What is a stent?
Ureteral stents are soft, hollow, plastic tubes placed temporarily into the ureter to allow drainage around a stone or to speed healing after a stone surgery
When are they needed?
Stents are used for various reasons in patients with kidney stones. They may be placed in patients to help reduce pain from a stone, when infection is present to allow drainage, or when a stone is preventing a kidney from working adequately. Stents are also commonly placed after surgeries for stones, as in ureteroscopy, to allow healing and prevent swelling of the ureter.
How is a stent placed?
Stents are placed during surgery by sliding them over a soft “guidewire” which is placed up the ureter, which is the tube draining the kidney. See a video below of a stent being placed.
How is a stent removed?
Stents can be removed in two different ways. Sometimes, a string is left attached to the end of the stent. This string is allowed to come out of the patient’s urethra, the tube where he or she urinates. The string can be used to pull on the stent and remove it. In cases where a string is not left attached, a small camera called a cystoscope is inserted into the patient’s urethra after numbing medication has usually been administered. The cystoscope is then advanced into the bladder and the stent is grasped with an instrument and removed. See our post on stent removal for a video and more details.
How long can a stent stay in?
In general, most stents should only remain in for no longer than 3 or so months. If a stent is left in too long, it can form stones directly on it, making removal difficult.
What are the symptoms of having a stent?
While some patients with stents have minimal discomfort related to them, other patients will report symptoms that can range from being annoying to being severe enough that the stent has to be removed. These symptoms can include:
- Sensation of needing to urinate
- Seeing blood in the urine
- Bladder spasms
- Burning sensation during urination
- Pain in the back during urination or when moving
- Pain in the bladder
Is there anything that can help reduce the discomfort of a stent?
Different medications may be given to help reduce the discomfort of a stent. The most effective appears to be those from the alpha blocker class of medications including tamsulosin (Flomax) and Alfuzosin (Uroxatral). Other types of medications commonly given for stent discomfort, such as oxybutynin (Ditropan) or phenazopyridine (Pyridium), do not appear to be successful at reducing stent related discomfort in placebo controlled studies. Traditional pain medications are also less successful at reducing stent discomfort.
Hasn’t anyone come up with a better stent?
Research into improving stent designs will hopefully reduce the discomfort associated with them. Innovative stent designs currently being tested include stents embedded with medications to reduce discomfort and stents that dissolve by themselves.
Similar story here. Stent placed and the pain is more excruciating than any of my stones passed. I am pregnant as well. Baby laying on stent and oh boy does it hurt!!! Stent to stay in for the rest of my pregnancy which is 3 months. It will need changed before then however. Will I have blood in my urine for as long as the Stent is in? Will I ever feel any relief from the flank pain and pain n sensitivity while urinating? It’s torture to ask me to go through this for 3 more months ugh! Someone please tell me it gets better!
OMG I cant even imagine being pregnet and going through this. My prayers are with you now and everyday. I know this sound cliche but try to stay strong and calm. Lots and Lots Of WATER.
God bless you and your baby.
This is a great site, good to know there are others. I just came home from a 3 day hospital stay to have a JJ stent placed in my right ureter. Unfortunately, with all the stones I’ve passed the pain is never flank, it’s testicle pain on whatever side is passing the stone. 1st morning home and urinating put me on the floor. The entire time it feels like a vise around the teste. It didn’t hurt this bad urinating at the hospital before discharge and the doc prescribed a limited amount of pain med. this is going to be torture.
The stent pain started about 6 hours afer outpatient surgery. Full blown muscle relaxers are the only remedy for me following a stent placement 10/19/12. I had a large, impacted kidney stone in my ureter removed by laser. I was sent home with pyridium 200 mg and oxybutynin 5 mg. I was told to take Tylenol and Advil intermittently. I did not complain of great pain at post-op, so no narcotics were given.
Surgeon’s assistant refused providing me with the muscle relaxers (or anything else over the phone….) and my regular doctor refuses to treat anything related to the stent. Only the RN from the hospital said warm baths and I asked about using heating pad. I was told if the pain continues I need to be reimaged at the ER, where I might get meds.
The pain is worse than all stones I ever passed combined! I feel like I have torture devices inside my body.
I guess I’m going to the ER now that I wrote this. Why should I suffer!?!
