All about ureteral stents

Nobody prepared me for the hell that followed the stent placement. I thought that the stone was bad but it was minor compared to after stone surgery and stent placement. I tried to tell them that the pain was excruciating and I was about to pass out each time I went to pee. Finally going back to the ER they told me the pain was from my bladder having spasms. The burning I could take but the pain starting in the middle of my stream to the end was unbearable. The spasms would last about 30 minutes then subside. Not that the pain went away it just was tolerable after. Forget any sympathy from the doctors office, they would say you’re going to have a little pain afterward just put up with it. I was afraid I was going to have a heart attack it was so bad. So it was back to the ER and more COST. Dilaudid, Toradol, Zofran and the thing I think really helped was a suppository for bladder spasms all from the ER later that night. I thought I could take pain but I cannot take this! The stent is still in there, and its been misery.

Hello, I am in my 4th week with a plastic stent on the right side. 30 years ago I had a tubal ligation, after vaginal delivery of my second child. And for 30 years I was fine, then about 3 months ago, unbearable right flank pain, the emergency room, my PCP, x-rays and CT scan determined right kidney was enlarged and urethra was decreased in size. Four weeks ago had stent placed, and goodness gracious alive, your comments above expressed all I went through. Feeling better now, but stents to be removed in two weeks. It was determined by scope that I did not have stones hidden in the swelling within my kidney but had had an incision to the kidney, when tubal ligation performed, with scar tissue and all. But Doctor unable to explain why after 30 years exactly this flared-up. My concern is I may have metal stents placed if the kidney has not reduced in size, I’m taking Flomax, and after the 4th week I can now deal with discomfort of plastic stent, but I am terrified of the thought of metal stents for an entire year.

Hi-My son 19 years old had had recurring kidney stones (3 times) On this 3rd time he has been unable to pass the stone, so they are removing it and placing a stent for a week. I have to say I am very nervous after reading this site. He does not have a high pain tolerance, and I am not sure if he can manage this type of pain for a week. If anyone can give me tips prior to this surgery on what to do to help prepare him for this, please let me know.

Well following 9 weeks of stent stone bypass agony (all of the above and some! Not improved by any pain killer) no relief no sleep, blood, passing glass pain, constant pain referral to you know where! I had the PCNL yesterday in which an 19mm and some smaller stones removed ..a success? I have had no drain tube but a catheter and, against my wishes and docs assurances have had another stent fitted to allow “healing” ! Gutted … Did not move off bed all day and night (could have but was actually pain free .. Morphine I think) was awake till 3am surprising but maybe was enjoying lack of pain ! Ha) have been woken at 6 this morning and pain is back ! Noo day 2 here I come … If you interested in day 2 let me know … Going to argue about removal of stent earlier than 2 week they suggest .. Any views on shorter healing (I want it out by a week Friday at latest!) appreciated and thoughts on post stent removal travel… I need a holiday in the sun !

I have had progressive plastic stents put into the urethic tube to keep it unblocked due to the Right Kidney not functioning correctly being brought about by a tumor on the Urethic Tube putting pressure on it and forcing it onto the bone. I have recently had Radiation Surgery to try and debulk the tumor to relieve pressure but have still got the stent in, and I am having trouble finding how long a plastic stent can stop in place before it starts to block or become infected with bacteria. Can anyone help in this regard ??

I just had the eswl procedure done on Friday with a stent placement just on the left side. I’ve been having a lot of issues with kidney stones/infections over the last few years and was terrified of having this done, but seeing as I had multiple large stones some up to a full cm in size I knew that one way or another this was going to happen. I was expecting it to be hell after everything I’ve heard, I even put off going to the bathroom 8 hours following my discharge from the hospital out of fear, but shockingly after the initial soreness went away (about 3 days) I can safely say that I feel totally normal, no irritation, no pain, no discomfort, and not once has it been uncomfortable to pee, even the first few times, like literally after reading l these reviews I’m kind of shocked that I’m not miserable, I wouldn’t even be able to tell at all if weren’t for the bruise on my back. I’d say the worst part of the whole thing was just waking up after the Anesthesia. Im a 22 year old female, but from what I gather men seem to experience the most discomfort following this procedure.

