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Kidney stones
I am usually trying to help folks understand their symptoms, but need some myself now. I have chronic pancreatitis and have had it long enough that the way that pain manifests itself is pretty familiar. I have been experiencing a pain that is about an 8 on the typical 1-10 scale, but is more in my flank and lower than where my pancreas pain is. It is also very tender to the touch and if I move in any way that involves my torso the pain screams at me. I take pretty stri=ong opiates for my pancreatitis, so the pain is not being affected by those meds or if it is, I would be crying without them. Anyone have any thoughts? I already have had a urinalysis and it is not an infection in kidneys, bladder, or urinary tract. I am thinking kidney stone, but have never had the pleasure, so that is simply a guess.
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Gary, I've had kidney stones. Compared to other stories I heard, my pain was not the worst. However, there were times it was very bad, also an 8 out of 10. These were usually short lived sessions for me, and happened predictably when the stone (5mm) was passing through the tight angled areas of the ureter. Otherwise the stone caused discomfort that felt like an intense restless leg in my flank and backside area, and caused me to lose a lot of sleep. Eventually drinking lots of water and taking tamsulosin (Flomax), I was able to pass the stone.
Have you seen blood in your urine? Bright red blood and an ultrasound confirmed the diagnosis for me.
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1 ReactionI'm also tagging other members who have had experience with kidney stones to share here: @trishanna @wendyw @ella2000 and @rosemary
Gary, did you see this discussion:
- Effexor and kidney stones https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/effexor-and-kidney-stones/
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2 ReactionsHi Gary @gman007,
My daughter also has kidney stones – she actually has cystinuria, which is a genetic disorder, that causes stones made of amino acid (cystine) to form in the kidneys and ureters. She was also diagnosed because she had blood in her urine, and excruciating pain on her side, back, below her ribs. An ultrasound and an abdominal CT scan confirmed the diagnosis. A few years ago she passed one stone, but I remember that it was unbearable – the pain was coming in waves, and we had to take her to the ER to manage the pain.
If you have a kidney stone, you might not notice anything is amiss until the stone moves into your ureter; my daughter's pain often starts suddenly, (she has another stone in her left kidney), and as the stone moves, the location and intensity of pain changes. I agree with Colleen, that an ultrasound or CT scan should be able to detect a stone.
Besides the discussion Colleen noted, here are two other conversations about flank pain in Kidney & Bladder:
– https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/i-am-being-treated-at-mayo-for-membranous-glomerulonephritis-over-the-last/
– https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/flank-pain/
Please let me know if I can help answer any more questions, Gary.
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1 ReactionGreat information, thank you! One question, do you still take the Flomax on a daily basis?
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1 ReactionThank you for the link!
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1 ReactionThank you for posting this information. My husband is having pain in back kidney area and it radiates through to his lower stomach and around his side. He has had kidney stones previously but we don't remember him having this radiating pain, especially the pain/soreness in the lower stomach area, as the pain with previous stones was in the back area.
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1 ReactionCharlena: No, I only took Flomax to help the passage of the stone. As I understand it, the medication simply helped to relax or dilate the ureter to make it pass more easily. It isn't prescribed for prolonged use for kidney stones.
I just found this information about instructions for passing a kidney stone http://urologygroupvirginia.com/adult-patient-library-web-pages/kidney-stone/instructions-for-passing-kidney-stones/
I also stayed active which I think helped pass it too.
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1 Reaction@colleenyoung, I have not seen blood and I am now speculating that it may be stones in my pancreas. I have had them previously and they increase my Pancreatic pain. I will see my GI in two weeks; he is a very nice guy and it would be next week, but he is out of the office. He can do an ERCP locally, so I expect that is where we will end up and they drag a balloon through the pancreas to remove the stones and I may get a stent to enhance drainage from my pancreas and I usually get a good amount of relief from that procedure.
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2 Reactions@charlena, I do not want to be an alarmist, but when I hear "radiating pain" in that area, I think Pancreas, because when my pain is at it's worst, it radiates to my back. I would hope that your husband's pain is from kidney stones. I know the pain is awful, but it does pass, no pun intended, and pancreatic pain generally comes and moves in. Good luck to him.
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1 ReactionI grew up in a Baptist church where alcohol abstinence is a tenet of one's faith. My minister had recurring kidney stones and Dr.'s used to recommend a 6-pak of beer and aspirin. I think he had someone sneak it into the hospital for him so none of his flock would know.
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