Hi, I am very glad to be back here and I was just wondering how many women have had kidney stones. I see alot of posts about this.
I am so tired of having stones. It gets old.
I have had at least 4 or 5 Lithotripsies maybe more. I lost count to be honest.
Think the last one was two yrs ago but I have passed I think sand, and 2 or 3 stones since then. Maybe some I was unaware of.
I once had a uro doctor tell me I didn't have any stones in my kidney and I ended up going to Cleveland Clinic because of bleeding and pain. I had 3 dud.
I passed one on the way there. They broke them up and asked why didn't you have this done where you live. I just said I have no idea. lol but the doctor said I didnt have any stones. My uro doctor there just was surprised that doctor didn't find them. I was very glad to get those out. They were 8mm and I can't remember how big the other one was.
Have any of you had lithotripsy and not all the pieces come out til a year or more later? I am asking because I think that has happend to me.
I am glad that there are others here to share with although I was none of us had to be dealing with kidney stones and other health issues.
Seems like most of us on this board are female. Ironically one of my tales of wow is that one of the best doctors in NY may be able to help me but I can't get in the front door - the reception refuses to admit that women can get stones!!!
I am lucky in that I actually found a female uro! She is wonderful and has been watching me closely since I have been putting off getting my stones out. I have an 8mm stone in my left kidney that has not moved yet but I have a feeling that I am going to have to get that sucker out soon before I get into trouble because she says I will not be able to pass it. I too am amazed that there are so many women on this site that have stones. They are alot more common that people think.
2plus,
You still have trouble getting in to see them? grrrrrrrr I really wish I could send my doc up to you..She is awesome and I know she could help...
Hi, Are you serious. That is crazy huh. I used to think when you read the information it sounds like not many women get stones but I think that is changing. They need to let you in to see the doctor!
2plus, That is wonderful you found a good uro doctor and she is female. I hope you can get your stone blasted soon. I had a 10 mm stone a few yrs back and it about killed me. I knew I had a stone and thought oh I will pass it. Wrong.
I had to go to the ER the next morning. I was so sick. I hope you will take care of that before it gets that bad.
I wish we had more uro doctors in my area. We have 3. The one I go to is one that replaced my old one. Thank God for that. Seriously, my old one I had gotten when I was in the hospital once and he told me I didn't have those 3 stones and I went to Cleveland Clinic with them. Geez what a mess that whole thing was. But I was very thankful they took care of it. Then I came back home and went to him one more time and he retired. I like my uro doctor now and he is good I think but sometimes I wish he would try to do more follow up.
He has me on meds and potassium but he just keeps it that way.
Sometimes I think he needs to regulate it more. I will talk to him next time I go in but I try to not have to go often if I can help it.
I sure hope you get your stone taken care of soon. Does Lithotripsy bother you much. They have improved it so much since my first one in 90. It is nice to have others that understand here. If you haven't ever had a stone you have no idea what it is like. My family tries to understand but at times they just don't. They think you will kind of get over it. Then there are all the xays ect and that can get frustrating when nothing shows up but you have symptoms. That is what I am going thu right now.
Hi, I think you are right we do get ignored. Wow you mean because of stones they had to remove your kidney. Did you have large ones or just alot to have to have that happen. I am sorry !!! I have often wondered if Lithotripsy and having stones effects your kidneys. Thank you.
I have had kidney stones since 98 and have had at least 10 lithotripsys, 1 surgery throught the back, and 1 uretscopy.
I got lucky w/ my male uro as he has never treated me like a woman should not get kidney stones. Sometimes it's weird in the waiting room when most of the other patients are men & they look at me like "what's she doing here?".
I had 3 procedures this summer and the stone has broken up some but I still have about a 6mm stone in the left kidney w/ some pieces and a small stone in the right. Now we are going to wait a year unless I feel I need to see him again.
You should see if you can get a referral to a nephrologist who specializes in just kidneys as they can work at trying to find out why you make stones and suggest changes of diet and for me put me on a drug regimen (Urocit-K and hctz) to try a reduce stones from forming or getting biggers. So far I keep making so I'm going to ask next month if I could possibly have a thyroid disorder causing me to make stones.