I have had stones of various sizes over the last 20 years. A few years ago I had a 15mm stone blasted and a stent put in- I was miserable for 13 days and discovered upon going to the hospital to have the stent removed that the pieces of the stone had wedged themselves between the ureter wall and outside of the stent. after I had the stent removed I was able to pass stones- like a machine gun. Last Friday I had a 6mm embedded stone removed. I did not want a stent but the doc insisted and now I am walking around with this stent. As long as I sit and take my Dilaudid regularly I am ok- but still have the urge to pee and feel the pressure on my kidney and bladder. The stent is coming out in 7 days but I am out of Dilauded today and may have to go back to percocet and the zombie life. The pain meds also constipate me so I have the additional pressure to deal with. My fault for not drinking enough water on a regular basis. I heard the lemonade theory as well and last year drank a lot- no stone issues. The peeing after the procedure was like a blow torch coming out of me. That is not bad now. Still bloody though.

I had a stent left in me after the Dr tried ESWL unsuccessfully. The stone would not bust up and he tried to pull it but with the amount of blood he could not see to grab it and remove it. Instead he pushed it back up in my kidney and inserted the stent. After returning home, I felt like I deserved a gold metal just for urinating. Fortunately there are grab bars right next to the commode and the walls of the bathroom are fairly well insulated to muffle the sound of the screams. Don’t venture to far from the bathroom, cause you will visit often. After a day or two the urine will cool down from the lava stage to just that of maybe a propane tourch. A day or two later it will be just a calm gentle fire which you can pass without as much as a scream. You will be down to the groan or whimper stage. The problem with the stent when you are not using the bathroom is when you are sitting and you move ever so slightly the stent will not move accordingly. This also is very painful. Finally the next week came time for the stent removal which was done at the Dr office. It was not nearly as painful as expected. He grabbed the string and counted to three and pulled the stent out. I thought it may be 3 or 4 inches long but to my supprise it looked to be about as long as a yardstick. Although it was not as painful as I expected it was an unusual feeling. I can best describe it like this. I used to take my dog to the vet help with his anal glands. When the vet would perform this procedure I would never forget the look on my dogs face. I could feel this same look being given to the Dr as he pulled out my stent. A week later I went to a new Dr who removed my stone. I advised this new Dr. that short of immenent death he was not to leave a stent in. He never and all was well. If you have a stent put in, best of luck to you!!!!!

So sorry to hear about your pain. 🙁 My stent was not painful, but I felt like I needed to constantly urinate for a while. Taking Oxybutynin (Ditropan) for bladder spasms fixed it for me. Also, I had a LARGE amount of visible blood in my urine for several days, which I assume was due to infection. Antibiotics didn’t seem to do much, so I also tried drinking a cup of blueberry juice a day, and that immediately put an end to the blood. (The internet says that blueberry juice keeps the bacteria from adhering to the urinary tract.) About Tamsulosin (Flomax): I, too, was confused that I was prescribed that (since I’m female), but supposedly it is also good for women, for relaxing the ureter.

You wonderful wonderful people. 🙂 To share your experiences has given my family some insight into how i have felt/feel. My family are now taking it a bit more seriously than ever before, i think they thought i was making it up. I have had Kidney stone problems for 23 years and it has got to the point where i just try to get on with life. Every time i read this page i end up laughing. If you read carefully, most of us still have a sense of humour which has always helped me cope in the past. It is day 6 now since my op and the bleeding is getting less but i have had a few near accidents as the toilet seems a long way away. The pain is getting less along with the bleeding. Every time i go to the loo, i have to sit or lay down for a while until this throbbing pain goes away along with the stinging sensation. Ive decided not to take as many pain killers as they were making my head feel like i was loosing touch with reality. I have to go back next month for another op to sort out the other stones and i think that if they are smaller, i will tell the surgeon that i want to go it alone without a stent and just deal with the pain myself. All i can say is…water, water and more water. 🙂 I have just read an interesting article from the British Kidney Stone Association….They are not 100% sure why but, drinking lemonade (sugar free is the best so you dont get associated diabetes problems) stops the calcium deposits from joining together and forming solid stones. So, i have just bought two bottles and will give it a try. My heart goes out to you all, it doesn’t make anything better but……i do understand how you feel 🙁 and….. you are not alone! 🙂 xxx