Dear Doctors,
I am scheduled to have shockwave surgery on Nov. 8th, my doctor mentioned a stint but did not go into any explination of it. After reading these horror stories about the pain they cause and having been living with this pain for 7 mos already waiting for this surgery, I dont think my nerves will be able to handle anymore extreme pain. Can the stint be removed right after surgery? Can the surgery be do without a stint being installed at all?
Thank you for this wonderful site and all your help
Yes, shockwave lithotripsy can be performed in some cases without a stent. The decision to put in a stent depends in part on the size of the stone. However it will ultimately be up to your treating urologist to make the decision based on his or her judgement. If a stent is placed, it is unlikely to be removed immediately because it needs to stay in place for a period of time to provide any benefits. These benefits include: insure optimal drainage of the kidney, promote healing and dilation of the ureter, prevent stone fragments from causing blockage.
My story is similar to several others on here.
I am now 40 but have had stones at 21yrs and 31 yrs,
now I have 3 in my left kidney,
2 of 9mm and the big brother is about 3cms….lucky ole me!
Well, I am going into hospital here in the south of France tomorrow to have the stent fitted and then get blasted with the sound waves on Tuesday, so I will post when I get back out to update with my experience!
Thanks to all for contributing. My story is a little different. I had a fistula (hole) develop in the lower ureter which then created it’s own pathway down and out through a weak spot in my vag 4 weeks post total hysterectomy. Wore diapers for a couple of days until I realized gushing was coming out the ureter, not just the vag, so it was a bladder issue. CT Scan confirmed the ureteral fistula and in went the stent. That was yesterday. It’s a success in that I have no more leaking, but the pain is great. Trying to find a good drug for the pain, but not one that makes me foggy-headed. I’d like to return to work. Plan for me is to get the stent out in 6 weeks. Great to know the pain and blood in the urine happens. I’ll see how long I can handle it. Thanks, friends! You are not alone, we’re on this trip together! Good Luck!!!
Very helpful site. 1.7cm stone left kidney above ureter.
Ureteroscopy was done Oct 1. Ya just gotta love Gen Anesthesia.
Peeing a lot? Yes. Red? Yes. Sonofabitch pain at first pee? Yes. Flank pain every void? Yes. Urgent visits to bathroom? Yes. Lots of stone crud coming out? No. Doc says debris can get caught around stent. But doing okay 3 days later. Pain meds help. Would like to see less red but I’m not quite there yet. Mine is ‘internal’ stent. Guess I’m alright with that. My doc has prescribed positional therapy. Lots of water, clapping on kidney, lots more water and 15 minutes movement. Anybody else doing these things?
Flank pain YES…….pain well peeing YES… had surgery 10/4 seeing doctor Tuesday stent painful no more stones coming out I have 4 more to go. How long shall I ahave the stent any ideas????
I started Hurting really bad @ wk Tuesday didn’t know what it was pain in my left side thought maybe if I went to bathroom that would help NOPE pain just got WORSE and WORSE! I’ve NEVER had Kidney Stones b4 so therefore I had NO CLUE as to what this pain was! I called my my Boyfriend to cm & get me ASAP & went straight to ED was in AWFUL pain by the time we got there and did NOT ease up until they gave me pain meds then did CT to see what was going on and found the 6mm stone I was having really bad Nausea and dry heaving and then throwing up couldn’t stop so they admitted me doc came in and was telling me it would be less exspensive (bc I had no insurance) to see if I culd pass it instead of having surgery I ask for the surgery bc I was n so much pain (& DON’T handle pain very well at all) he got “some” of the stone out but not allso put a stint in and I get it removed next Tuesday! I had surgery on Wed and went hm same day doc tried to tell me I culd go bk 2 wk Friday Pppshhh plz I was Still in so much pain just frm coughing and throwing up so much my ribs were soooo sore I FORCED myself 2 go bk 2 wk yesterday and today did 12hr shift today I feel sm what better but still blood n urine and burns when I pee 🙁 I couldn’t get my pain meds filled bc I have no insurance and couldn’t pay out of pocket for meds so I’m suffering I really truly hope I never get another Kidney Stone I THOGHT Child Birth hurt well this is right up that alley I tell ya!! WOW!!!
