ILiveInFlipFlops Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 I have a 6 mm x 3 mm stone stuck in the lower half of my left ureter :( I'm not in pain today, but yesterday was no picnic. The urologist at the ER gave me 30 days of Flomax and a few Percocet (and ibuprofen) and told me to hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. From what I read, Flomax is best for stones under 5 mm, so I'm wondering how effective it will be on my stone. If you've used it (or someone you know has), was it successful? Were the side effects dramatic? I'm a bit worried about the fainting/dizziness I've read about. Any other experience to share? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 It can improve your chances of passing a stone. It can lower blood pressure. Don't leap up until you know you are tolerating it, and I wouldn't go out in the 110 heat and dig the garden. Drink plenty but not just plain water. You can lower your sodium level by drinking too much water. When I had UTIs and no money for the doc, I'd alternate a glass of water with a glass of Knorr's veggie broth. Every time I went to the BR, I'd drink another glass. HTH, best of luck. Oh, and don't let that percoset get you constipated. Be quick with the MOM the moment you are 'late' for your next BM. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILiveInFlipFlops Posted August 18, 2012 Author Share Posted August 18, 2012 It can improve your chances of passing a stone.It can lower blood pressure. Don't leap up until you know you are tolerating it, and I wouldn't go out in the 110 heat and dig the garden. Drink plenty but not just plain water. You can lower your sodium level by drinking too much water. When I had UTIs and no money for the doc, I'd alternate a glass of water with a glass of Knorr's veggie broth. Every time I went to the BR, I'd drink another glass. HTH, best of luck. Oh, and don't let that percoset get you constipated. Be quick with the MOM the moment you are 'late' for your next BM. :grouphug: Thanks for the helpful tips, KM. I didn't know that. I only really like water, so I'll have to figure out how to get some sodium in me otherwise. Does it help if I eat salty things instead? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 Thanks for the helpful tips, KM. I didn't know that. I only really like water, so I'll have to figure out how to get some sodium in me otherwise. Does it help if I eat salty things instead? Yes. I had an attending who sang the praises of chicken noodle soup. He had it all broken down by nutrient. It was, :lol:, a Jewish medical school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILiveInFlipFlops Posted August 18, 2012 Author Share Posted August 18, 2012 Yes. I had an attending who sang the praises of chicken noodle soup. He had it all broken down by nutrient. It was, :lol:, a Jewish medical school. Oh oh oh!!!! I have a big pot of chicken broth on my counter, and I've been wondering what I should do with it, because chicken soup hasn't been popular here lately. Now I know! Personally, I'm always in the mood for chicken soup. So now it's allllll miiiine :lol: Thank you again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MsFrizz Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 (edited) Yep! Had a 6mm stone and Flomax worked!I had no side effects but let me tell you getting the stone into my bladder was a bugger and passing it out hurt too but only for a second! EAT LOTS OF WATERMELON! Good luck and God bless you!:( Edited August 18, 2012 by MsFrizz added more Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILiveInFlipFlops Posted August 19, 2012 Author Share Posted August 19, 2012 Yep! Had a 6mm stone and Flomax worked!I had no side effects but let me tell you getting the stone into my bladder was a bugger and passing it out hurt too but only for a second! EAT LOTS OF WATERMELON! Good luck and God bless you!:( :lol: Why the watermelon? (I hate watermelon, so I'm hoping there's something else I can substitute!) Thanks for the reassurance. No progress today, so I'll try again tomorrow, I guess! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 :lol: Why the watermelon? (I hate watermelon, so I'm hoping there's something else I can substitute!) Thanks for the reassurance. No progress today, so I'll try again tomorrow, I guess! AS my mother used to say: Watermelon if full of Vitamin Pee. (You are weird. Who doesn't like watermelon?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILiveInFlipFlops Posted August 19, 2012 Author Share Posted August 19, 2012 AS my mother used to say: Watermelon if full of Vitamin Pee. (You are weird. Who doesn't like watermelon?) :lol: Why is that? Is it just the water content, or is there some other element? Three out of four of us hate it. I hate all melons--just the smell, ugh. I'd eat my weight in watermelon if it would help me shake this stone out though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 :lol: Why is that? Is it just the water content, or is there some other element? I think it is the water. I remember being a big enough girl to get in on the 8 pm treat and pip-spitting fight. When we were too young, we were banned for fear of night time accidents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LizzyBee Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 I'm sorry to say that my dd was on Flomax and finally had to have surgery to remove her first stone. I'm not sure how big it was, though. On the bright side, she had 8 stones in her kidneys besides the