Kidney stones

karissa0307

Has anyone had kidney stones during pregnancy? I woke up at 2am in excruciating pain, exactly like labor pains but In my side instead on lower abdomen. It comes and goes but when it comes on I feel completely debilitated. If anyone's had it, what'd you do? I know if I go into the ER they'll just give me fluids and pain meds which I'd like to avoid if possible. Thanks ladies!

tripledaggerWed95976

Sadly, I had a kidney stone my previous pregnancy.   I was 32 weeks along and ended up in the ER in excruciating pain.  Since they cannot X-ray or ct scan a pregnant woman it took me: 1 ER trip, 1 OB trip, and two eurology trips to be diagnosed.   I had a kidney stone that was trapped in my ureter (due to my uterus pushing on it) which in turn caused hydronephrosis (fluid build up in my kidney). 

Unfortunately, I was told that the only "treatment" was:
a) pain Med management
and/or
b) getting a stint put in until after I gave birth or until the stone passed.  
The urologist told me that often the stint can feel like a UTI and half of the people he puts them in to end up coming back a few days later to have it removed.  I obviously opted not to do that.  

The stone did not pass until I gave birth at 36 weeks.    I was given a medication (can't remember the name of it) that helps push the urine through the stone and is supposed to break it up.   It didn't completely work but after about a week on the medication it did get a bit better. After being on it for 2 weeks it was bearable.   

Since you are not as far along as I was, Hopefully yours can pass naturally.   Drink lots of fluids, lay on your side (this helped me), and Know that you will most likely get a UTI because of the stone so make sure to let your doc know as soon as you feel any symptoms of a UTI or bladder infection.  However, my number 1 advice would be to see a urologist ASAP.  

After I gave birth I went back to the urologist so I could have my kidney x-rayed and was found to have 4 smaller stones in my right kidney.  I'm praying that none of them release during this pregnancy.  It is brutal and I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.  

alcrimmins

I had one pass naturally around 14 weeks last time. Thought I was dying and wasn't given anything for the pain. I passed another one this summer and was given all kinds of pain/nausea/antibiotic meds. I still have one more to pass. I spent a lot of time with my urologist this past year due to several into and kidney infections.  

AdaByron

Are you asking for home remedies for a kidney stone?  

I think you should go to the ER if you really think that's what it is. Or at least call your doctor today. I have a friend who had appendicitis while pregnant and it was not diagnosed until it burst because some things present differently during pregnancy. I really think you should let a doctor make the call. You can still refuse passion meds if you want. 

LoveLee85

Nothing to add, but I'm sorry!!!!!!!!!! 

BabyBump2

I have a history of kidney stones. I had a bout when I was somewhere in my 30 weeks. They gave me Percocet and told me to go home and sleep. 

If the pain comes and goes, are you sure it's kidney stones?? I'm not saying I know it all, but after having them 3 times, the pain is usually constant and you feel like you're dying. Are you drinking enough?

Also, if they are kidney stones...at least you know you'll survive labor. I would rather give birth 1,000 times over having ONE kidney stone. SOOO bad!

karissa0307

@tripledaggerWed95976 that sounds awful, I'm praying this will pass asap. I basically just layer on my side with a heating pad on low for a lot of yesterday. I alternated that with warm baths and drank 3L of lemon water.
@alcrimmins I hope your last stone doesn't bother you during your pregnancy again!
@AdaByron no, I'm not asking for home remedies. Just seeing what others have done in this situation. I'm a nurse, my husbands a nurse, obviously I'll see a doctor but wanted to stay out of the ER yesterday since I know the treatment for pregnant woman. I was asking so I can try other things I may not have thought of. Thanks for your concern.
@LoveLee85 thank you, feeling better today!

MrsLa3

AdaByron said:

Are you asking for home remedies for a kidney stone?  