I had an operation on Thursday 20 sept and had stent put in since got out of hospital I have been in pain but not my back were I have stitches in but it’s my penis that’s really sore but when I pee there is still a lot of blood and it’s just wee dribs and drabs that come out but really sore is this natural please help
THE STENT WAS REMOVED TODAY AND I KEEP HAVING A THROBBING EFFECT IN MY PENIS. I HAVE TO PEE BUT A LITTLE COMES OUT. WHAT SHOULD I DO.
QUESTION: my string is gone.Do they break? What should I do? Had litho two days ago…It’ not there…can the post operative stent evacuate on it’s own?
Your possibilities are:
1) You had a stent with a string placed but the string either has unraveled and come out or has retracted back into the bladder.
-If this were the case, you should have initially seen a string hanging out your urethra. The string is pretty long so if it came out you should have noticed it.
-You will need to see your urologist to have your stent removed
2) You had a stent placed but without a string (the most common situation)
-If this were the case, you would never see a string
-You should have an appointment with your urologist to remove your stent
3) You did not have a stent placed
-You should however confirm this with your urologist as forgotten stents can lead to problems
Bottom line, check with your urologist to determine your situation.
I had a 7.5mm stone blasted with a laser last week. It was done under a spinal anaesthetic so I watched the whole procedure on a 26in widescreen. Similar to space invaders. After the stent placement it hurt like hell to urinate (severe back pain). I went to my Dr yesterday and had the stent removed with just a slight burning in the urerethra. After removal I was pain free. Today the I got a ureter spasm and ended up in ED on morphine. The pain was worse than the original kidney stone pain. Home again after four hours of pain management and you wouldn’t know I had a problem. The on call urologist told me I could expect these spasms for the next couple of weeks. I hope he is wrong.
hi there. i just got a kindney stone tues went to er they took a ct and the stone was 8 mm. so i was sent to the urology dr tue afternoon. from there i had a stent put in weds. they told me that i can go back to light to normal activity the next da. well it is the next day and i have pain when i pee and when i walk i go back to the dr fri and i need sonic wave treatment to help break up the stone but they can only do this on tuesdays… realy i cant be missing all this time off work. and hope i dont have spasms like you did when they take the stent out. good luck to you.
I have also had multiple kidney stones. After each was removed, the urologist placed a stent. Each time has been a different experience. This last time was the worst. When the stent was removed, there were already stones forming on it. I still feel the sensation that I have the stent even though it’s gone. Something is spasming!
Hi Liz, my mom just got a stent removed yesterday and the pictures showed that stones were forming on the stent, they had to send it to the lab. Dr put another stent but left the stinig out so my mom wont have to be out under ansthesia to remove it. How r you feeling? Today she started again with some pain, she also had an infection and taking antib. do you see a urologist or nephrologist? thanks and hope you get rid of those stones for good :-).
I am another patient with constant kidney stone syndrome!!!. Got my first stone at age 22 and then nothing until August of 2003. I went to our local urologist and after all the tests, they determined that I had a large enough stone that needed to be removed, they removed t and placed a stint in my ureter. A week later I went to have the stint removed, and it was a total disaster. Since I am a chronic stone maker, and didn’t want to go thrugh that experience again, I started looking abroad for a Urologist, and checked with my Insurance company about weather or not I would be covered. After re assurance from them I went to Germany(Nurnberg) and met my new Urologist. I have never been so happy with a Doctor in my life. They are at least 10-12 years ahead of us in this department, post surgery follow up are very informative and they keep you in hospital for 3-5 days. Stent is always removed the next day by DOCTOR himself, and when you leave the hospital you feel gret not to mention that it costs 1/6 of what I paid for here in Oklahoma back in 2003. I usualy stay in a hotel for a week after surgery and after a visit back to Doctors office to insure all is well I come home with a little or no discomfort at all. I just got back last Thursday, he performed stone removal( 18 all together) , and scar tissue removal from my left Ureter, due to my surgery here in 2003, and I stayed in hospital for 6 days. total cost was $6200.00, I stayed in a private room, with a nurse and a doctor on my side 24 hours a day. I hope I hope not to have anymore stones for a while, but when i do Germany will be my destination. No disrespect to our Dr. here in USA, but they are so advanced in this procedure that its crazy not to go there to have it done. Once you do that you will get my point. I hope someday soon they will find a cure for the crazy dreaded condition, but until then, do your research and find the least painfull way to deal with it.
