Kidney stones=ouch!!!!!!!!!!

[TR Custom Parts]

Well, got my first ever ride in an ambulance yesterday and got to spend the day in the hospital for the first time since I was born 47 years ago.

Doubled over in pain at work and they shipped me to the hospital. Shot up big time with morphine for the pain and after a cat scan was told I have 3 kidney stones. Lots O Fun! Was sort of weird being a patient as I work in a nursing home. Got a whole new perspective on what it is like to be on the "other" side of things. The people at the hospital were great and all the pain meds are finally wearing off today and feel a lot better.

My boss said I will do anything to get out of work. I wouldn't wish that pain on anybody!

[RareT]

I feel your pain Mark. I've been through it 4 times. Those lil son-ova-bitches have to be the most painful things on earth.

Ed

[SilverSleeper]

Been there once. Well, thats what the doctors thought anyway. I have only had one episode, thank god. I never drank so much water in my life. My whole family has had them, so it was no surprise.
They told me sometimes it has to do with your calcium intake, and also something about caffiene beverages. If I ever get another one, maybe then I will swear off the coffee.
My dad gets them all the time. Of course, he goes through almost a 2 liter bottle of Pepsi a day, so the caffiene thing might make sense. At least I cut back on my soda.

[GN One Day...]

I feel sorry for you, that hurts like hell. Like a dull knife in your kidney slowly pushing it's way out. I started having them when I was 12. Had 2 at one time about 3 yrs ago, I'd hate to have 3. I panic whenever I pull a muscle in my back! Stay on top of the pain med, don't wait for it to hurt or it's too late. Passing it doesn't hurt really, don't worry about that (it's a relief).

Drink your water! Hope it doesn't last long.

[turbosam6]

I feel for you bro. I got them one time when I was swapping the heads on the GN. Started as a dull pain, by 11:00 at night I couldn't stand up. I waited until the next morning, it still hurt, so I went in. They were little ones, luckily. The ER Dr. told me that it was more painful than child birth! He said its worse for men than women because they have a longer distance to travel. I told him I was really screwed cuz mine would have the travel even further than normal mens I was better the next day, no pain killers. I know mine were minor. I've seen them drop dudes like nothing. My stepdad once fell on some ice and got a stick stabbed all the way through his arm. He drove himself to the Dr. and was never really complaining. He got a kidney stone a couple years later. I thought he was dying. He couldn't walk, he was in the hospital for a couple days. So I can only imagine how bad they can possibly get. Get well soon man!

[Geoff87]

Guys -I know that this will sound weird, but drink some APPLE CIDER VINEGAR the next time you feel the stones coming on. My mother read about it somewhere and suggested it to my business partner (who has a history of kidney stones) a few years ago. He was suffering the symptoms when she suggested it. The stones went away shortly after drinking it. He has since had several times when the symptoms appeared, each time he bought APPLE CIDER VINEGAR, drank it and the symptoms went away. Try it next time....

[mgmshar]

I feel for you bro'. BTDT.

When I went to the hospital with mine (believe it or not, I drove myself, even though I was on the verge of passing out), they made me wait in the waiting room for over 45 minutes before they gave me any drugs. Man, did that suck.

When they finally gave me some drugs and wheeled me to the X-Ray room, the X-Ray technician told me that she had had two kids and two kidney stones, and the kidney stones hurt worse! I don't doubt it, believe me. Feels like having a knife stuck in your back.

Good Luck. Don't forget to pee through the little filter!

[TR Custom Parts]

Yeah, this has been lots of fun. Haven't seen squat in the little filters but think I have another one on the way out. Trying to make cold air kits in between.

What pisses me off, pun intended is that no one from the day job has even called to see how I am doing. Got a good notion to milk this and not show up tomorrow.

[GN One Day...]