I think you should go to the ER if you really think that's what it is. Or at least call your doctor today. I have a friend who had appendicitis while pregnant and it was not diagnosed until it burst because some things present differently during pregnancy. I really think you should let a doctor make the call. You can still refuse passion meds if you want. 

All of this, but also, if you're a nurse and so is your DH then why ask? You already know the procedure for pregnant women, are you looking for other pregnant ladies to commiserate with? There's a thread for that, it's called weekly symptoms.

AdaByron

karissa0307 said:

@tripledaggerWed95976 that sounds awful, I'm praying this will pass asap. I basically just layer on my side with a heating pad on low for a lot of yesterday. I alternated that with warm baths and drank 3L of lemon water.
@alcrimmins I hope your last stone doesn't bother you during your pregnancy again!
@AdaByron no, I'm not asking for home remedies. Just seeing what others have done in this situation. I'm a nurse, my husbands a nurse, obviously I'll see a doctor but wanted to stay out of the ER yesterday since I know the treatment for pregnant woman. I was asking so I can try other things I may not have thought of. Thanks for your concern.
@LoveLee85 thank you, feeling better today!

I see. When you said you didn't want to go to the ER I misunderstood thinking you didn't want to go to the doctor at all. But I guess I can understand wanting to wait it out a day to see your regular doctor. 

I do hope you go in, though. The way you described your pain actually doesn't sound like when I had kidney stones (although I wasn't pregnant at the time) and knowing what my friend went through with her appendix, I would call the doctor ASAP for anything unusual like this. It took her weeks, and multiple visits with different doctors before anyone knew what was going on because it didn't present like typical appendix pain. 

NamelessAria

**lurker from June**

I haven't had any problems with kidneys stones while pregnant but my urologist told me that if I got a stone while pregnant it would either have to pass on it's own or they'd need to put a stint into the ureter. 

Do you have a urologist that you see? If so I'd just make an appointment with him/her and have everything checked out. They should be able to confirm a stone with an ultrasound of the kidney and ureter. 

Kidney stones suck! I hope you feel better soon.

Also, just throwing this out there, I wouldn't have ever described any of my kidney stones as being labor like pain. I always experienced the pain as something more similar to a knife lodged in my side with pain that referred to my back. I also generally have the classic kidney tenderness where you can gently pound a fist over the kidney on the back and have that "%*!$ THAT HURTS" reaction. Like the others have said if you're not sure it is a kidney stone you may want to have it checked sooner than later just in case it's something else. I've had stones surgically removed 4 times now so I'm pretty familiar with how they feel and at this point I'd be comfortable saying "yep that's a stone" if I had one but the first couple of times I had a kidney stone I definitely wasn't that sure. I know you said you're a nurse and so you're educated on these things. But sometimes it's different when it's you, ya know.

chamomile-2

@karissa0307 I really feel you should get seen by a doctor soon. I understand wanting to avoid the ED which is a crazy place - you can go to OB triage and get the same workup but they know how to handle pregnant women and won't give you any meds unless you ask. There could be stone complications (obstructive hydronephrosis which can get infected and lead to sepsis) and other abdominal pain causes that can be similar and present as flank/back pain (pyelonephritis, cholelithiasis, gallstone pancreatitis, retrocecal appendicitis) any of which could risk your baby's life. The lab draw, renal ultrasound and IV fluids aren't going to hurt you or baby one bit and could make a life or death difference!

karissa0307

@MrsLa3 it's ok to ask others for what has worked for them, just because we're nurses doesn't mean we know everything. But uh, thanks for your concern. 

karissa0307

Thanks everyone, I've made an appointment with my doctor to get it figured out  

cutelilsydmon

Kinda sounds like gallstones since you are getting atacks at night. I have been having gallstone attacks over the last year if I eat something fatty or greasy like  cheese pizza.  I remedy my pain with a gallstone friendly diet, fresh pressed apple juice and drinking a tablespoon of epsom salt if I'm having a bad attack (this is a last resort)