Kidney Dr yesterday. Scan (wonderful lady running the thing)… Dr says the stone is bigger,come back in 3 months,we’ll need to operate as you can’t take the meds. :eek: Wonderful. I’m trying to picture how I’m going to get around/out of bed with a hole in my back:(… Anyone had this kind of operation?? How’d it go??
I hope that the stone can be removed endoscopically (through urethra and up the ureter, per se). I;ve helped with many such procedures and its not something that leaves any visible marks, so to speak.
If you have a ‘staghorn’-type stone (stone that grows up into kidney’s innards, per se), then its less likely. I’m kinda usrprised that Doc has not mentioned lithotripsy, which is when ou sit in a tub of water and strong sound waves are focussed upon stone area to crumble it so the smallish pieces can ‘pass’ or be more easily removed.
I’m guessing that Doc meant the endoscopy route, which does not leave a hole in a person’s back. I rarely ever heard of going through the back for a kidney stone (and dealt with many a Urologist over the years), but it is possible, of course. Here’s to hoping you area ‘candidate’ for the endo, which uses a little grabbing-clamp on end of guidewire on endoscope to pull out the stone (or break it up and then remove the smaller pieces! I’ve even seen laser-tech (via endo) used to help cut up renal stones, so there’s a number of ‘surgical’ approaches possible.
Hope it all goes towards the easier side of ‘invasive procedure’ - good luck! IIRC, most of the patients who had the endo-removal approach went home say day after recovering from anesthesia effects, or early the next as there was nothing to ‘heal’ or worry about (unless there was something else found, etc).
I had a big kidney stone removed surgically sometime in the '80s (I forget what year). I don’t think lithotripsy was common back then or maybe it was just that the stone was big (I got to see it afterwards - impressive). Regardless, my scar is on the front of my abdomen, off to one side. It is definitely not in my back.
My poor sensation (I’m paraplegic) sort of worked to my advantage; I felt pain, but never had the agony people describe. Then again, if I had proper sensation it probably wouldn’t have had a chance to grow so big.
I said something about breaking up the stone with sound and he’s saying “No,hafta do surgery” Now,I’m on Medicare/Medicaid,that’s the only insurance I have,so that may have something to do with it… and I’m female and have gotten ,well,obese, to be blunt… I don’t like this Dr,I don’t think he likes me… No way I can change Drs…
Medicare covers lithotripsy. (I don’t know about Medicaid, but it should as well.)But, as Ionizer mentioned, some stones are better removed surgically.
Best of luck! I’ve had a couple of kidney stones, and they’re awful! I have a few friends who have gone through natural childbirth tell me that kidney stones hurt more. :eek:
My last stone was broken up with a laser. It’s done under anesthesia but it’s extremely effective with little risk of complications. Stone is essentially turned into dust. This was also a Medicare funded treatment. Remember, you have the right and the obligation to ask questions if you don’t understand what’s being proposed. It’s your body, not his.
I have had several kidney stone operations but I had what is called a lithotripsy. You lie on your back with your kidney exposed to a glass “porthole” in the table, and it is bombarded with ultrasound waves to break up the stone, which can then be flushed out.
It sure beats oldfashioned surgery, in which recovery time is measured in weeks rather than a long weekend.
But I did lose the battle with my right kidney, and it had to be removed. Other than antibiotics though, or whatever came through the IV, I’ve never had any special meds.
Keep us up to date, we want to keep all the Dopers we can! lol
I think several kidney stone treatments are surgical, but doc told you you would have a hole in your back, that’d be a good old fashioned lithotomy. I had one in '88 and it left a scar about 6" long, on my back but very much over to one side, just under the bottom rib. I had several stones the largest of which was 13 mm, in my ureter. This was major surgery. I was hospitalized for 10 days and had 2 catheters for much of that time (one main catheter into the bladder and a smaller, stiffer one inside of it that crossed the bladder and went into one of my ureters). Then I was out of work for a few weeks. But when I healed everything was fine.
I had kidney stone surgery a few years ago. My surgeon told me about lithotripsy and endoscopy but recommended against them based on the size of the stone. I had a one-night stay in the hospital after the surgery, and I was sore for a few days. By the fourth day I had very little pain, and I was completely back to normal within a week.
Go for laser removal. No scar.
Over the years I have had every type of stone removal that I have heard about: lithotripsy, general surgery (leaving an eight inch scar on my side), urethural capture, and the latest, which sounds like what your doctor is proposing.
It was a type of endoscopic surgery, where they snaked a tube through my back and into the kidney. They then used that as a way to access the kidney and extract the stone, leaving a drainage tube in my back for about a day afterwards. Thankfully they pulled it out before sending me home, but I had to keep it bandaged with diaper-like dressings to capture the blood and urine that was leaking while it healed. I think that was about two to five more days of excitement.
If that sounds like what your doctor is proposing for you, I would say it is not as nice as lithotripsy, but much better than the general surgery was. They had me awake but anaesthetised for the snaking procedure (all I felt was pressure) but out completely for the actual removal process. Recovery was not too bad, but having extra holes and tubes coming out of me complicated things for sure. Currently all I have left from the process is a scar on my back a little smaller than a fingertip, and memories of the happy event.
I don’t know how typical my experience was, and of course there is a certain amount of stress/trauma from any bodily procedure (including dental work!), but overall, not the worst thing that has ever happened to me.
You need to find out exactly what kind of surgery they’re talking about, as others have mentioned several alternatives in the thread.
Also, why wait 3 months?? I mean, there may be a waiting period before they can fit you in but this seems more like they aren’t going to even attempt for 3 months for some reason. Waiting would seem like it would offer more chances for the thing to do permanent damage.
And, even with Medicaid you might be able to get a second opinion. Sorry the doctor is being a jerk - I’ve had experiences where information that was in fact valid, I’ve tended to mistrust because the doctor couldn’t be bothered to explain things to me and generally acted like an ass.