Hamid Habibi,
Enid,
Ok, 73703
What hospital in Germany? and please give me all information on Doctor, Thank you.
My story is mostly the same, 14+ stones and I’m 34 so this started when I was 15. Have had one nightmare after another with stones and infection, my biggest thing is Doctors say stones high up in the kidney don’t cause pain, not true, If I didn’t have pain I never would have found out there was a stone there. They cause me pain even if there not blocking anything. I really hope I don’t get another Doctor who says this I know my body better than anyone.
I’m 36, my Dad has had stones since he was 21 he’s 69, got my first 32yr. Sometimes they make me bleed, on floor bent over in agony, something as small as a grain of sand, I was getting them every couple years, then 6 months, now every couple months, sometimes I have multiple stones, and they told me I also had 7 in left kidney and 9 in right in 2009. Today is Sept. 13, 2012 on last Wed. Right kidney started a stone, then Sat. night, left kidney pain in back and front, nausous, dizzy, lots of blood loss, every time I peed. Waited until Sunday morning went to E.R. waited couple hours, normally 5 hr. wait, pain went away, left went home, not charged $, then went in Tues. Sept. 11 they said infection, stone in left kidney up high blocking ureter, 6mm as big as a pencil eraser, and an even bigger one in left kidney, also you have a big one in right kidney, in 2009 I had a 4mm stone that wouldn’t pass into bladder, they knocked me out and pulled out stone. This time they put a stent in so I can pee, but I spent 2 hrs. on toilet in hospital room pee 4 drops stand and sit back down, spasms galore, I was discharged 2 hrs. back but couldn’t leave the room, “Can I have something to stop the spasms?” nurse said dr. didn’t prescribe you anything, here’s one Percocet, take antibiotics and hydro. bye. Still spasming, 2 days later worked 9 hr. shift today, peeing every 30 min. , called the Dr.’s nurse yesterday to tell her of dizzy, hot, spasms, that’s normal you just had surgery, you don’t have anastesia everyday, They can’t do lithotripsy til Sept. 24 and they will only blast 1 of 3 stones, we won’t worry about those now, the machine travels so it’s only at hospital mon. and fri. but it’s booked, so I have to suffer with this stent and work, no sick hours. Feels like a big stick stuck up there, feel sick, I will try to ask for something else, I bought Azo over the counter for spasms, the pharmacist said don’t take for more than 3 days, i wear a Poise pad, (bladder leakage protection when at work because i barely make it to pee.) my stones are made from calcium, doesn’t matter if a get a little or lot still make stones, other people say stay away from tea or dark pop, drink lemon juice, lemonade to help disolve calicium stones, or drink 6 cans of coke over a two hour period and drink pureed asparagus and then water, which sounds gross, since I’ve been drinking lemonade I don’t have stones that long the one from Wed. disappeared. Best of luck to everyone, it normally takes me 2 to 4 weeks to pass a stone, and once you get them or by heredity, unfortun. we’re stuck with them.
Hello Wendy, sounds like You and I have the same condition. According to my doctor in Germany, we lack an amino acid in our genetics, and there is nothing we can do to prevent the formation of stones.I have tried all herbal remedies, with very little or no luck at all. Removing them has been the best option, with no damage to our kidneys, ureter and urethra and bladder.
I am on Hydrocodone10-500, for pain. Toradol for anti inflammatory(spasms)also called Ketrolac, and Trimethoprim, anti biotic a mild one that works great with the symptoms of stint and UTI. I also take Tamsulosin.
Hope this information helps you and best of luck to you.
Hamid
in NJ they have the stone center. I was there my self about 3 years ago. They crushed my stones, and luckly havent had any more, but my poor mom has. Our family has a history of them.
Hi Everyone,
I stumbled across this web site, and am so glad I did! In May, I had percutaneous nephrolithotomy for a 2.5 cm stone, with neprhostomy tube for two days. There was an 8mm piece that fell further into the kidney and the doc couldn’t get it. It was a staghorn stone, no simple calcium stone for me… Last Tuesday, I developed bladder symptoms similar to a UTI, and aching in the left kidney area, CT scan showed the original left over stone had grown to 10mm, and there was a new stone 5mmx12mm, which had blocked the ureter, causing hydronephrosis. I had uretoscopic lithotripsy Friday with stent placement. The doc said he was able to get both stones, which is great. I’ve been feeling like a real wimp since Friday, as I’ve felt “beat up’ with a lot of pain in the kidney, and nearly constant bladder spasms, with some bleeding. It was so nice to read posts from other people to know this is not unusual! What a great web site!!! Hopefully, medicine will figure out a way to prevent future kidney stones pretty soon….
