithotripsy because that is the ONLY way I will know for sure.
Have you had it treated to figure out if that is the problem?
If you know you have a non-obstructive kidney stone and you are feeling pain in the general area, I think you will feel better after the stone is gone. The pain was seriously gone once they got it out of me. I wasn't sure it would fix it and that I might have some other underlying problem, but once I'd had the lithotripsy, I was completely back to normal.
That would be wonderful. I am never pain free even when it flies under the radar. I have had doctors tell me it can be the source and others tell me it cannot be. I had blood in urine a few times, so I know it's not completely benign - it irritates somewhat.
Hello Brandy, I really do feel you. I've had pain on and off for over 5 years in my right lower abdomen and over the summer I had reoccurring bladder infections that would not go away with antibiotics. The pain just gets more and more regular and worse, and I often find myself unable to sleep and unable to find a comfortable position. I went to A and E after seeing a vast amount of blood in my urine, and they just gave me more antibiotics. Then, a few days later I went again with severe cry/scream-worthy pain and they said there MIGHT be something up with my kidneys. I was booked in for an ultrasound and they found a kidney stone about 1cm in size in my right kidney. Later on, I had a CT scan and it showed that it was 1.5cm. Because of the size it is stuck there in the lower part of the kidney, and causes pain because it moves around. I also greatly empathise with you. I feel like I'm going crazy. I'm highly irritable, and have been losing weight and having many other symptoms too. My appetite is often non-existent and I recently excreted the inside lining of my bowels. I am actually scared all these things are happening. Although scheduled for an operation in a few weeks, I have no value of lifestyle currently and am trapped thinking that it will not solve the issue. This pain has been going on for so long it feels like it's defining me, but moving around and doing things other people deem as 'normal' is so painful. Also, because this has been going on for so long, I find my body doing things and habits to try and help me through the pain, such as majorly fidgeting and phasing out. The other thing I'm worried about is the anxiety I get with it; my body tenses up and my heart rate increases due to the pain, but sometimes it does it when there is little pain, as if preparing itself. This of course just ends up making me feel constantly on edge, as if there is no rest. I hope any one who is reading this has been able to empathise in their own way.
Thanks for your post ele101. Recently I was diagnosed with numerous nonobstructing bilateral renal calculi. Largest is located in the right interpolar region and measures up to 8 diameters. Additionally, there numerous small cortical cysts in the bilateral kidneys measuring up to 4 mm in diameter. I completely understand everything you have said. I have had abdominal CT, an upper GI and a colonoscopy done and I am still having pain in my right side, under the ribs and in my lower back. I also have multiple issues with facet joints and moderate degenerative disc disease in my lower back. I have recently had some substantial blood in my urine as well. I can't currently take any over the counter-inflammatory medications because it causes blood in my urine almost instantly. I also completely understand the anxiety and stress that comes with knowing you are not feeling the best. I feel like I'm just a complete mess. I didn't know if it would help to go to a urologist but after reading these posts I feel like that may be my best option of trying to figure out this pain. Thanks for sharing your story.
I have not had scans to see if the unobstructing ones are still there and still unobstructing. I made a decision to treat them on a preventative basis holistically. I take small amounts of chanca piedra and have been drinking water with a little bit of lemon. I'll be adding another 'natural treatment' of olive oil to the lemon juice soon. The nagging (though not severe) pain in my left flank seems to be diminishing but can't know for sure since I haven't had scans.
Hi
I have a 1cm stone in my left kidney since last 6-7years. I had a bit of heaviness and went for checkup and was told about the stone. After a while the heaviness subsided and I never felt pain since. My doc says it is not obstructing or moving. If it moves it might hurt. I have done nothing since except that I have reduced sodium intake and take Zyloric to reduce salt. Hope it stays painless until then I cannot so anything.
Hi Brandy! I have the same “problem”. Most recently my urologist said maybe I should see an orthopaedic doctor after confirming having several small kidney stones that are non-obstructing.
I have had 3 surgeries of the stones being removed in the past, not blasted.
He makes me feel crazy or like I’m lying. So happy to read your post so I know I’m not alone and to now find this site!