Hi, thank you. Wow you have been thu alot too. You have had a few more lithotripsies than I have. I have had I think 4. I would have to look it up. Lol
I thought about seeing a nephrologist. My uro doctor has been good to me thu.
I have to admit. He cares alot. He said when they are as small as mine are now not much you can do but pass them. I used to have larger ones but since I have been on Poassium Chloride and Urocit-K ( 5 pills a day ) plus a duerutic . think it has helped slow them down. Just wish they would stop.
I had a thyroid test and they said that it didnt look like a cause.
I do have a Renal Calcium leak. Thank you so much. I am sorry you are having all these stones. I usually go about 2 yrs without trouble now but It used to be every year.
Hope you can get some help.
I have been having kidney stone since I was 14 and I am now 40, they just seem to come faster and faster. I have had lithotripsy about 15 times as well as multiple other proceedures. As a matter of fact, I had Lithotripsy last Dec and then I was addmitted twice this year and had another outpatient lithotripsy just this past may.
To say that I am sick and tired of Kidney stone would be a huge understatment.
I have just found that there is information about kidney stones being related to IBS. Generally, from what I have read, the theory is that if you have IBS with constant diarrhea you are also constatly dehydrated, leading to low functioning kidneys.
Anyone out there have both IBS and Kidney stones?
Hi, I am so sorry you have had to go through all this with stones since you were 14. I didn't have my first one that early. You asked about IBS. I have IBS but am consipated more than anything. I think sometimes with IBS your system doesn't function right and I can see how it would cause stones.
Thank you.
( this didn't want to load the first time. Sorry for the repeat post below)
Hi, I have IBS but with C. Not sure if tha make a difference with stones or not but I can see how it would with IBS D.
Hard to know huh. I think that with stones there can be so much going on with your system that if it isn't just working right or you have the slightest imbalace it causes stones. I have to much calcium in my urine and it is a renal calcium leak. They used to say don't eat calcium and now they say do and not eat alot of oxalate. Who knows . LOL.
I also have IBS with constipation. I've had kidney stones off and on since I was 20. I'm now 57. I had a Lithotripsy 2 months ago. I've been drinking more water than I ever have before b/c I don't want to go through this again anytime soon. The Lithotripsy cost over $20,000. I couldn't believe it when I found out. Thankfully, I had already met the deductible and the hospital was contracted with our insurance, so I only had to pay a little over $1,000. It's just insane though that Drs. and hospitals can charge so much for a non-invasive procedure or "surgery" as they call it.
Hi, I am 49 and I have noticed lately the older I am getting instead of every other year I am getting stones about every month. Small ones but still....
WOW where did you get lithotripsy done....
My last one was 9,000 at a local hospital here about 2 yrs ago.
That had gone up alot.
Then at Cleveland Clinic I had one done there and they broke up 2 stones.
It was a huge machine, it was 13,000.
I remember when it uesd to cost about 2,000 to 3,000 to have lithotripsy done. you are right it is crazy.
Thank you for answering my question and I hope you feel better.
My stones had taken up the entire collection system, my right kidney had no function.
I had absolutely no symptoms. I was getting an MRI for peptic ulcers when the stones were discovered.
I had open surgery. Now I take 40 meqs. of potassium citrate per day...for life.They were calcium phosphate mixed stones. So i suffered some bone mineral density loss too. My calcium simply didnt know where to go..due to the hypocitraturia...low citric acid levels.
My Lithotripsy was in San Diego. I think it's a new machine. I wish I knew ahead of time how much it was going to cost. When I see my Urologist in a few months, I'm going to speak to him about it. I'd just as soon he use the other Lithotripsy machine next time. I wish there wouldn't be a next time!!!
Wow. Bless your heart. I am so sorry you had to go thu this. I hope that you can get better. What about fruit and Veggies?
I will keep you in my thoughts.
She is wonderful and has been watching me closely since I have been putting off getting my stones out. I have an 8mm stone in my left kidney that has not moved yet but I have a feeling that I am going to have to get that sucker out soon before I get into trouble because she says I will not be able to pass it. I too am amazed that there are so many women on this site that have stones. They are alot more common that people think.
Re: How many females have had kidney stones 