I’ve had kidney stones for several years.. I absolutely hate it!!!!!! I can honestly say this is the worst pain I’ve ever felt in my life!!!! I had lithotripsy surgery done about 2 years ago where they blasted the stone and put a stent in.. Had it removed a week later. Went back to the ER about 3 weeks ago.. Have kidney stones again. The one that I’m trying to pass is about 6mm.. Can’t have surgery until the 17th of September because the drs are so booked up. I’m guessing the kidney stone has caused a UTI because I had to go and get antibiotics for that.. Now both of my kidneys are hurting.. And my lower abdomen hurts.. I’m going to the urologist today for a urine culture.. I’m hoping and praying she will give me something that maybe can kill the infection before it gets worse or before I end up back in the ER.
hi i have been attending my hospital for nearly 2 years with problems peeing. My urologist didnt know my symptoms that i had after seeing him for a year. I had to ask him why i had not been for urine flow tests or camera tests. I had to wait 6 months before he told me i had a kidney stone which i already knew 4 years ago. He snt me to get it broke up with lithotrypsy but they couldnt see it when they went to do it. I waited another 4 months as they didnt get back to me to see what they would do next. I phoned and they gave me an appointment to see my urologist in 3 months time ,which i refused to wait that time as it was now well over a year since i had been reffered and got nowhere. I got an appointment within weeks after that and asked my urologist about the camera test and urine flow test, he said that my gp had put down in my refferal that i was having pains in my groin and pee still coming away from me after i finished peeing. My GP did write the propper things in my refferal. I was then sent to get the 6.00mm stone broke up with the laser through the penis but came out with a stent in and no kidney stone out. I was not even informed of this procedure and didnt sign a consent form for this procedure. I have been in constant pain with this stent which i was told would be in for 6 weeks. My testicle feels it is going to burst all the time , pain when peeing ,burning cant sit up for long with pain in my groin and side, peeing every 10 mins , just got to pee anywhere as i cant make it to the toilet with build up of pain. Hardly any pee comes out of me when this comes on me. I have been on the phone another 5 times to hospital telling them the pain i am in and my urologist hasnt phoned back.My GP hasnow phoned them and they say that my urologist has retired with early notice and nobody can take the stent out until end of september as there are only 2 urologist in the south west of scotland who can do it. It has now been in 10 weeks with severe pain now , I have contacted complaints department at hospital 3 times as well and they have not got back to me. Now i have contacted the scottish goverment for the problems i have had with the NHS and they contacted the complaints department. Within anhour i had someone from complaints eventually phone me back and within 3 days i have an operation arranged now for 2 days time. I dont know whats involved now but cant wait for this stent to come out. My partner says i have been a nightmare moaning about the pain i am in with this stent .HOPE I HAVENT BORED ANYONE WITH MY PROBLEMS WITH THIS AND THE NHS
OMG!!! You poor thing. I feel you. I do not live in scotland but it sounds like we are dealing with the same medical system. I am in the US. Unemployed, not by choice but because of medical problems. Here, if you don’t work you don’t have insurance, unless of course you can afford to pay for it, which I cannot. 7 mos. ago I went to the county (county is where you are supposed to go if you are low or no income without insurance) emergency room in extreme pain. They did a ct scan and found I had a huge stone in my right kidney and several small ones. Sent me home with a presciption for vicodin and Ibuprophen and a referal (so I thought) to see a urologist because my stone was too big to pass on my own. This was in April of this year. I applied online for the county medical insurance the same day and made a call to the county urologist to make an appointment. I was told I had to have a referal from my primary Dr. I told them I did not have a primary Dr. because I had no insurance, I explained that I had applied for the insurance but until it came through I could not see a primary Dr. They told me I still needed a referal before they could see me. I didnt know what to do as I had no money to see a regular Dr. I finally found a clinic in a city nearby that would see me for a low fee. I was able to get enough money to go to him. He faxed a request for my records the same day I saw him marked Urgent, which was now the middle of may. A week later he had still had no response from county, he could not send a referal without first getting some record of my diagnosis. He sent the request again and I got on the phone to request they send the records and find out why the had not sent them. After waiting on the phone for the better part of an hour they finally found the request, I was assured they would fax the records to the Dr. that day. In the meantime, I ran out of vicodin and was in excrusiating pain again. This time I