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LafayetteLady -> RE: UPDATE RE: Light at the end of the tunnel (7/6/2012 7:24:34 AM)
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kiwi,
I drink so much fluid, it's a wonder I don't float away, lol. Really. I do drink lemonade, although more usually water with lemon. I was made aware of that study after my very first stone back in 2000. I do the water with lemon because lemonade tends to be way too sweet for me. Being diabetic, the sugar isn't all that great an idea either. I did hear another interesting theory, although I haven't tried it. Steamed watermelon (sounds horrible to me, lol).
It appears that I would be one of those people who doesn't respond to the lemonade terribly well. The stones have been growing at a ridiculously rapid rate. In March, there was one, in May, there were three, by mid June, there were eight.
To bring you up to date, and yes I welcome your advice, in fact you are the exact person besides my doctor best to answer my questions, the stone in my urethra (1cm) was removed this past Monday. The stent that had been in place was removed because I am forming stones so quickly, within a month, that stent was causing more pain than the stones it was so corroded. We do know the stones are calcium, which I guess is a plus.
Originally, we were going to go for the shockwave therapy. While it is the least invasive, it is also the treatment that takes the longest, and wasn't guaranteed to work, possibly needing the PCN anyway. My doctor agreed that I was likely a good candidate for the PCN, he just needs to confirm that with the radiologist, but sees no problem there. Not thrilled about having a tube come out of my back, but my understanding is that it is a very short time (how long exactly?), and with PCN, in approximately two weeks, all stones will be completely gone, with no fragments traveling through the ureter, bladder and urethra causing more pain. This to me, is the best option. Only bad thing I can find with the procedure is the tube and catheter bag, but because it is coming from my back, I don't have to worry about it irritating my urethra. I had bladder surgery in the past, and us bigger girls, that damn catheter just twists and turns and irritates the shit out of your urethra when you walk, lol.
I have already had the blood work done on my parathyroid to see if that may be the main cause of the problem, since I have a nodule on my thyroid and the thryoid has been checked but never the parathyroid. Hopefully that will give us some answers. I am due to do a 24 hour urine catch, but the urologist told me to wait until the stone issue is completely resolved (catch was ordered by the endocrinologist).
So at the moment, I am enjoying having almost no pain in my kidneys for the first time since September of last year, even though it is only going to last a couple of weeks before the next surgery.
So here are my questions:
1. This tube that is going to come out of my back; how much care does it require and will I need help with that?
2. I'm kind of figuring showing with that is going to be off limits, will it be?
Obviously, the tube and catheter bag are my biggest concern, as help is a little limited. My son has already been put on notice, but I do understand his reluctance about wanting to be helping with that part. He's good with the helping me up, and doing stuff around the house, but the personal stuff? Not so much. This is not exactly the best time of year to have a urine bag strapped to my leg, but I guess for a few days, I can just avoid people, lol.
My doctor has given me an idea of what to expect, and I do trust him completely, but find that doctors tend to understate what to expect, lol. So what am I really in for? It won't change my mind and make me go back to shock wave treatment, but it will help me mentally prepare and let the doctor know how much valium/xanax he needs to prescribe for my anxiety attacks, ha ha.
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