Should I ask for another Rx? WWYD?

LovesMM

I've been suffering with Kidney stones since June and they are literally a pain. My OB gave me a Rx for 20 pain killers. I have 4 and a half pills left. I've been trying to take them very sparingly and only half a pill at a time. Sometimes the pain is so great that I need the full pill.

I have this kidney pain about once a week which lasts for a day or two. Sometimes I can bear through it while other times it's excruciating. For some reason I believe that these stones are just regenerating as I pass them. 

The pain in the kidney comes from the stones moving and then I get pains in my side that radiates to my groin which happens when the stone passes. I've felt that only a few times. 

Seeing as though I'm probably not going to rid myself of these stones during this pregnancy, would it be a good idea to ask my doctor to write a new Rx for them? I have an appointment on Friday but I don't want to seem like I'm dependent or addicted. I hate taking the pills but the pain is similar to contractions and can cause preterm labor.

So, WWYD? Ask for more or just bear through and try to make it on the 4 remaining pills?

[Deleted User]

I would refill the script.  If you need another one, the pharmacy usually takes care of it  & you don't want to run out!  Talk to your OB at your next visit too & see if they have any recommendations.  GL & sorry about the stones!!

LovesMM

kgorman:

I would refill the script.  If you need another one, the pharmacy usually takes care of it  & you don't want to run out!  Talk to your OB at your next visit too & see if they have any recommendations.  GL & sorry about the stones!!

The problem is the scrip only had the one time fill. I'd have to ask my OB to write another one. I guess it wouldn't be too much of an issue since I really do need something for the pain.

jennthomas

If you are in pain ask for more. If you have only taken 15 in 2 months that is not asking alot of the dr. If you were asking for more after 2 or 3 wks the dr would prob have a problem. Your dr should be fine to give you more.

Cymarkus

It would be good if you can make it until your appointment friday to talk with your doctor about your concern with taking too many pain pills and ask if there is anything else you can do to help with the pain. But if you can't get to Friday without needing a refill, you should call and talk to a nurse. I don't recommend trying to tough out that kind of pain. Your doctor surely will understand what you're going through. Kidney stone pain is SEVERE and REAL and hopefully they wont think you're just trying to get high on pain pills. Unfortunatly they have to be careful since there ARE people that do just want the high. Hopefully just being honest with your concerns will help them know you don't WANT to take pain killers but you NEED them for your pain.

pitterpatter129

I'd definitely ask for a second Rx, but I'd also make sure your doctor knows you are still having the kidney problems/pain and possibly re-evaluate your condition.  It seems like they would have offered a refill if they thought it would be a long term problem, so I would want a second check on the kidney stone issue...

bubbles231211

Like PP said - I would see if you can wait till your appt Friday and then definitely bring up your concern to your doctor then.  I would also ask him for a refill.  If you have taken over 2 months to go through the prescription you currently have, I'm sure they won't think you're just abusing the pills.  Plus, the doc must understand the pain that you are going through since he prescribed them in the first.  I don't think you should have to try and tough it out on 4 1/2 pills, especially if the pain is as bad as your describing.

MrsTechie

As a fellow pain sufferer, I suggest you get another 'script. Being in pain does more harm than good to you and your baby.

Your Dr may not have known how long you were going to have the kidney stones for and issued you a small script to see how things went.

After taking so few, I wouldn't worry about showing drug seeking behavior. You're only taking them when you need them and even then, you're not following the suggested dosage on the bottle.   I think you're covered as far as that goes.

I've had years of pain management therapy and one thing that I'm always reminded about is that pain is like a wave- it builds up to a peak and then declines. You can stop the pain (or reduce your suffering) if you treat it before it peaks. If you wait to take pain meds until you're in the maximum amount of pain, it's already too late.

LovesMM

Thanks ladies. I know I can hold out until Friday. I shouldn't need to take the 4 pills all this week. Luckily (or unluckily) since I've been dealing with this since June I've been able to distinguish the levels of pain that I experience and like you said MrsTechie, it's like a wave. Right now the pain level is low but I expect within a day or so for it to escalate.

Last night I just cried in bed because the kidney was throbbing but by then it was too late/early to take anything to actually function for work this morning. 

More than likely when I go on Friday they will show more blood in my urine which indicates the stones and I will ask from there. I just hate needing to take these stupid pills because I've been avoiding all other types of meds. 

GenRN45

as a nurse, I'm concerned that you're saying that you're having kidney pain. Stones do NOT hurt when they're in the kidney. They only start to hurt when they move to the bladder and then when you pee them out.