went to my local hospital, as I didnt think I could make it to the county hospital. They did another ct scan and found the same thing. knocked me out with an injection when I was finally called in hours after I arrived and did another ct scan. The results were the same and the treatment was the same. They sent me home again with vicodin and Ibuprophin and told me to see a urologist. Another week passes and the Dr. at the clinic still had not received my medical records from county. I had to go to my local hospital and pick up my records from them and take them to the clinic myself. He sent the referal that day. It is now the first part of June. After waiting a week and not hearing from urology I called and inquired. They said they had not receive a referal. Here we go again, right? I had the Dr refax the referal again called to make sure they got it. When they finally found it, they said that now it would have to be scheduled for the Drs to review it and see if they would accept me. If so they would then send it to the nurses and I would be scheduled for an appointment. I had to wait to hear from them. Really???? So, I waited…and waited…Meantime I ran out of vicodin again, the dr at the clinic was not allowed to prescribe any narcotic drugs, go figure. So I went to the streets and found a man who would sell them for $2 each my boyfriend agreed to pay for them. By the end of June, after calling urology several times they finally gave me an appointment for August 9th…I was relieved, believe it or not but had no idea how I was going to survive the pain until then. My son decided to take out a bank loan so I could go see a urologist outside the county hospital. I called to make that appointment and was given the date of August 6th. On July 1st my relationship of 9 years ended. My boyfriend moved out. Turned out to be a good thing, as I am able to manage the pain much better being alone, without any outside stress, and not feeling responsible to do any housecleaning or cooking or laundry. But also not being able to afford the vicodin anymore. by mid July I was back in emergency. they didnt even take me to the back just gave me more vicodin and said see your urologist…I saw the first Urologist and although he was sympathetic and willing to do the surgery, even willing to wave his fee’s for doing the surgery, he said the hospital would still want to be paid in cash before the surgery was done and that would cost around 15 to 20 thousand dollars. He gave me more vicodin and Ibuprophin, charged me 500 dollars cash and sent me on my way. When I saw the urologist at county hospital he said that my stone was in a good place for the shockwave surgery and that is what he would recommend but unfortunatly until my insurance came through they would not schedule the surgery either. I told him I had applied but he said It had to be approved. He scheduled me for another ct scan, some blood work and of course gave me another script for both meds, told me to come back in a month. They would send me an appointment in the mail. I had all the labwork done and when I got my appointment it was for October 10. Unbelievable, right? I was on the phone everyday with the insurance people pushing them to get it approved. By this time The meds are eating my stomach up and I am nausous all the time. I had to stop taking the meds. I am drinking water by the gallons trying to keep this thing floating so it stops stabbing me and am only moving from my bed to a chair staying as absolutely still as I possibly can, counting the minutes till my next appointment and in the mail I get a rescheduled appointment notice for October 31st…I am literally at the end of my rope. I manage to get on the phone and told them point blank that I could not wait until the 31st I didnt think i would survive another day let alone another month. They moved it up to the 15th…On October the 8th I received my insurance card. I called that day to make an appointment to see my primary Dr. my appointment is for November 14th…Unreal, right? Am I right? Well I went to my urology appointment on Friday in a wheelchair. my appointment was for 2:45 they called me in at 4:45. The county hospital is a training hospital, so you never usually see a real Dr. only students at the end of their schooling, and never the same one twice. They see you then consult with the real Dr. somewhere out in the Hallville. This student was about to blow me off with more meds and scripts when I lost it. The tears started flowing, my emotions were right at the surface and she scratched it. Within minutes the real Dr. was in the room scheduling me for surgery. I did leave with more meds. Norco this time. and all my pre-op paperwork. I am scheduled for shockwave on Nov. 8th. Hope I make it till then. I guess the first Urologist had it right when he summed it up by telling me, “unfortunately people like you just fall through the cracks”. And it is sooo true people here are dieing everyday because we cannot get medical attention without insurance that we cannot get without working a job that even offers insurance and even when we do work at a job that offers insurance, if we get sick and cant work, we lose the insurance because we lose our incomes. So proud to be an ailling american. Sorry this was so long, and just think I havent even had my surgery yet.