I too am suffering the stent hell. Had surgery today to zap a4 mm stone. Was told after surgery dr didn’t zap it and it was jagged and stuck but he pulled it out. Woke up from surgery with the stent from hell. I haven’t even had it in 12 hours yet and I can hardly stand it. Peeing what feels like hot lava at least once an hour really isn’t as bad as the other 57 minutes , it’s the can’t find a comfortable position to sit stand or lay and that mind torture of feeling like I have to pee constantly . Only supposed to have my stent in for 4 days but thinking something is going to have to be done. And to top it all off my birthday was 4 days ago and I was fighting stone pain then started my period at the same time -more joy to deal with. It’s been a rough week, read some other postings may try Uribel am already taking Flomax and hydrocodon. Thanks for listening I wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy. I fantasize about being in a coma for the next 4 days!

Hi Everyone, I am on here looking for some information on the problems my wife has been facing recently. She is currently 33 weeks pregnant and in her 26th week she was diagnosed with a 6 mm stone in her left kidney. The stone was in the ureter and just outside the kidney. After putting up with severe pain and waiting unsuccessfully for the stone to pass she was scheduled to have a stent inserted on May 16th. While putting the stent in the 6mm stone passed out, but there was another 3mm stone found in the kidney so they left the stent in and will take it out only after the birth of our baby which is July 12th. The first few days after the stent placement she had urinary discomfort, pain in the kidney while urinating, blood in the urine and very weak bladder control (she basically had to go as soon as she felt like going.,..no holding). All these symptoms disappeared about 4 days after the stent placement and she was back to living a normal pain free life. However this past Monday (25th May) about 10 days after the stent placement she started getting a stabbing pain in her bladder and the bleeding in the urine started all over again. We met the urologist and he said its nothing to worry about, you will be ok in day or two. However it has just got worse, she now has terrible pain in her left flank area (comparable to the stone pain) and is nauseous all the time. The bleeding in the urine has got worse and we are really at our wits end. The doc did say that the stent may have moved and should go back to its normal position on its own..but that does not seem to be happening. Unfortunately she can’t take any pain killers or other meds as she is pregnant and i dont know how she is going to go through another 7 weeks of this…any advice would be appreciated. Thanks

Im going to get a stent put in tomorrow. And my doctor said only slight pain when urinating. After hearing all you comments im scared to have it put in. Is there anybody that has a experience that was some what good. I have one more question. Im supposed to go to a music festival for 4 days. Good idea or bad idea? Or will I be in to much pain. Thank you.

So glad (in a way), to see others experienced painful stent procedures too.
I’m a male, 47 and had a 4am trip to emergency with a 9mm kidney stone. After a 48 hour wait and a few greatly appreciated morphine shots, the stone was lazer’d and removed.

So much for the kidney stone pain, going back to work 2 days later, I too felt like a hypochondriac, walking like an 80 year old, with limited movement and bloody urine if I walked around for more than 15 minutes straight. I was so surprised at the amount of blood the doctors said was ‘normal’, still days after the stent was inserted. Urinating at times was so painful, I would literally be in tears, and have to wait another 5-10 minutes before being able to walk around, it was my daily fear, but Ural DEFINITELY helps. Yet people did assume because the stone was gone !! you should be ‘fine’ and healed. Not the case people!!.

Advice:: Your stent can and probably will hurt, it’s resting and rubbing up inside your kidney SO, while you have it in, DO keep mobile, but TAKE IT EASY, no heavy lifting, long walks or over active sex (yes seriously). You may see a lot of blood at times for BRIEF durations, but if this persists for more than say 2 pee’s, see a doctor ASAP. Also make sure you take a Urinary Alkaliniser like ‘Ural’, a few times a day (as per instructions), it WILL make the world of difference when you urinate.

