I just read the post from Smiffy and am starting to get very nervous. I am having a lithotripsy done on the 26th. My doctor said I would be taken to surgery and put out. I hope he wasn't telling stories to me. So far everything that he has told me has been on the money. I am curious about all that is involved with the procedure and what to expect when I wake up and have to go home. Will I be able to function or will I really be hurting? I wanted to go to my daughters college swim meet the next day and it is a three hour drive one way. I will not be driving of course, my husband will be but will I feel well enough to ride that distance? How soon after do the stone pieces come out and are they painful like an ordinary kidney stone? (I hope you understand what I'm trying to ask. I'm thinking they will be small and just come out with little or no pain) I plan on going back to work on Monday am I being unrealistic? Well thanks for any information anyone would care to share with me.

Smiffy, I hope you can go to a different hospital and have this done because the one your using doesn't sound very caring.


Maggie

I've always been put under when having a Lithotripsy and I didn't feel anything when I passed the pieces. I had nausea and back pain for a day or 2 afterwards. My surgeon had me urinate at the hospital before being discharged. The Lithotripsy isn't really a big deal. I hope things go well for you.

I'm in the UK Maggie, & have a pre-existing medical condition that means I have a very low pain threshold (which my urology department ignore). If your hospital says they will give you anaesthetic, surely they mean it? Why not phone to check if you are nervous?

I just read the post from Smiffy and am starting to get very nervous. I am having a lithotripsy done on the 26th. My doctor said I would be taken to surgery and put out. I hope he wasn't telling stories to me. So far everything that he has told me has been on the money. I am curious about all that is involved with the procedure and what to expect when I wake up and have to go home. Will I be able to function or will I really be hurting? I wanted to go to my daughters college swim meet the next day and it is a three hour drive one way. I will not be driving of course, my husband will be but will I feel well enough to ride that distance? How soon after do the stone pieces come out and are they painful like an ordinary kidney stone? (I hope you understand what I'm trying to ask. I'm thinking they will be small and just come out with little or no pain) I plan on going back to work on Monday am I being unrealistic? Well thanks for any information anyone would care to share with me.

Smiffy, I hope you can go to a different hospital and have this done because the one your using doesn't sound very caring.


Maggie

Hi Maggie,

Everyone is different when it comes to having the lithotripsy done. Heck, even if you have the procedure done, you may feel different the next time. I have had this procedure done many times and have felt different each time, even with the same doctor. Whatever you do, do not let them give you an epidural, where they give you the shot in the back. The last time I had this done and it was the first time. I felt the worse after the last procedure.

You could wake up the next morning feeling great with very little pain in your kidney area, or you could just feel like crap. It all depends.

They never put me out, they only gave me a local anesthetic, because when they are doing the procedure sometimes they have to ask you to move. I have never been put out totally. I like it like that. But you will need to go home and rest. Hopefully you have the earliest procedure, that will give you more time to rest for the rest of the day.

I have passed kidney stones a few hours after the procedure.

When you get this procedure done, make sure after you drink as much fluids as possible when they give them to you in the hospital, because if you don't pee, you don't go home. My dear mother in law has taken me each time except for the last time my husband took me and now he knows what I am going through. He feels for me. These kidney stones are nothing to joke about.

If you have any questions feel free to ask me, I am on this board all the time.

Sunshine123, Smiffy51, and lookinforanswer:

Thank you all for responding to my post, I feel better just knowing a little of what to expect. I hate the unknown. I feel like I can prepare myself for anything if I just know what to expect. I know I will get through it OK, I'm just not good at being tied or slowed down unless I choose to be. I have a hectic job and busy home life with a daughter in college and one still in high school and yes throw in a couple of grandchildren. Any way I'm the one in the family that makes it all happen, I know many of you out there know what I'm talking about because your out there doing the same thing. Thanks again and everyone take care. I'll let you know how the experience was after I have it.

God Bless
Maggie

Not to worry, the experience is not that bad. I was very nervous and scared to, but once you are there and everyone is taking care of you, you will relax some. I wasn't totally put out either - just sedatives that made me very sleepy and groggy. There was no pain involved with the procedure and I felt pretty good on the way home.

The pieces of stone may pass quickly or take a longer time. I continued to pass small pieces for over a month. Sometimes that was painful (bearable pain though) and sometimes not at all. You will probably be asked to strain your urine until the xray is clear. Some days you may pass several pieces and some days none at all. Drink lots of water and add concentrated lemon juice to the water. Lemon juice prevents the pieces from binding back together and is good for the prevention of stones too.

As for the trip to see your daughter - wait and see how you feel. I felt pretty good, but passed some large pieces the next day which was uncomfortable. And, you may experience a back ache for several weeks afterwards. Three hours is a long way, so don't push yourself. I am a "goer" too, but sometimes we need to let our bodies heal and get the rest. I am sure your daughter will understand.

Again, try not to worry. It all goes rather quickly and it is good not to worry about the stones anymore. You will be taken good care of. Let us know how you do, and before you know it you will be helping others to feel better with encouragement too.

glowing4

if you have to drive back and it is very far you still need to drink alot and pee alot on the way .So you might think of how to do this without holding your urine

I'm not sure if I am in the right thread but I had a question about Lithotripsy. I had it back in 1987. Where the lithotripsy penetrated, was right around my ribcage area on my right front side. I was wondering if you have found that anyone has complained about ribs being damaged from it? The same area where the lithotipsy was pointed is where my rib seems to bother me. Its very hard to explain but just was wondering. I don't recall doing anything stressful to my ribcage area to cause me to have discomfort.

Thank you,

I'm not sure if I am in the right thread but I had a question about Lithotripsy. I had it back in 1987. Where the lithotripsy penetrated, was right around my ribcage area on my right front side. I was wondering if you have found that anyone has complained about ribs being damaged from it? The same area where the lithotipsy was pointed is where my rib seems to bother me. Its very hard to explain but just was wondering. I don't recall doing anything stressful to my ribcage area to cause me to have discomfort.

Thank you,
I had it done about 4 months ago on my utereral and my rib hurt sometimes and kind pops lol
i dont know why
unless it was the lipo

I just don't know if it was possible to make the bone more brittle. I suppose I could get a bone scan to see if the ribs in that area seem different then the rest. Is there a doctor knowledgeable in this area that could answer my question?

I just don't know if it was possible to make the bone more brittle. I suppose I could get a bone scan to see if the ribs in that area seem different then the rest. Is there a doctor knowledgeable in this area that could answer my question?that i dont know about a doctor
however guess it depends on age and your calcium intake for the bones
however some calcium causes stones.i guess if it is not one thing it seems to be another