That you're having actual pain in the kidney concerns me that you  might have a kidney infection and I don't think you should wait until friday to be seen. They might want to dip your urine and check for infection sooner.

You probably also need to be seen by a urologist. Most stones do NOT take this long to pass, and they might want to check to make sure you don't have an obstruction. They can check with an ultrasound of the kidney and pelvis.

Before you ask for more pain medication, you really should make sure you know where the pain is coming from. I know that stone pain is awful - but like I said - stones in the kidney itself do not cause pain. That concerns me.

 

happenstance47

I agree with PP.

 

Has your dr looked into other diagnosis, ran a urine culture, kidney u/s? I only ask because I too have reoccurring kidney (flank) pain- turns out I have bilateral hydronephrosis brought on by pregnancy as well as stones. The stones however cause no pain until passing and are not large enough to cause a blockage.

 

Either way, I understand your pain and hope it betters soon.

chrisncassie

Refill it.  I used to work in a pharmacy and things that send up red flags ...you go through 20 pills in 2 days, repeatedly say you lost your RX ...are calling every day for them to contact your Dr. for a refill, etc.

If you are in pain, get it refilled.

LovesMM

GenRN45:

as a nurse, I'm concerned that you're saying that you're having kidney pain. Stones do NOT hurt when they're in the kidney. They only start to hurt when they move to the bladder and then when you pee them out.

That you're having actual pain in the kidney concerns me that you  might have a kidney infection and I don't think you should wait until friday to be seen. They might want to dip your urine and check for infection sooner.

You probably also need to be seen by a urologist. Most stones do NOT take this long to pass, and they might want to check to make sure you don't have an obstruction. They can check with an ultrasound of the kidney and pelvis.

Before you ask for more pain medication, you really should make sure you know where the pain is coming from. I know that stone pain is awful - but like I said - stones in the kidney itself do not cause pain. That concerns me.

 

I find that my kidney throbs for a day or so and then I get the radiating pain from the left side down to my groin. When I first saw the doctor about the pain I thought it WAS a kidney infection but after I described what I felt they ordered a renal ultrasound. There were 3 visible stones within my left kidney. 

They said that the kidney would hurt when the stones moved around in there and the radiating pain indicated their movement through the tubes and out the bladder. They also said that even when I pass the three stones that were visible, it doesn't mean that those were the only ones in there or more won't form. Since I'm already getting them, I will be more likely to suffer from them from here on out. 

At my 20 week appointment I had asked my old OB if there was a way they could do another ultrasound of the kidney while they were doing my anatomy scan and he said that they wouldn't.

That OB has since left and I'm now seeing the OB that originally diagnosed the stones. Since I'm seeing him on Friday and I'm still going through all this, I'm going ask him whether or not we can do another renal ultrasound or test for a kidney infection.

fmoore723

I agree with PP regarding investigating whether or not this may be something more than just kidney stones. I, too, am a nurse and have suffered from kidney stones as well as recurrent kidney infections. My advice---(1) If you NEED the pain medication, take it. My pain with kidney stones was up there competing with the pain I felt with childbirth and your OB knows that...(2) Also if you havent already, when you pass a stone---save it, and have your MD order a test with the lab to determine what TYPE of stone it is. I found out that my stones were calcium oxalate stones. My urologist gave me a list of foods that are high, moderate, or low in oxalate. I try my hardest to eat foods that are high in oxalate very minimally. Things I found interesting...Cranberries are HIGH in oxalate. I drank a TON of cranberry juice thinking...it helps with UTIs, it may help with kidney stones too...nope, couldve been part of what was causing them. Also...I was an iced tea drinker---had to cut down on that alot because tea is also high. (3) Definitely get checked for the kidney infection---I never felt any pain with the stones until they reached my ureter and it started spasming...so you may in fact have an infection that theyre just chalking off to the stones.

Good luck with this, I know its know fun. But if this makes you feel any better---once I found out the type of stones I was producing and changed my diet (this was right after lithotripsy so I KNEW there werent anymore left in there) my fight with kidney stones has been over. Last one was (knock on wood) in 2007.

GenRN45

LovesMM:

That OB has since left and I'm now seeing the OB that originally diagnosed the stones. Since I'm seeing him on Friday and I'm still going through all this, I'm going ask him whether or not we can do another renal ultrasound or test for a kidney infection.

you really should be seeing a urologist for this, not the OB. if you don't already have one, I'd ask for a referral.