Whew’ I feel a little better for having gotten that all off my chest though.
I totally understand I have a stent that has been in for 3 years now, DR. didnt tell me anything or give follow up. Had a ct scan done and they tell me the stent has calcified, and i need at least 3 sessions of lithotripsy before they can remove the stent I have been in severe pain day and night for going on 6 months. I am not looking forward to what is going to take place, I am just ready to be free of this pain that I never know when it will hit. Pain so bad it makes me double over and almost hit the floor. Good luck everyone I feel for you all.
I see this is place to share your pain. Here is my story. I had stone sitting in urethra. What pain it caused no need to describe. As usual this thing comes when expected the least, a week before going to two week trip to France. On atop of pain from kidney stone, comes guilt to my wife who planned this trip for a several month. Went to surgery on Tuesday. Felt miserable walking with stent wearing adult diapers, but this was the only solution. Surely being brave, flew to Paris on Friday. Dr. Suggested to keep stent a week, 10 days better, but accidentally pulled the string and end of the stent came out in a full glory. The most discomfort to enjoy museums in Paris. Pulled stent out on 5th day. How bad is that? Urine was clean and no debrie for lasered stone. How bad is that? What is the minimum the stent should stay in?
Yuriy
I had s kidney stone 7/13 and tried to pass it for several days, ER said it was 0.4mm, I later found out it was 0.4cm or 4mm.I have had about 15 of these over the years and I have passed up to 3.0mm okay. After four trips to the ER, we decided to go get it. Afterwards Dr. said he could remove the “internal” stent, re-scope me and blast other stones he saw in my kidney. This was the 1st time I heard of this capability, so I agreed and on 8/2 we did it. Now I have a stent with a string hanging out. The string is kind of sharp and it seems to cut and burn everytime it brushes against anything. Dr instructed me to remove it myself at home on 8/6. Has anyone else removed their own stent? What are we paying these guys for? I thought the Hippocratic oath swore Dr’s to heal and minimize pain? This is total BS! Now I need to find a drug dealer on the streets to knock me out…I am horrified at removing a 10″ tube from within my organs…should we be performing surgery on ourselves? Dr’s need to realize that placing this responsibility on the patient is bad business!
Leaving a string attached so that the patient can remove a stent themselves is usually done to spare the patient the discomfort of undergoing a cystoscopy procedure (where you doctor would need to place a camera into your urethra in order to retreive the stent from your bladder). Seen from that perspective, your doctor was probably looking out for your best interests. In patients who feel uncomfortable removing the stent themselves, most urology offices are happy to have you come in so that a nurse can pull the stent out for you. You might want to contact your urologist’s office if you would prefer that approach.
I can sympathize with you. I have been passing, on average, about two stones per year since I was 18 years old (now 43). I have had lithotripsy three times, and just had my 6th stone crushed and removed via the use of a cystoscope just two days ago. Out of all of these surgical removals, four of them required the placement of a stent due to the risk of swelling of the uterer. I have successfully removed the stent myself in all of the previous cases, and will again with this one. Here are some tips that I use to help ease the process.
1. Get yourself mentally prepared. It really is a case of “mind over matter”.
2. If your physician has prescribed pain medicine, make sure that you take it at least 30 minutes prior to removing the stent. This allows the medicine time to get into your system and begin to work.
3. I’ve found it best to lean against a wall with one hand, while grasping the external strings of the stent with the other.
4. Make sure that you have a good grasp of the strings. I normally wrap them around a couple of my fingers. You sure don’t want to lose your grip once you start pulling! As I said before, get mentally prepared. Psych yourself up, and know that you can do this, and it will be over in just a couple of seconds. Take a deep breath, and as you blow out, start pulling, using a firm steady pull. Once you start, don’t stop!
You will probably have some mild discomfort, and once I felt as though I was passing a stone again, but the symptoms and discomfort usually pass within a couple of minutes (the pain medication definitely helps out here too).
