When to go to the ER?

[A854321]

You should be able to find an Urgent Care clinic to go to rather than a full-on Emergency Room. It is cost-effective, and if you can find one affiliated with a hospital where your doctor has priviledges, they can communicate much more easily with your physician. He/she would probably be able to review your chart and lab studies from their office computer if they are part of the system. I'd start by calling my Dr.'s office and see if there is an Urgent Care that they are familar with, or that is affiliated with a hosptial. You can get professionally screened there so that if it isn't a stone, they can avoid an unneccesary additional appointment. Going to the ER will guarantee about a 6-8 hour wait under less than pleasant circumstances.

[Leonidas]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pfpelican I've been told that the pain is the closest a man can get to the pain of childbirth.

DW had two kids and one kidney stone. She said the kidney stone was like King Kong on a bad day compared to childbirth which was more akin to a slightly perturbed monkey.

When she had the kids and thought the staff was a little slow dispensing pain killer she told me "I'm having some pain, you really need to go talk to them and get them to give me something." On the way to the ER with the kidney stone, she was not kidding when she told me to run over the triathletes.

[TromboneAl]

Quote:

most insurance plans have a nurse hotline you can call for free, tell them your symptoms, and they can "triage" you into either getting over the counter help, going to see your doctor the next available opportunity

That's if you have a good health insurance plan.

If you have a bad plan, they tell you to whack your pee pee until the stone passes.

[Nords]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rich_in_Tampa Yes. The Virginia/Tennesee areas and pockets south used to be called the "stone belt." Not sure whether it was inherited or some environmental factor.

There's other factors that can contribute to kidney stones, especially a lack of vitamin D/sunlight. The submarine force is terrified of what a kidney stone MEDEVAC can do to the submarine operating schedules health & well-being of its sailors. To say nothing of their quality of life.

http://www.early-retirement.org/foru...tml#post337588

Quote:

Originally Posted by TromboneAl If you have a bad plan, they tell you to whack your pee pee until the stone passes.

Spoken like an honorary submariner! You want the corpsman to give you a couple gallons of water and the really really good painkillers, and then you go stand hopefully next to the ultrasonic sink cleaner...

[bright eyed]

Hm, I've heard from some medical student friends that the passing of the kidney stone is the closest thing a guy will experience to childbirth...

I often call the advice nurse (use kaiser) to see if i should take the little ones (or myself) in to the doctor or head to the ER...they also help us get earlier appointments the next day.

I would definitely find out if your dr. or insurance has some sort of similar service - it's invaluable - since they can help give you advice on how to mitigate symptoms till you get there and some perspective so you're not worried all nite etc.

I saw a doctor maybe 3 times between babyhood to adulthood (didn't i tell you my dad is an insurance agent? we always only had catastrophic coverage so every doc visit was out of pocket, therefore not happening), so I have a very bad gauge of what "normal" going to the doctor illnesses/concerns are and the nurse helps me weed those out so my little kiddos don't suffer...

[Bigritchie]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rich_in_Tampa There's some science to back you up here. It's the citrate. Certain types of stone can be largely prevented by citrate, and it's available as tablets for regular use in people with recurrent stones. Crystal Lite lemonade also has a cult following and contains citrate, too. Don't know of any studies. It's proven for prevention, but I haven't seen studies using it as a treatment. Wouldn't surprise me if it helped some people like you.

Rich, do you happen to know the name of the tablets? Are they over the counter or do you need a rx for them?

[Bigritchie]

I have met many woman who have had stones that said they would rather go through childbirth.

I have been shot 3 times, splattered my spleen into about 20 pieces, broke my back in several places, and it was ALL A JOKE COMPARED TO A KIDNEY STONE.

I consider myself a pretty rough and tough guy, and I have even learned to embrace my back pain, but a kidney stone makes me lay in the fetal position and cry for my mommy. hehe.

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bigritchie Rich, do you happen to know the name of the tablets? Are they over the counter or do you need a rx for them?

By prescription only, for certain types of stones only, capable of doing harm if given for the wrong type of conditions, it's potassium citrate 5 meq.

Worth asking your doctor about if you have recurrent stones of the appropriate type. Definitely not a do-it-yourself type of treatment.

[UncleHoney]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigBob Howdy neighbor. Riverside is a really good hospital - well organized and from what I hear from friends, a great place to deliver a baby. I assume it was a great place to deliver your stone. Glad you got such good service. Just wait till you get five different bills.

BigBob

I'm still holding on to the stone at least till tomorrow. So far I've been taking a pain pill about every 4 hours and no problems. Got an appointment in the morning with the urologist and waiting to see how he wants to get this little bugger on the move.

I know what you mean about the bills from Riverside. The one I can never figure out is the one from the anestesiologists' brother-in-law.

Have you lived in the Columbus area long?

[BigBob]

Quote:

Originally Posted by UncleHoney BigBob Have you lived in the Columbus area long?

Just 3 years in the area. Before that, lived in NE Ohio till the rotten job market drove us away. We really like it here. My DW and I had a running joke (that I still haven't been able to refute) that "The people here are so nice and the weather is much better". Only an occasional (not nice person) and much better winters.
So what do you do with "the stone"? Go outside and swap it for a 10 pounder and tell everyone you passed THIS?

Rich,
potassium citrate - sounds a lot like the lemon juice reference earlier. Maybe there is some legitimacy to that one.

Just glad I haven't had to experience this - sounds brutal.

-Bob

[UncleHoney]

Big Bob

Columbus has an edge on NE Ohio as far as the winters go. All we usually get is cold and clouds and not the snow.

Good news about the stone, it was passed about 12:45 last night. It took about 10 Oreos and a glass of milk along with two 325 mg tablets of Percocet. I was really hurting and needed some sleep so I went for broke. Before I even got to the pills I felt the pain start to fade. I told DW something just gave way and started feeling better. It had to be the Oreo's.

The stone still hasn't shown up yet so I'm waiting for the next event.

[TromboneAl]

Quote:

Good news about the stone, it was passed about 12:45 last night.

Celebration.jpg

[UncleHoney]

And here it is. Fresh off the scanner. That's a standard office staple in the picture.

I thought this thing was going to be the size of a brick, but it's only a grain of sand.

[UncleHoney]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TromboneAl Attachment 2711

That's what it feels like today, not so yesterday.

[REWahoo]

When you passed it I'll bet you made a face a lot like the one in the photo you posted a while back of you and your grandma when she was baiting your hook...

[UncleHoney]

Quote:

Originally Posted by REWahoo When you passed it I'll bet you made a face a lot like the one in the photo you posted a while back of you and your grandma when she was baiting your hook...

Last night when it moved I really felt it, but this evening when I caught it in a cup I never felt a thing. I was waiting for a bolt of lightning but it didn't happen. The pipes must be bigger than I think.

[Bigritchie]

Depending on the size they do not hurt much.

A few years ago I had a stone the size of a small grape, and one that was about dime size right behind it. Doctor said I would 100% need surgery to have them removed, the ole laser basket up the penis kind. I went home and chugged lemon juice until I couldn't stand it anymore, and finally about 3-4 hours later, I went to pee, and BOOM, I thought the head of my penis had exploded. it hurt pretty bad, normally small ones you cannot even feel though.

It is wierd, I have had very small stones that hurt worse then some of the bigger stones that I have had. But anyways, very glad you passed it and that you are ok

[bright eyed]

is that why the call you big ritchie?