one that was stuck in a ureter, but that first one is the only one so far that wouldn't pass. Dd's urologist told her to avoid tea and dark sodas because they cause stones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeacefulChaos Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 I have a 6 mm x 3 mm stone stuck in the lower half of my left ureter :( I'm not in pain today, but yesterday was no picnic. The urologist at the ER gave me 30 days of Flomax and a few Percocet (and ibuprofen) and told me to hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. From what I read, Flomax is best for stones under 5 mm, so I'm wondering how effective it will be on my stone. If you've used it (or someone you know has), was it successful? Were the side effects dramatic? I'm a bit worried about the fainting/dizziness I've read about. Any other experience to share? I took it for...7 days maybe? The beginning of June. I have had regular kidney stones since 2003 and at any given time have a handful of small ones in each kidney. This was the first time I was put on Flomax and it was also the first stone that they said would most likely be too big to pass (and I could tell! Usually I start hurting and can take a percocet and sleep it off pretty easily, but I literally took one, got sick, took another, barely slept all night, felt not too hot the next day, didn't sleep THAT entire night, until we finally went to the ER - on the morning of the last day of our family vacation. :glare: They had to dope me up big time to get me anywhere near being able to ride home in a van for 2 days!) - I ended up having no luck with the Flomax. I will say, though, that it made it a lot easier to pee. :D :lol: I had to have lithotripsy July 18 to get it taken care of. Hopefully I won't have to do that again, I really hate medical bills... :lol: Why the watermelon? (I hate watermelon, so I'm hoping there's something else I can substitute!) Thanks for the reassurance. No progress today, so I'll try again tomorrow, I guess! I hate watermelon too!!! So does DH. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swimtaxi234 Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 I have had several bouts with kidney stones and something I didn't see addressed in the previous posts is the nausea problem and/or meds for it. Since I tend to vomit with every pulse of pain (sort of like labor pains), the RX meds I have on hand can't offer me any relief since I just throw them up. That also applies to the RX meds for pain. I can only get relief from the nausea and pain with IV meds until it is over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILiveInFlipFlops Posted August 19, 2012 Author Share Posted August 19, 2012 I have had several bouts with kidney stones and something I didn't see addressed in the previous posts is the nausea problem and/or meds for it. Since I tend to vomit with every pulse of pain (sort of like labor pains), the RX meds I have on hand can't offer me any relief since I just throw them up. That also applies to the RX meds for pain. I can only get relief from the nausea and pain with IV meds until it is over. Yeah, this was my third time with kidney stone pain, and my first with nausea/vomiting. That's some unfairness right there. I can take one or the other, but not both at the same time! I was so dehydrated that they had a hard time getting a vein at the hospital. I'll remember about the vomiting vs. keeping pain meds down if/when the time comes to actually pass the stone. Thankfully, believe it or not, I don't find the pain that unbearable. I really only went to the hospital this time because I could feel that the stone was stuck based on where the pain had radiated to and what it had evolved to. I'll keep on being grateful for that small mercy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pitterpatter Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 My only advice would be to get to an ER asap, if you spike a fever! We just went through this with my mom. Didn't know a urethral tube was blocked by a kidney stone. Didn't even know she had kidney stones. Wound up with a nasty UTI that turned into septicemia! She was on Flomax after she got out of the hospital and before they remove her stones. She was unable to pass them. Having said that, the procedure they used to remove them wasn't bad. The worst was the temporary urethral stent they put in after removal. It aggravates the bladder and my mom didn't enjoy the sensation, but they can provide you meds for that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeacefulChaos Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 I have had several bouts with kidney stones and something I didn't see addressed in the previous posts is the nausea problem and/or meds for it. Since I tend to vomit with every pulse of pain (sort of like labor pains), the RX meds I have on hand can't offer me any relief since I just throw them up. That also applies to the RX meds for pain. I can only get relief from the nausea and pain with IV meds until it is over. Yeah, the nausea can be horrific. Usually mine is only bad if I let the pain get bad, though. (Except that last one, which was stuck. :) ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audrey Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 No advice, just wanted to say you have my sympathies. I hope your stone passes soon and with as little pain as possible. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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