This too shall pass

[Carlos]

All the best Vito!

 

[Vito]

they may just keep you this time. The trick I am talking about is nasty, but it worked for me once...

It may come to that, Brothah Rev. Right now I'm following the doctor's recommendations, but thanks for the remedy in case I need it. And you're right; I have a buddy who had a stone when he was in his early 20s. Anyone can get 'em, anytime.
________________

So far, the Big Pain<img class="emojione" alt="" title=":tm:" title=":tm:" src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/emojione/assets/png/2122.png?v=2.2.7"/> hasn't come back. Urinalysis confirms that the stone is still in the ureter, so ultrasound is out. The doc wants to give it a chance to come out on its own. He gave me oxycodone to use in case the Big Pain<img class="emojione" alt="" title=":tm:" title=":tm:" src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/emojione/assets/png/2122.png?v=2.2.7"/> comes back. In the meantime, the doc sez that 800 mg. of ibuprofen every 6 to 8 hours should dilate the ureter a bit.

Actually, the big problem now is constipation from all the pain meds. I'm so bloated that it's putting pressure on everything. So I've cut out the narco pain meds completely. Lots of fiber and magnesium, plus some ducosate sodium to soften things up. Hopefully that will do the trick. And there's always the Fleet squeezer...you know, the ol' Lubri-Butt method.

Now it's just time, and something to bite down on when the Big Pain<img class="emojione" alt="" title=":tm:" title=":tm:" src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/emojione/assets/png/2122.png?v=2.2.7"/> comes back...which the doc says I can count on. The last hurdle is the orifice into the bladder, where he says the stone often gets hung up. Not looking forward to that. The last Big Pain Attack<img class="emojione" alt="" title=":tm:" title=":tm:" src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/emojione/assets/png/2122.png?v=2.2.7"/> had me crawling on the floor for two hours, screaming in some alien language. When it was over, I passed out, then woke up 20 minutes later, my T-shirt drenched with sweat and drool, shivering. It's definitely not a party. :x

You're right, PD; this definitely hasn't been my year. I figure this is "Bob's" (the universe's) way of building character. Or something.

Thanks to all youse guys for your good wishes.

 

[the rev]

yeah there are three hang up points, that last one is a killer, but often if you are drinking enough liquids it can flush it out pretty quick.

I have passed over fifty brother, and only one did they need to go in for, believe me, if you can get it out without that... that is the way. But ask your dr. about flomax, and I am serious call him tomorrow and ask him to give it to you, it dialates the ureter.

rev

 

[leftover421]

:shock: :affraid: ale:

Sorry brother been there, done that and never want to go back!

 

[DrT999]

Glad I'm young. :shock: Not looking forward to some parts of getting older.

Stones are no respecter of age. My bro-in-law got his in his late teens.

Hope the pain passes soon, Vito.

V true, I was 20. Bad memories there! Best of luck Vito; let's hope this is a one time thing

"T"

 

[i.keenum]

Best off luck hope the best for you. What is the cause of them?

 

[the rev]

a lot of people say a lot of things, and the truth is, with the most common form of stones they just don't know. I had drs tell me it was too much calcium, others not enough calcium, others too much oxolate. Then one told me, "look, truth is we just don't know, some people make stones, but you need calcium and oxolate, best we can tell you is to drink lots of water to keep your urine diluted, and keep the stones smaller"

All of the different diets I have tried make no difference. Ultimately, I need to drink lots more water, and unfortunately water with hops and malted barley doesn't count

rev

 

[Vito]

Best off luck hope the best for you. What is the cause of them?

What Brothah Rev said. There are at least nine different types of stones, and each of them has a different cause. The type of stone can be identified after the fact if you can catch it when you pee it out and get it to the lab for analysis. However, sometimes the stones are of variegated composition, which means they combine more than one type, which makes the cause even tougher to pin down.

By far the most common kinds of stones are calcium stones, or more precisely, calcium oxalate stones. But even with those, the actual cause of their formation isn't well understood. They're more common in men than in women, but no one knows why. As we've already noted, stones can occur at any age.

One suspected principal factor is diet, but nothing is conclusive. It seems likely that a diet with foods high in oxalates and calcium poses a higher risk of forming calcium oxalate stones, but there are many possible mitigating factors. For example, a diet that is also high in citrates, potassium, and magnesium can mitigate the formation of stones. The calcium binds with the citrates, and the potassium and magnesium binds with the oxalates.

Everyone seems to agree that sufficient hydration is the most important factor in preventing stones. As nearly as I have been able to tell, "sufficient hydration" is indicated by the following conditions:

• You evacuate at least 2 liters of urine per day.
• The urine is clear (very little color).
• The urine has very little odor.

That's a better indication (for me, anyway) than blanket statements about how much water I should drink. Besides, I don't especially enjoy drinking water in large quantities. I get most of my liquids in the form of tea (mostly golds, greens, oolongs, and whites...IOW, teas that have undergone little or no oxidation). There are conflicting reports on the effects of tea on stone formation, and a lot of it is misinformation.

For example, black tea is reported to be "high" in oxalates...but relative to what? It's still lower in oxalates than many "healthy" foods, and none of the studies I've seen that identified oxalate levels in tea said anything about the amount of bioavailable oxalates...that is, the amount that your body will actually absorb.

