How long do kidney stones take to pass?

bananarama · 05-01-2007, 02:15 PM

Hi! I am 20 years old. I just had my gallbladder out 4 weeks ago, and there were no stones there. I had a CT scan done in December and it showed kidney stones, but they didn't do anything about htem. Well, On Saturday I go these severe pelvic pains, on the right side. I went to ER. They did an ultrasound and bloodwork, and put in a catheter. they gave me some pain meds and sent me home, diagnosing me with acute pelvic pain. Well, I got home, and the pain started shooting up my side. I decided to wait it out, take the pain meds, and try and deal. It didn't help. I went back to ER on Sunday. They did a CT scan, and it showed that a lot of my kidney stones had passed (possibly the reason for hte pain?). Well, now I am on Percoset, Temedol (sp?), Phenergan, and Bactrim. I think 2 are for pain, 1 is for nausea, and 1 is an antiobiotic. Well, now my question is, how am I going to know when I pass the stone(s) I didn't know I was passing them before, but now there isn't any pain, because I am on lots of pain killers. The pain was excrutiating before, but htey finally gave me meds that work, so that is good, but I just don't know that I will know when it is going to be good to get off of the meds and not worry about the pain coming back. It was horrible.

adamace1 · 05-01-2007, 02:23 PM

I passed mine without knowing that they came out of me. But i was told most men know when it comes out. I don't think it's the same for women. so the pain stoping might be the only way you know you passed it.

It took 7-10 days for mine to pass. could take 1 hour-weeks for the average person. Some times the stones are to big to pass.

bananarama · 05-01-2007, 03:48 PM

Thanks. So, I guess the only way to know then is just wait and not take the pain meds for a bit until the pain comes back. Doesn't sound like fun, but I don't want to get hooked on the pain meds, so I am willing to do anything not to.

Linda_in_NJ · 05-01-2007, 04:15 PM

Some doctors like you to strain your urine. That is when you go to the bathroom, they have a strainer with a white cloth in it, so the urine goes thru but any gravel or stones stay in the strainer. Good Luck.
PS You might also have some minor bleeding when passing stones so you can look for that.

bananarama · 05-01-2007, 05:07 PM

Thanks. Good idea. They didn't mention straining my urine, but it does seem like a more practical way to see whether or not I passed it than just going off the pain meds and testing it that way.