Kidney Archives

continual renal colic

In 1996 I had a "clump" of uric stones removed from my right kidney. I survived the stent and recovered normally. Two tiny calcium stones blocked my right kidney in March of this year and they too were scoped. A month later a larger stone appeared and was removed. An IVP in May revealed general blockage of the right ureter and I was again scoped to clear "debris".

The third ureteroscopy left me in sever pain for several days but I eventually began a normal recovery. Within 10 days of the last procedure I began to experience what can best be described a renal colic on my right flank. CAT scans revealed a swelling in the right kidney. This was termed a "blowout" (reflux). I was told that the swelling and accompanying discomfort would subside.

The pain continues and ultra-sounds, CAT scans and IVPs indicate the swelling is gone, the ureter is recovered and all appears normal. Extensive blood and urine tests are also normal.

What remains are intense daily bouts of renal colic. Pain begins as intense pressure across my right flank and into my right groin. From there, all hell breaks loose. Intense spasms roll across my flank, the lower two quarters of my abdomen and the small of my back. These spasms are often accompanied by substantial swelling across my back, groin and flank. On my stone-experienced scale of one-to-ten these pains are often between a 6 and an 8. The real devastation of these bouts is their duration. They often last 6 - 10 hours and usually begin in the early afternoon. Pain often remains until 3 or 4 in the morning.

I understand that this presents a tough diagnostic challenge. It's disappointing that so many physicians react coldly to my problem. I am generally treated as if I am guilty of a medical sin. I started as a patient and now feel like a victim. Is medical practice stripping away all intuition and compassion? Somehow I remain naively hopeful.

We're open to any and all possibilities to get treatment. We live in a major metropolitan area and the best advice we get is to try pain
managment.

Follow Ups:

• Re: continual renal colic (archive under kidney) Walt Stoll 11:27:24 8/21/99 (0)

In Reply to: continual renal colic posted by leihgton keith on August 20, 1999 at 21:30:00:

Dear Leighton Keith,

Your best bet is to become a student of "wellness" so as to allow your metabolic machinery to get back into homeostasis.

Start with the links to the Glossary and FAQ.

THEN, if you still have questions, write again.

Also, the first 15 minutes of the Functional Medicine Update tape for April, 1999, would do you a LOT of good. Go to the website at healthcomm.com for information.

As you get well, I hope you will take the time to share your experiences with the participants of this BB so others do not have to go through the unnecessary process you ahve gone through.

Walt