kidney stones, now in more detail

[edenfalling]

So what happened is this:

Around 8:30 this morning, I noticed that I had a minor ache in my lower right back. I figured I'd probably strained something over night, so I took an ibuprofen, went in to work, and assumed it would be fine.

It was not fine. The ache got worse and worse until it hurt so bad I couldn't sit in a chair anymore. I lay down on the floor at the rental office, kept turning around trying to find a position that didn't feel like stabbing knives in my back and side, and generally hurt so much I couldn't think. Also I got chills, shakes, and cold sweats. So around 12:30pm, after a bit of hasty googling told me I probably had a kidney stone but appendicitis was also a possibility, I decided I should get medical attention instead of trying to stick it out at work.

New Hire was super nice and drove me to the hospital (we closed up for the day, because she is not ready to work on her own yet), and Mom Boss said it was okay for us to leave the office shut and she'd fix our hours on Monday. The pain ebbed a bit during the car ride -- down from a... nine-ish, maybe? to about a six or seven.

At the hospital, after the basic stats triage exam, the pain starting creeping back up toward eight and the shakes came back, so I took yet another ibuprofen. By the time I got in to a room and the doctor examined me, the pain had ebbed back down to about a two, but they put me on a morphine drip and schedule a CT scan with contrast, just in case it was appendicitis rather than a kidney stone.

The scan was pretty cool, and then it took another hour for the radiologist to read the scans and pass the info on to the attending doctor. Turns out it's a kidney stone -- not a large one, so it should pass on its own, but I have prescriptions for painkillers, anti-nausea meds (because the painkillers can make people nauseated), and a medicine that may or may not help kidney stones pass. I will get them filled tomorrow morning, and I have one pain pill and one anti-nausea pill for if the pain comes back tonight.

Mom may have panicked slightly when I texted her, and she and Dad drove up to help me out tonight and tomorrow -- they left before the hospital ruled out appendicitis, but kept driving once I updated them. They're checking into a motel right now, and will return with Chinese takeout.

I am supposed to have a follow-up appointment with a urologist in two or three days. I have the doctor's name and contact info, so I will make the call tomorrow and see if I need to schedule something or if the hospital did that for me.

And that is the story of how Dad's susceptibility to kidney stones turned out to have a genetic component, and he passed it on to me, the stinker. *wry* (I still love him anyway.)

Comments

[the_rck]

I'm really glad you're doing better!

[edenfalling]

Thank you! Going to bed now. :)

[branchandroot]

Yikes! Here's hoping it passes quickly. Good that it's a small one, at least. And if you're predisposed, at least you'll recognize the next one?

[edenfalling]

Thanks! And yeah, I will definitely recognize this if it happens again. (I really hope it doesn't. I could have happily lived my entire life without feeling that particular type and intensity of pain.)

[musesfool]

Eep! I hope it passes quickly and you have a speedy recovery!

[edenfalling]

Thank you!

[rthstewart]

owwwww. I'm very glad you had support in the new person and your parents coming.

[edenfalling]

Thanks! I still feel a little silly that my parents drove all this way for something that turned out to be relatively minor, but not nearly enough to outweigh the gratitude. :)

[redwolf]

So happy to hear you're doing better. And sod this genetics thing, because I have this delightful joy to look forward to as well.

The change in treatment over the years has been interesting. My grandfather had a surgical scar related to kidney stones that looked like someone had tried to cut him in half. Mum, on the other hand, got keyhole surgery that didn't even require a bandaid. Personally, I think I would prefer my dog's solution of tablets. Her pee isn't acidic enough to break down stones in her bladder, so she gets tablets to up the acidity to normal and no more stones.

Try not to create any more.

[edenfalling]

Yikes! I am definitely glad medical treatment has improved over the years.

[isis]

Oof. I hope it all goes away quickly!

[edenfalling]

Me too!

[mme_hardy]

I wish you a good night's sleep and a peaceful morning. Do you have one of those little strainers to pee through?

[edenfalling]

I slept well (with the aid of some ibuprofen), and have thus far only had mild twinges today. *crosses fingers*

I am actually using a 5" diameter fine-mesh kitchen strainer, which is nice because it has a handle so I can keep my fingers clean. Probably not something I can take with me to work, though...

[tielan]

Glad you're okay and that your parents are there to help and support! (And 'ow'. Kidney stones sound painful.)

[edenfalling]

Thank you! (And yes, they are painful. *winces*)

[snacky]

OMG awful. I've never had kidney stones but I've had gallstones and that pain literally brought me to my knees. This sounds even worse! I hope it's over soon.

[edenfalling]

Saturday was godawful, Sunday was weirdly a non-issue, and today I have been achy all day but it's been manageable with ibuprofen (admittedly at slight overdoses, shh) and I haven't had to pull out the oxycodone. Hopefully I will never have to use it...

[autumnia]

Ouch! Sending you wishes for a speedy recovery and hope that it'll go away with just the meds. At least New Hire was there and your parents are coming up to see you soon. :-) Support is always a good thing!

[edenfalling]

Thanks! It's a small stone, so it should pass on its own sooner or later. I just have to drink frankly absurd amounts of water to flush it out. *headdesk*