Anesthesia for kidney stone stent removal

I've had kidney stones since I was 15 (10 years now) all different sizes from small passable up to an inch in size. I've had many lasers, shockwaves, stents and the such. I have had both kinds of stents, the ones with the strings, and the ones without. The string didnt hurt that bad, a little discomfort, but I took a pain pill before I went to ease the pain. Now, for the stent without the string, the doctor must use a scope to retreive it. They did this twice for me in the doctors office, using anestetic inside the urethra, and then going up with a scope. I would have rather died after all that pain. Even after it was out, I had spasms so bad, I went into the er, with dilodid and morphine, and the pain still wouldnt subside for hours. Now what I do is I get it out with anesthia in the operating room. They knock me out, and when I wake up, I am usually ok. Always look for another urologist until you get one you are comfortable with and listens to you. I lost my right kidney to stones, because I trusted what the doctor was doing. He kept saying my kidney was swollen because I just passed a stone. After six months of him saying that and pain, I went to antoher doctor and THAT DAY they put a nephrostomy tube in (tueb in the back through thekidney to drain). I had a 8 hour surgery for a ureteral reimplant, and for nothing. The kidney was too far damaged.

I just had my stent removed and it was almost pain free. I didn't have the string, so the doctor had to go up with the scope. It was uncomfortable for about 5 seconds and then it was out.

I have had 4 stents now due to stones and this was my first time having the stent out at the doctors office, and I was worried about it. From now on, I'll do it at the doctors. I was in and out in 10 minutes and haven't had any pain at all. I did take a pain pill about an hour before the appointment however, which I'm sure helped.

I just thought I'd add a few of my experiences with kidney stones for anyone doing research. I have Kidney Stone Disease, my body constantly makes them and not small ones, huge ones that require surgery. My problems started in 2007 while pregnant with my son. I had a stint inserted...removed a few months later (in office with no numbing) The procedure lasted about 5 min and I had some kidney spasms after but was given a Toradol shot and was fine. I then had a lithotripsy (laser procedure to break up stones) after giving birth and new stints inserted. This was outpatient and I was put under. I had very much pain after from passing the stones and given Loratab for pain. Also, the lithotripsy leaves your body very sore and kidney area bruised for about 2-3 days.
Since then, I've had many stints put in and removed, some have been in office and some have been being put under. Getting it removed isnt near as bad as some ppl think, during the 1 min removal it is uncomfy but not painful, if you have spasming afterwards just ask for a pain reliever.
I just gave birth to my 2nd son 3 weeks ago and was hospitalized over half my pregnancy due to large stones and blockages. During pregnancy there is nothing they can do besides switch stints in and out which helps open you up to allow more room for stones to pass and to allow urine to flow so you don't get hydronephrois (kidney swollen from urine being unable to pass). I am now getting ready to get another stint removed and I will be put under b/c the doc is also doing a cystoscopy (looking around to see stones and other possible issues, and hopefully removing a few stones if possible) After this procedure, I'll be scheduled to put new stints in and then have yet another lithotripsy.
Anyone having kidney issues and facing surgeries and stints believe me, you want this stuff done. Nothing and I mean nothing compares to the pain of having untreated stones! Good luck!

I've had a stent removed once (about 8 years ago) and am having surgery again to remove at least one large stone. I refuse to remove the stent myself. However, when the doctor does it, it's not terrible. I just know I couldn't do it.

Oh yes, the bloody kidney stents! I had a total of 5 of them over a year and half period replaced due to scar tissue obstructing my ureter from having retro-peritoneal abscesses! They were always uncomfortable and painful at times. I don't know what it was like to have them done in the doc's office because they had to shoot dye into my urinary tract to see if my ureter stayed open after removing it so it was done in Day Surgery and it always didn't stay open, which ended up in me having to have my kidney replanted lower, they cut out the bad part of my ureter and moved the kidney down..and after that last stent was removed after the surgery, I have had no major issues at all!THANK GOD! The urologists that I saw were without a doubt some of the best!! I never imagined at my age I would have had to go thru kidney issues like that! I went thru having kidney stones in my mid 30's but luckily none since! Good luck to you all, I really liked reading your posts!

I had my stent removed for Kidney Stones on Tuesday 24.07.2012,

it was the most painfull experiece I have had. The stent was in for two months and the stones had formed around the outside of the tube.

The ONLY pain killier was some gel inserted in the eye of my penis.


The doctor had to pull the stent with some force, it felt like barbed wire.

I am facing the same issue. I have had a kidney stone since 2005. My doctor never told me about it. I went to the emergency room at least four times in the last seven years. The ER doctor never did an ultrasound, x-ray, or ct scan. This seven year old stone is now 20 mm and I only have 15% kidney fuction. My urolgist wants to go in with a scope and laser the stone. I will have to have stints for three weeks. If my kidney fuction isn't improved my doctor feels it will be best to remove my kidney. My kidney is very damaged, it is half the size of the other one. I hope I am making the right choice.

I had the tube put in last year and I will never do that again worst pain in my life

Lily
I am surprised you never had a ultrasound or CT. I had 2 ultrasounds and 3 CTs and blood test for kidney function
Today they did surgery and placed the Stent. They will remove in the office next week.So wha I do is that I always research my medical condition and ask a lot of questions. And if you do not like the answer ,I find another provider !

I'm male and I have had a lot of stents put in and out. I had one removed while I was awake and to be honest it was torture, the doc that did mine was a uni student and he was extremely rough...I was in a bad way after I got home and that night I got rushed back to hospital due to complications. I refuse to have that done again even though I'm under a different doctor. I am due to have a stent out in a couple of weeks but refuse to be awake that's for sure

Those stents going in and out are the worst. I’ve torn a testicle, broken bones, and had my gall bladder rupture, and been able to get myself to the ER for all of them under my own power, but I f-ing passed out from the pain from those stents. Don’t ever settle for anything less than general anesthesia.

wow, you must have a high level of pain tolerance. you are very fortunate. I have had 2 episodes of stones in the past two years & am still in the learning process. I don't like what I'm learning or experiencing. The first stent was one with the string & the removal wasnt too bad, wasn't fun , but I didn't cuss. The second one was not a string & was very painful. It hurt more while it was inside for a month & then when they removed it was very painful. The pain got worse over the next several hours feeling like someone had run a sword up thru my side. My doctors are very reluctant to give pain meds. I am thinking about finding another doctor to see if they will give adequate meds. They cut my meds off a couple weeks before the stents were removed both times. I do have some Tramadol I take because of a neck injury, but it doesn't come close to touching the pain of stones. From what I am learning it seems like this will be a chronic lifetime problem.

I am so sorry you have had to experience this. It is horrible. How do you go about getting it removed under anesthesia? My doctors are very reluctant to use any pain meds during the entire stone process. I want to find new doctors. They work in a group of four doctors & I never see the same one - I don't like this type arrangement of talking to a different person every time.

Get a new urologist. Yours sounds dangerous!