John, this is interesting to me, when you hear back from your nephrologist and after he looks at your historical CT scans to see if you are still forming stones, and what is revealed...
I just did some research (gotta love the Patient Portals.) A Sept 2020 CT Scan showed (5) kidney stones. I think that's how many I had removed during this surgery, the difference being that they had grown, according to legacy size estimates. What improperly set my frame of reference is that in 2020 the urologist said he was watching "a couple of stones" via x-ray, not 5 stones. So after several years (maybe longer), the stones grew larger, but no new ones formed. This stuff is s confusing, and like other current discussions here (diabetes), the medical industry seems to not move forward from legacy understandings. I'm reading that calcium is a benefit to keeping stones in check because it binds with oxylate (the primary stone culprit) and escorts it out of your system in your stool (versus it being filtered through your kidneys.) I've bought a probiotic (Lactobacillus Helveticus) that is supposed to help regulate your parathyroids and, therefore, calcium levels. I've suspended my supplement regime until the dust settles on this surgery (mostly due to possible blood thinners), and then I'll do more research on calcium and maybe reach out to my nephrologist (who used to be a GP) for advice before I proceed.
I had the post-op followup and stent removal today. There is some calcification "around the corner" in my kidney that my doctor could not get to. He said it might be part of my kidney at this stage. It's not blocking anything. I had the stent removed. I HATE having crap shoved up in me/drug out of me. But it was a non-event. I took a nap later and my kidney is a little sore. The nurse who removed the stent told me there were no after-care instructions for having the stent removed. I may pop half a hydrocodone before I go to bed. I go back in 6 weeks for an ultrasound to make sure there's no scarring or anything to cause the flow of urine from my kidney to be constricted. Standard stuff. Hopefully there will be no more stones of any type.
@John Brunner. Your story and updates have been for me so unique and even educational, I remember when I first joined this site and your journey caught my eye. The fact that you have shared so much of it with us here, is really something, well to me it is. I am woman who has great interest in all of Uro things, conditions, experiences and the list goes on.
@Beth Gallagher's story is very wonderful as well as she related blow-by-blow her fight with breast cancer.
Hi @Don Alaska. I was just now thinking back about when I first joined this forum, and in fact Beth Gallagher's story and journey had also caught my eye. I went on to read quite a bit of her posts, and was very interested in how it had unfolded, how she was coping with it and the admiral strength within her to do so. Depending on how much I am here, I will drop in and enjoy catching myself up a bit ..
So the removal of the kidney stent gave me a VERY bad infection. It makes no sense. The stent was inserted during the operation, and stayed in place with no ill effects for 10 days until it was removed. Nothing was inserted into me to get the stent out...a string that was tied to is got pulled and it was removed. I've had a fever pushing 101° at times on Saturday and on Sunday. In the 26 hours between 9AM Friday and 11AM Saturday, I slept 19 hours. I sent a Patient Portal message in late last night, and they called me at 8:10 this morning to come in for a 9:20 appointment...an hour away. I made it. I got blood work, an X-Ray, and a CT Scan (done in house.) The scans were fine. Then I got a painful shot of antibiotic in my butt (brings back memories) and a script for more antibiotics. I could tell in short order that the injection was working...my kidney no longer ached and my fever was gone. As I told the doctor, I really can't complain. Less than 3 hours after walking into the place I got all those tests, the analyses, a conversation with the doc, and a shot of antibiotic. As I'm driving home, I get a text that my script is ready.
It's crazy, isn't it? I read of soreness from stent removal, but not an infection like this from the type with the string...there is no intrusion. The time immediately following surgery I was passing my usual high volume of urine. Then I get the stent taken out and the volume was under half of normal. THAT is what scared me. I wondered if there was a blockage that got dislodged. Nothing urological for me is fixed the first time without some revisit and crises. Excluding the routine cath swaps (16 of them), this urological stuff accounts for well over half of my doctor visits the past 5 years. Add the swaps in and you're up to 75%. The doctor today looked at the CT Scan and said "Everything is fine except for a few small stones." I didn't push him. I thought this current ordeal was to get rid of all the stones in that kidney. I'll ask the other guy at my follow-up to next-month's ultrasound. He told me there was one that might just be calcification. Maybe these small ones will just pass into my bladder.
@ John, I just read your updates, what a challenge, and I continue to send positive thoughts and wish you only the best. Good to know you got the antibiotic pronto...
Thanks. I'm still worried. Urine production is very low. This cannot be good. But I've not had a kidney infection in decades. These guys better know what they're doing.