Re: Kidney stone

[Guest guest]

OUCH!!! I feel your pain brother....... Boy do i ever......... I was the

reciepiant of kindey stones 2 different times. the only thing that helped

was the demoral, toradol, and phenergran. i got them both within about a 6

month period... the second time was worse than the first..... both times i

passed pinky finger nail size stones.... god were they huge....

and what made the ER staff worried with me is i suffer from apnea too so

with all the meds on board they have to watch me, but they didnt want to not

leave me hanging in pain either... but hey i feel your pain and will tell

you that if you have them again you definately got my deepest symponthy and

ill hope ya pass them quickly..... cause them buggar hurt like the

dickens....

good luck, and take care...

randy

emt@...

[texasems-L] Kidney stone

> Howdy all!

>

> Learned something new yesterday (Christmas day) on duty. I learned what a

> kidney stone feels like first hand. I write this because I want to set to

> rest the following thoughts I have heard expressed/had myself:

>

> 1> The pain isn't so bad. WRONG. There is NO way to describe the pain.

> 10/10 doesn't come close. Read my story, you will come to undertand.

>

> I was sitting in a chair relaxing after a one hour nap (we had a quiet

> x-mas) when I began feeling like I needed to have a BM. Then I realized my

> mouth was quite dry, so I went to get a drink. While getting the drink I

> decided I needed to get to the bathroom NOW. I got into the bathroom, got

> cold, sweaty, and nauseous. The pain was " cramp like " in my right flank

> midway between my ribs and pelvis. Needless to say I couldn't go to the

> bathroom. I got up, put my pants back on and walked into the ER. I stopped

> at the nurse's desk and asked Mr. Redman (the PA) " What does a kidney

stone

> feel like " . The RN asked, " Are you okay? " I said, " No. " (this is what got

me

> concerned, I was asked if I was okay).

>

> At this point I was described as " pale, diaphoretic, agitated " . I was also

> nauseous. One of my co-workers helped me to the bathroom. It made me sick

to

> my stomach to walk. In the bathroom I knelt on the floor trying to vomit

and

> couldn't. After a couple of minutes (which felt like hours as the pain had

> become " knife like " at about 8/10, " coming in waves " ) I was helped out of

> the bathroom to a bed. I got undressed, which took one helper and 5

minutes.

> An IV was started. (took two attempts because I COULDN'T hold still. I was

> literally " writhing " in pain. The pain had become 10/10 at that point) I

was

> given 30 mg Toradol IV. At this point I should note that 1 T-3 (Tylenol

with

> Codeine) usually puts me to sleep for 8 hours.

>

> No pain relief was experienced with the Toradol. After several more

minutes

> of pain, I finally relented and let them give me Morphine. (I don't like

> taking medications, especially narcotics) They started at 2 mg Morpine IV.

> No pain relief.

>

> 2> Morphine will relieve pain. WRONG. It makes you feel like you are

packed

> in cotton. The pain is still there, it just doesn't bother you as much. I

> was still unable to sit still. I just COULDN'T find a comfortable

position.

>

> 3> Morphine gives you hot flashes. CORRECT. It felt like my heart was

> suddenly hot, then so was the rest of me. VERY strange feeling.

>

> 4> Morphine gives you a dry mouth. CORRECT. No way to describe how dry my

> mouth got.

>

> After 1000 cc NS IV I was able to provide a urine sample, which was

positive

> for blood (25. normal is 0-3). I was moved to a wheelchair. The pain had

> risen to a 10/10 with the Morphine not even " dulling " it anymore. I was

> given 4 mg Morphine IV. I got nauseous again and did a first for me. I

> requested medication. I asked for Phenergan. 12.5 mg Phenergan IV later

the

> nausea was gone. (as a note, this nausea could have been due to pain or

the

> Morphine, so be prepared for your patient to complain of this)I was moved

to

> radiology for the IVP.

>

> IVP apparently stands for " Intravenous Pain " . First thing you should all

be

> aware of is that if the patient is allergic to Iodine getting the dye is a

> " Very Bad Thing " . The second thing you should be aware of is that the dye

> feels like someone is putting a hot poker into your arm (at least it did

for

> me). The third thing you should be aware of is that it makes the kidney

> stone pain WORSE. My pain shot to a 12/10, " knife like " , radiating to my

> right testicle. The only way to describe the pain in my testicle is " like

> someone was squeezing quite hard, and twisting simultaneously " . (I will

now

> pause for all of the men to say, " Ow " ) I was given another 4 mg Morphine

IV.

> This again did nothing to help the pain.

>

> During the final 2 x-ray's, the pain suddenly subsided. The kidney stone

had

> moved from my ureter into my bladder (thank you god). The pain dropped to

a

> " nagging " 2/10. Things improved from there. Before you can leave x-ray,

you

> have to give them a urine sample, and they take a last x-ray (this is to

> make sure you are voiding the dye). The urine sample took awhile to

provide.

> This is because I was having difficulty standing (10 mg Morphine on board,

> go figure). I also simply couldn't urinate. Moving from standing to laying

> on the x-ray table was also quite uncomfortable. Before the final x-ray, I

> was given 1 mg Morphine because I said, " Ow " when I laid down on the

table.

> (a co-worker was in charge of the MS at this point, and was trying to keep

> me comfortable) My x-rays showed only that my ureter was " straight and

> dilated " . I apparently passed the stone between x-ray's.

>

> I was returned to the ER, given a second 1000 cc NS IV bolus, prescribed

> Percocet, and sent home with a urine strainer.

>

> 5> After the stone passes the pain goes away. WRONG. The pain stops being

> " knife like " . I still hurt. The closest I can get to describing the pain

is

> " like I have been hit in the kidneys a couple of times " . Moving around

> increases my pain. I have spent most of the day asleep (thank you

percocet).

>

> I am writing this because I have never felt pain such as this before. I

> thought if I shared this story with you it would allow you greater empathy

> for your patients. I hope it helps you to understand what a kidney stone

is

> like.

>

>

> Happy and Safe New Year all,

> Webb

>

> PS: If I offended anyone with this story, I apologize. But I truly felt

this

> story to be EMS related as we deal with patients having kidney stones.

>

> ______________________________________________________

>

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