And finally ABSOLUTELY rest the day/ night before your stent is due to come out, as I did, as it really helps with a very smooth and almost pain free extraction. After that
you will feel better within hours if not sooner, I was amazed at how much better I felt the next day.

Good luck all.

Having just had an operation to have my kidney stones removed and having a stent put in,im sitting here shaking with laughter at all the comments made. I have suffered with kidney stones for the past 23 years and realized that i am not alone. Although i have thought it, i have never seen anything put in writing regarding the symptoms and pain that us sufferers go through. So, although in bed at the moment and in pain, i am in good spirits loool 🙂 My op was on Tuesday, no, it didnt go to plan as the surgeon said their was to much blood and he couldnt see what he was doing and only blasted one stone :(. In a months time, i return for the next op and if any one dares put another stent in, i will scream blue murder for them to remove it! I feel like a hypochondriac at the moment and with this blood loss i feel like asking for a blood transfusion along with being put in an induced coma until its all over!

I have ovarian cancer and I needed to have a stent put in by the bladder. I urinate all the time now and have filled 20 pads and adults pants. Did I lose my bladder? I have a call into my doctor, just waiting.

After reading all these stories I no longer feel along. I had my 1st renal colic attack 8/4/14 after spending a week in n out of hospital I had a stent put in on 14/4/2014 to bypass stone which was 5mm and stuck in upper ureter. Omg the pain of the stone was bad enough but the stent as well I don’t know how I’ve managed I have never felt so much pain in all my life and I have had 4 natural births and so much blood in my urine. I went in hospital again after 4 weeks on 23/05/2014 to have stone removed using lazer. Hoping to wake up free of pain. No such luck I have had stone removed and a replacement stent put in for another 4 weeks. I am in so much pain in my bladder and kidney I just don’t know how much I can take. I can’t walk very far always uncomfortable, bladder is irritated, my kidney feels like its throbbing. I have lived with a hot water bottle since 8th April and .pain killers. I have spent most of my time in bed and have lost 6 kg. just can’t wait to get the stent out and recover from this and although I have another stone in kidney which is 3 mm I don’t want to have to go through this again. 🙁 thanks for listening guys we are not alone in this journey ( kidney stone friends) 🙂

I am 50 yr old female, have had several small stones in the past that have passed on their own. The time I have 4cm staghorn stone(yes CM), as in 3 month of hell before doctor figured it out. I ended up in E.R. had surgery next day and had a stent put it. I thought I was in he’ll before! I never imagined pain like this.( I have had worst migraines, burst ovarian cysts, cancer, complete hysterectomy, and major emergency bladder repair with a Foley Cath for 3 weeks) Nothing in my life compares to this pain. I have taken up residency in hell. My Dr told me he has been putting stents in for 20years and no one has ever complained about pain like this before. I though I must be only one then came to this site. Seems like I have been lied to. I had lithography and am in waiting mode to see if it worked or if I going to have to have surgery. Any advice to help female bladder spasms for this stent would be like a miracle. I don’t know how much longer I can take it. Been back to E.R. twice since surgery.
This is hell.

how long should it take to pass the kidney stone when you have a stint in? i’m feeling like peeing quiet a bit I get my stint out on june 4th I had my surgery done may 21st.

Has anyone on here had a PCNL? I have muliple large stones in both kidneys. Has a Urtrerscopy done on 4/29/14 had stent put in have been very uncommfortable since then, urge to unrinate, a few accidents etc. Tomorrow I am going in for a PCNL on my right kidney and hope to get this stent taken out. What was the time frame you were able to go back to work after the pcnl. As I just basically sit at a desk all day. what was experience with the pcnl?