LOL, yeah, no epideral for kidney stones. Labor doesn't last a month. Oddly enough (warning, personal info) when I was 12 they didn't have the ultrasound and other methods for removal. They removed it surgically. I've got the same scar that my wife has from a C section. I knew just how she felt. That attack does make for a long drive to the hospital, stopping only to yack out the door. I think the long wait is standard procedure. Pure torture.

Geoff87,
The apple cider or cranberry juice is the type of thing that they recommend you drink when you have stones. I think it's anything acidic that helps. It doesn't get rid of the stones, but it does help get rid of the kidney infection that accompanies them. If the pain went away, that guy probably just had an infection or passed the stones. The infection is part of the pain, so that is good advice.

[turbot2112]

they suck, i had 2 of them, 1 when i was 13 and 1 when i was 15. the second 1 was the worst.i actually passed it, it was like a quater inch thick. was pissing blood for a week and the pain when i went was unbarible. then 1 day i went and no pain. told my mom i passed it and she said , i dont think so. i said yep, no pain and no blood. damn i dont wish that pain on anyone. well except maybe my ex girlfriend/fiance.

[TR Custom Parts]

OK, so it's been a month since I got the kidney stones and a worse pain has started. The BILLS! Ambulance ride for 1.5 miles = $591! $195 for the doctor and get this $3500 for the hospital bill which was denied by my insurance company as they are saying it was work related!!!! How the hell is a kidney stone work related??

Yeah, they took me from work in an ambulance but how does work relate to my kidneys? Pissed off a lot at work, maybe?

Now I get to fight with them about trying to get them to pay. I did tell the ambulance people that I had lifted something heavy at work that morning but that was a full two or so hours before I started getting the pain.

Do I have a leg to stand on with this or am I screwed?? The hospital treated me great while I was there but the whole time I am thinking to myself, damn, it's a good thing I have health care coverage, what would someone without coverage do?

I only used a couple of my pain meds during that whole ordeal so if it happens again I will get my ass home and deal with the pain there.

[striker_29]

Dude, I would be crawling up that insurance cos ass delta force style. Work related?? Give me a freaking break. And so what if it is? I would be on them like a swarm of african bees, I don't see how they could even think about denying that claim, unless you have some kind of seriously flaked out policy. GO GETTUM!!!

[GN One Day...]

Yeah, that's BS. They're looking at some kind of statement but not the diagnosis. Just stay on them, you'll eventually get someone with a brain.

Still got 'em? Sucks, but it usually does take a while.

[Buick From Hell]

Like Striker sez--what in THEE f*** does it matter if it IS work related?? IT'S F***ING MEDICAL CARE ISN'T IT??? I guess they expect Workman's Comp to cover it?

Jesus, these goddamn cheap tight-ass insurance companies piss me off! Okay for them to collect your outrageous premiums, just don't expect any back!
About 6 years ago my wife had to have her second TMJ implant surgery. Medical insurance didn't want to pay, said it was a "dental" procedure. Dental insurance said "in your wildest dreams"...then they both tried to get out of it claiming it was "elective COSMETIC" surgery!! say WHAT??? Anyone who knows ANYTHING about TMJ knows there sure as hell ain't anything "cosmetic" about having your damn jaw hinges rebuilt! --I finally told 'em "fine, and when my wife's jaws are permanently fused together, be expecting a 10 million dollar lawsuit". They finally coughed up.

[TR Custom Parts]

Originally posted by striker_29
Dude, I would be crawling up that insurance cos ass delta force style. GO GETTUM!!!

That's today's little project. No one at work wanted to take the responsibility to drive me to the hospital even though it is within a stone's throw from where I work. They really didn't know what was wrong with me so I guess I can't blame them but damn, almost $600 for the ride? I guess I will probably get stuck with paying that too. I am not even sure if the CAT scans the hospital took were part of the $3500 bill! Never saw an invoice from the hospital. Luckily I have the diagnosis from the hospital saying I had kidney stones. I need this stress right now like a hole in the head. Over $4,000 to take a piss.