Since February, I have passed many kidney stones and am now starting to get bladder infections. I have been to a urologist who basically said the only stones he saw on my tests couldn't be causing the pain I describe because they weren't the type that usually moved/passed. A week later, I was in the ER passing a stone and also had a bladder infection. The whole time though the pain in my back has been getting worse and worse and I have been on a lot of pain medication. My family care doc now wants to refer me to a pain management center because my latest urine test looks fine, but I am still having pain. I just kind of got the feeling from the nurse that called me that because the test didn't show anything they are passing me off to a pain clinic to basically give me pain meds. I just feel at this point they don't believe me, yet I keep ending up in the ER with stones that show up on the ER scans. I feel somewhat offended, almost like they think I just want pain medication. What exactly is the reason for pain management center/clinics?

My daughter, who is 9, has had several kidney stones and is now on medicine, diet and water intake regiment to prevent stones. She used to pass a stone every 3 months or so and since this treatment plan she has not had one stone in over a year. First of all, why are you seeing a urologist? A urologist is a urinary specialist. You should be seeing a nephrologist who is a kidney specialist. Have you had a 24 hour urinalysis to determine what type of kidney stones you are producing? Have they put you on a diet to prevent stones? I can't believe that if you are having recurrent stones that they are not trying to figure out how to prevent them. What type of stones do they say you have? You can lose kidney function with each passing stone. You need to request a referral to a nephrologist and get some diagnostic tests done to figure this out. Why get pain management when you can prevent the pain and the stones by getting the correct treatment from a nephrologist?
Christina

I don't know what to tell you as far as pain management, but you are not alone. I am also a recurrent stone former, and i have pain even if the stones don't show up on x-ray and etc. My doctor does the same thing, I don't see anything that could or should be causing you pain. If it were me and my insurance covered it, I guess I would give the pain management a shot.

Good Luck,
Shan