For the pain try AZO – you can purchase at Walgreens, CVS, etc over the counter. It is for urinary pain and may help with the discomfort. It really helped me! Throughout the past 18 years, I have had 6 stones blasted with shockwave and my doctor never put in a stent. (Thankfully) This last time the shockwave did not work. The stone was too hard. We had to do a laser lithotropsy and a stent. My stone was large and had embeded itself in the top of my ureter almost blocking off the kidney. The kidney was swollen and infected. After surgery, my pain was so excrutiating that they had to give me morphine and I stayed in recovery for 6 hours. At home I stayed in bed for 4 days on painkillers. What helped the most was Uribel (for spasms) and Hydrocodone, although the codine gave me a bad headache. The Uribel did not last for the full 8 hours it is intended (3 x daily) so I alternated AZO approx 3 hours after taking the Uribel each time. I had asked the pharmacist and he indicated it was ok to do this. What a world of difference! My stent has been removed and I had been cautioned to take a painkiller right afterwards so I did not experience much discomfort that evening.

I share your pain. Monday night I started to experience kidney pain. I gutted it out for 2 hours before waking wife and asking to go to ER. Upon arrival I was in incredible pain. They put me on a morphine drip and did a ct scan. The prognosis was a small stone which appeared to be at the base of the urethra ready to pass. I was told I likely had gone thru the worst and was sent home. As soon as the morphine wore off, I was in excruciating pain non stop. Back to the ER and this time admitted for observation. As it turns out, the stone never did pass and because all my vitals were going in the wrong direction, they decided to install a stint because they did not want to spread the infection. I woke up and major pain was gone. that is, until I had to pee. OMG. Like a knife stuck in my abdomen then ripped downward. Now 4 days later, I am living in hell of ground hog day. I pee every hour, When I pee, I experience the knife in the abdomen (and yes, I scream loudly every time I pee) followed by 20-25 mins of spams until all is calm again for another 20-30 minutes til I have to repeat it all again. (oxybutin is not helping and oxycodone not helping a lot either (my medical MJ card and pot helps a little). But here is the big tip. I just found that if I pull down HARD on my penis and hold it down when I am getting ready to pee, that for some inexplicable reason, the pain is decreased by at least 50%. So for the guys out there.. it is worth a try. I have another 8 days til they remove the stint so thank god for medical MJ and stretching of my penis.

I had to have stones blasted and had a stent in my left side went to docter so they could pull it out today is it normal for that side to be throbbing and very painful still

I had two 7mm stones removed on Friday evening. After waking up and seeing the stent and the blood I was very upset. It burned so bad to pee and I just stayed in the bathroom for an hour. The next morning it was a lot better, and just keeps getting better. I was able to attend my husband’s graduation the morning after surgery and a party at our house that afternoon. Today I am taking it easy as I am still seeing cranberry juice colored urine every single time I go. This freaks me out, but form what I read seems to be normal? Stent can come out tomorrow (Monday after Friday surgery) and I am glad about that. It doesn’t hurt but it’s not very comfortable and I am ready to feel normal again! I don’t think I can take it out myself and would like someone at the dr’s office to make sure the amount of blood in my urine is ok.

I’m a 40 year old male that recently had ESWL treatment for a large kidney stone and now have a ureteral stent in place and am recovering slowly. First symptoms I had were lower stomach pains nine months ago which lasted a couple of days every week or so. Drs didn’t discover anything until two weeks ago when i went to ER for severe pain in my kidney area and after ct scan they found a 11mm x 6mm stone stuck in my ureter. Before procedure last week they couldn’t find the stone (because of gas buildup from not eating or drinking and taking laxatives the day before) and had to do a second xray with a few other eyes to help locate it and discovered that it had gone back into my kidney. ESWL went well and now the pain I feel is every time I urinate I feel as though my kidney is going to explode. I had to make another ER trip 7 hours after procedure and it was explained to me that the stent in my ureter is what causes the intense pain while urinating. Urine in the bladder is normally kept in the bladder while peeing because of the ureter muscles at work. With a ureteral stent, when bladder squeezes during urinating some of it goes out through urethra (pee hole) and some of it goes back up into kidney causing the already bruised kidney (from ESWL) to feel as though it’s going to burst. For the last three days following procedure the pain while urinating has gone down but is still enough to keep me in bed most of the time. I had blood in urine for the first two days, Dr told me to drink a lot of water and to lay at different angles periodically to help stone particles pass. I hope my experience helps some of you! I wish you all luck, this is probably the worst pain I’ve ever been in.