Well, I hope this helps you out (or anyone else that stumbles across this post for that matter) with your task at hand (sorry, no pun intended). Good luck!!
~Blessings~
I just got out of the hospital a week ago,had a stint put in cause of a kidney stone,and I only have one kidney,as I donated a kidney to my mom years ago.The need to go to the bathroom ALL the time is killing me!!!!!It does’nt get removed for 3 more weeks,don’t know how much more of this I can take!!!The urge is never ending!!!!!!HELP!
Ask your doctor for some good meds. I had the same feeling but was able to take hydrocodone when needed. I only had mine for a week though.
Just said a prayer for you. Good luck.
I am with Kelsey. The Pain is totally unlike anything I have every felt before ( I have migraines, clusters and have passed a stone previsously). I have stents on both sides. I had them placed 7/30/12. I had stones on both sides blocking my ureters and went into kidney failure suddenly, but other than the pain during urination and the initial discomfort the day after surgery, I only feel pain when I use the bathroom. I came back to work 2 days after being discharged from the hospital. ( I was admitted due to my kidney failure overnight) I am walking slow and I have fluid retention but that is it.
I feel your pain!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I’ve read a ton of ureteral stent horror stories. I just wanted to be a voice for those without major concerns. I have had my first stent in for just over 1 month. It was placed after a ureteroscopy. Bleeding stopped by day 3. Catheter removed on day 5. I was sore, certainly. But not every moment. And it eased with each passing day. I never had the sense of urgency – actually, given all the problems I’ve read about, if I don’t mention it here, then it didn’t happen.
I marked the calendar, and it was on day 16 that I felt relatively normal (no notice of stent under leisurely activity, with one exception. About 60% of the time that I void, perhaps more, I have a unique pain running all along the uretuler but focused on the kidney. I say “unique” because it is unlike any pain I have ever felt. I am not addressingthe level of pain with that remark. It was odd and painful. As the ureter is basically a muscle that “milks” the kidney, the pain was exactly what one would expect, I guess. It felt like a sucktioun to the kidney as ai went. It stopped once I finished, with a soreness afterwards that eased after about 10 minutes.
I have read that every stent can be a different experience, so my next might be trouble. But first-time patients needn’t “expect” a horrible experience.
I hope that helps.
I do have a question. I know a stent allows fluid to bypass debris to reach the bladder. But can a stone pass down the ureter while a stent is in place?
I have had a stent for 5 weeks and its making my life a misery, i have become mainly house bound. Almost constant stinging/burning sensation, needing to pee every 30 mins, and sometimes just not making it to the toilet. have now been given drugs called vesicare, only taken for 4 days and as of yet no improvement. i just dont know what to do, i havent been able to go to work as i dont know how i will manage if i cant get to a bathroom when i need…
Dear Tracy,
My heart bleeds for you. I had ureteroscopy with laser lithotripsy on Thurs 7/26/12, had a stent put in, was in agony. I never got off the toilet for three days straight . I think I fell asleep on the toilet. And mind you, no urine was coming out all those times. I thought that I would definitely have a proplapsed bladder after that. I was popping Vesicare, Tramadol, Uribel, like it was candy My husband had to give me a couple of klonazepam for anxiety. NOTHING HELPED. Finally, my doctor said to cme in and he would take out the stent. Why is your stent in so long?
.
Oh gosh, after reading many of these messages, I realize how bad I’ve had it! Until yesterday, my stent was in for 11 months! Eleven!! For nearly a year I felt like I was pee’ing acid every single time I went! It took me to the ER more than once because I just couldn’t handle the pain anymore. Finally, yesterday my Urologist replaced the calcified stent with a new one and was finally able to blow up my 10mm x 5mm stone. We went through lithotripsy, but the terrible hospital I was forced to go to only had the machine once per month. One month it was my fault that I missed (my father in law died and I was out of state), but all the other times it was things beyond my control that caused me to miss the machine! Even when I did make it, it didn’t do any good and the doctor just wanted me to keep trying!! Seriously??? Finally, he agreed to go in and try to get the stone out with laser or by grabbing it. I am so relieved that it has been broken up into passable pieces! Now I just have to pass them, get the stent removed and hopefully I’ll be ok!!!
Thank you for the response and detailed possibilities. I will update as things progress. My Best to all!