Blog Post

How painful is it to pass a Kidney Stone?

  • By Peter Sanders
  • •
  • 18 Jun, 2017
  • •

Find out how painful it is to pass a Kidney Stone...

"I was asked by a donor yesterday what is the pain like when passing a kidney stone.


I could only repeat what Margaret had told me.


Margaret would have a sharp spasm of excruciating pain with no warning at all. She could be shopping, walking, or in the home doing house work when it started.


The pain would be so great that movement was just not possible and at times the pain was so unbearable that Margaret would pass out. If Margaret had her hand bag with her then she could take the pain killers in her hand bag and the pain killers would deaden the pain a little and make movement slightly easier.  If her pain killers were not nearby then all Margaret could do was wait for the pain to reduce so that movement became possible. Then she could slowly move to where the pain killers were kept and take them.


Once, Margaret rushed into her garden to bring her washing in because it had started to rain. The next thing she knew she was coming too, lying on her path and absolutely soaked to the skin. Margaret managed to slowly crawl inside to take her pain killers and then she had to wait until the pain became bearable so that she could change into dry clothes.


Margaret had a very kind and understanding Doctor. He had explained "patients will always pass out when the pain becomes unbearable and this generally happens when a patient starts to pass either a kidney stone or a gall stone or if the patient was having a heart attack". Margaret had been reassured by this.


Margaret once described pressing her side so hard that it hurt, just to try and distract her mind from the sharp spasm of excruciating pain she was feeling.


At the back of Margaret's mind was the worry, what if she became immune to the effects of the various pain relief drugs she was taking, especially if she developed cancer. Sadly Margaret did develop a wide spread cancer and in the early days of being terminally ill she still tried to go as long as possible before taking her next pain relief.

Drinking Water

By Peter Sanders • 24 Oct, 2021
Last week a number of sufferers asked if it was ok to still drink what the like as well as the water or in place of the water? 

Please remember those drinks you like might have been contributing to your present stone but water will not add to your stone but help in flushing out your kidneys 

Please Support this Research

By Peter Sanders • 22 Aug, 2019

Kidney stone sufferers have told Beat Kidney Stones to raise money to fund the NICE recommended research into finding the fastest effective administration of first stage pain relief.

Pain relief is uppermost in all sufferers minds because they all experience extreme levels of pain. Pain cannot be measured but to lose consciousness is a good indicator of seriousness and nearly all sufferers will lose consciousness at least once during the first slight movement of a stone.

If you would like to help then please use the donate button or contact the Charity directly.

Be prepared

By Peter Sanders • 17 Feb, 2019

For family and friends of a sufferer; be prepared for your sufferer to suddenly collapse or to suddenly stop moving mid movement. They will not talk because that makes the pain worse. Do not move them and just keep them warm and safe. Very soon they will talk and give you instructions, like, get my pills!

Acute Pain

By Peter Sanders • 03 Feb, 2019

Acute pain is experienced by all sufferers and Beat Kidney Stones is now raising money to support the following research recommended by NICE: 

“What is the most clinically and cost effective route of administration for non-steroidal anti inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in the management of acute pain thought to be due to renal or ureteric stones?”

The routes of administration for NSAIDs are: intravenous, intramuscular, oral or rectal.

Acute pain is bad enough but if the administration of NSAIDs by one particular route causes a quicker reduction in the pain then that needs to be known about and published for all to act upon.

This Charity intends to support all of the 5 research recommendations made in the NICE Guideline published on the 8-1-19. If any of the other research proposals is your preferred choice for support and you tell the Charity which it is, then the Charity will allocate your donations accordingly.





 

If you are a sufferer of kidney stones?

By Peter Sanders • 12 Dec, 2018
To all who have had a kidney stone, it is so easy to gradually ease off the diet, the exercise and especially reduce the amount of water you drink to get a good night's sleep. This Charity would urge that you keep at it. Even years later and thinking why bother, remember the pain !  

To all new visitors to this web site 

By Peter Sanders • 08 Nov, 2018
This Charity was formed to help sufferers of kidney stones who experience so much pain that it causes them to lose consciousness. No treatment exists to stop a stone forming or to stop another stone being created. 
A no risk or a no pain stone removal exists either!

The Charity will champion two research areas 

By Peter Sanders • 07 Nov, 2018
The Trustees had a difficult choice because all 5 areas of research listed in the NICE draft guideline had merit and would benefit kidney stone sufferers. However after a long discussion they decided to champion in the first instance:
Preventative treatment following shockwave lithotripsy and Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs - route of admission.

NICE Consultative Guideline

By Peter Sanders • 17 May, 2018

This Consultative Guideline's title is Renal & Ureteric Stones: Assessment & Management. 

It would seem it is about the sufferers pathway through Hospital. The steps and time taken to diagnose, treatment options, accessibility of treatment, possible sufferer transfer out of area for treatments, actual treatments, success of treatments and long term condition of the sufferer after treatments.    

If you think I have missed anything then please email me at Peter@beatkidneystones.co.uk

Thank you to Tetractys Partners LLP

By Peter Sanders • 12 Mar, 2018
Beat Kidney Stones would like to say a massive thank you to "Tetractys Partners LLP" a boutique compliance and governance consultancy who donated a Laptop and then a General Data Protection Regulation briefing to the Charity. 

Anecdotal Treatments

By Peter Sanders • 29 Jan, 2018
When Margaret was feeling low due to the inevitability of having to pass yet another kidney stone she would trawl the internet looking for advice, support and help.

Nevertheless very little was out there. Sadly only anecdotal treatments were found and those were not based on scientific facts but science fiction or folk lore.

This was another reason why Beat Kidney Stones was formed.  
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