As always, I've had to sort through a mountain of mythology to find credible information. Much of the stuff that gets mindlessly repeated on Internet blogs is noise repeated by lazy parrots who never bother to verify the stuff they spew. Anyone who wants actual information is going to have to dig a little deeper.

...I need to drink lots more water, and unfortunately water with hops and malted barley doesn't count

There's the hell of it, right there! :lol:

 

[huffelpuff]

Feel better soon V!

Jim

 

[the rev]

how are you going brother?

rev

 

[cds43]

the worst one I had they gave me a shot of demeral and toridal which did nothing, a shot of morphine which did nothing, and then a shot of dilaudid which helped, the second shot of dilaudid put me to sleep

worst pain ever

rev

Wasted a couple of years of my life shooting this drug. Brings back many good and bad memories. Hope you get rid of the pain.

 

[the rev]

the worst one I had they gave me a shot of demeral and toridal which did nothing, a shot of morphine which did nothing, and then a shot of dilaudid which helped, the second shot of dilaudid put me to sleep

worst pain ever

rev

Wasted a couple of years of my life shooting this drug. Brings back many good and bad memories. Hope you get rid of the pain.

glad you kicked brother

rev

 

[Vito]

how are you going brother?

rev

Sorry for the delay in replying, bro'. I've had some complications. I was pretty much out of commission yesterday with back pain. I have some disk problems in my lumbar region, and it seems that all that writhing on the floor might have aggravated that stuff. Everything's connected, y'know.

As for the stone, it's quiescent right now. I haven't had another Big Pain<img class="emojione" alt="" title=":tm:" title=":tm:" src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/emojione/assets/png/2122.png?v=2.2.7"/> attack since last Wednesday, and though I can feel it down there, it's not causing me any serious discomfort. I'm not keen on the idea of going back to Pain City, but in a way I wish the sumbitch would just move the hell outa there and get it over with.

I'm keeping the minor ongoing discomfort under control with whopping doses of ibuprofen (800 mg. every 8 hours...which is whopping for me). The doc says it will reduce inflammation of the ureter and make it easier for the stone to pass, but so far it seems to be staying put. I'm taking in at least 4 liters of fluids per day, but the little bastidge doesn't seem to want to try to clear that last hurdle into the bladder. Dayum!

I have an appointment to see a urologist on Monday, which I'll keep if the stone hasn't passed by then. I intend to ask him about Flomax (tamsulosin), but I'm not sure I'll be able to take it. The drug is contraindicated for patients who are allergic to sulfa...which I am. But it won't hurt to ask.

 

[the rev]

sorry man, and going in to the holidays with that still weighing over you... such a bummer

hope it all comes out quickly brother

rev

 

[Vito]

sorry man, and going in to the holidays with that still weighing over you... such a bummer...

Yeah...we'll be heading over to my brother-in-law's home for Thanksgiving dinner. I won't be drinking any wine, in case I have to pop some oxycodone capsules if the Big Pain<img class="emojione" alt="" title=":tm:" title=":tm:" src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/emojione/assets/png/2122.png?v=2.2.7"/> hits. And I'll go out and lock myself in the car so no one has to witness the spectacle. As you well know, it ain' pretty.

But I'm choosing not to go down Bummer Lane, and focus on my blessings. Here's one of them; I'm looking forward to cracking this tin of Flying Dutchman that's been hanging around since 1969:

I've seen some pretty gruesome reviews of that counterfeit they've been selling in a pouch, but this stuff is the original, and it's prolly pretty good by now. I figure I've paid enough pain dues lately to earn a special smoke. :mrgreen:

 

[DrT999]

I'm looking forward to cracking this tin of Flying Dutchman that's been hanging around since 1969:

I'm sure we're all hoping it's in excellent condition!

 

[Jers]

Vito - I hope things go quick and easy for you brother. It sounds truly hellish.

BTW it sounds like you were prepared to try anything short of a stick of dynamite to rid yourself of constipation!

Best wishes brother.

Jers

 

[gravel]

I'm looking forward to cracking this tin of Flying Dutchman that's been hanging around since 1969:

I'm sure we're all hoping it's in excellent condition!

Looking forward to you cracking that tin!

 

[Vito]

It starts.

I awoke at 01:53 with what felt like the Gas Pains From Hell™. By 02:02 it was clear that this is the prelude to another Big Pain™ event, and — recalling my doctor's advice that it's best to take the pain meds before the Big Pain™ sets in — I popped an oxycodone. Two minutes later, the pain was ramping up so fast that I thought, what the hell...might as well pop another one. I guess this is where I get to test the magical properties of the legendary oxycodone.

I've got the Zojirushi water boiler fired up so I can make some Jasmine Dragon Pearl tea, a few bottles of SoBe Lifewater as backup, and I'm sequestered in my studio (airtight double doors, 8-inch thick solid concrete walls) so Mrs. Vito and the Kidz don't have to hear the deranged mutant alien rantings, and it looks like I'm headed for the final showdown.

What comes next won't involve enough rationality to entrust myself to the use of a keyboard and a public forum. See youse guys on the other side.

 

[DrT999]

Best of luck! may the 'event' be short!