u/mightaswellchange

Maybe it’s not that big of a deal but I was super determined to adjust to the mask and was struggling during the test drive. Unfortunately when the pressure reached around 10+ I was struggling and just couldn’t keep up with the breathing so I took it off but when I looked this morning I had it on for 4.05 hours and scored 63! Insurance compliant and lasted 3 more hours than I thought. I’m taking it as a win and I’m hoping to enjoy better sleep soon/experiencing a solid 8 hours.

On that note, any tips on how to deal with higher pressures or does it just come with time? I have a full mask with AirSense 11 if that means anything.

I don’t know if it’s possible already but I woke up around 7 and feel more energetic than usual. I don’t really have bad fatigue and general sleepiness issues anyway but still. How cool.

Went to the ER five days ago because of a stone and chills and vomitting. No infection, was discharged, but CT scan showed a 7mm obstructing stone and mild kidney blockage.

Back here today because I was having chills and uncontrollable pain and my thermometer was reading various temps including normal to feverish. Son didn’t want to risk anything so he insisted.

Hours later and the bomb is suddenly dropped that I’m having emergency removal. Didn’t explain what type of surgery, just that there was an infection and I need it done. Don’t know what to anticipate. Pretty scared and overwhelmed. What should I ask for? My WBC was off and I guess urinalysis showed an infection but is it normal for emergency surgery to happen after an infection? Is it severe? I’m asking because I’m cozy and the pain has been managed and I’m feeling pretty good otherwise so I was thinking worst case I will get antibiotics and my urologist can schedule surgery.

Any input and advice welcome. Thank you. Wish me a quick and easy recovery, please. Just a bit scared and overwhelmed right now.

Now what? I went to the ER last night after pain that lasted more than 15 hours starting around 7 in the morning. The pain itself was annoying but generally manageable until around 4pm, then I started feeling chills and threw up everything I drank or ate. Still no fever so I was just waiting to see if the oxycodone I was prescribed would work along with Tylenol and when I started to have cold sweats I figured well I’m not going to risk it and went to the ER around 11PM.

I was severely dehydrated and was put on a saline drip and Toradol (whoa, a miracle drug for me!) for the pain. Got blood work. Felt pretty cozy and was able to provide urine after an hour on the IV and also got a CT scan. Still no fever but I felt really cold (needed three blankets) and made my nurse aware of this.

A few hours later the CT scan confirms my stone has moved. No infection detected otherwise from the blood work and urinalysis. I need to mention at this point that my original attending ER doctor left or was unavailable so a new doctor reported the CT scan findings to me. I was just happy there was no infection and thought I got the answer (stoned moved) and my pain and throwing up was managed so when they said I could go home I felt relief.

Only my CT scan was result became available for me to look at this morning (I left around 2:30am, woke up around 9) and there it says that the stone was obstructing. I’m a little surprised that that wasn’t mentioned by the doctor, or was it irrelevant since I didn’t have an infection?

I have a follow up with my urologist on the 8th next week but I’m just scared because I still have chills and now that I know I have an obstructing stone it feels like I should’ve been given more instructions. But then again the chills were irrelevant as far as an infection being present was to begin with, so I don’t know if it’s just a waiting game at this point.

It’s just frustrating take the proper steps to avoid infection/sepsis and feeling like oh I’m shit out of luck I went there TOO SOON and don’t have an infection yet but have a condition that might cause it to develop but like, what do I do now?

Thanks for your input and patience! This is my last stone and I hope I pass this fucker (7mm). I already had a ureteroscopy for my second one (2/3, 6mm) and that was my first surgery ever and the stent afterward was just hell so I’d really like to avoid it. Any advice appreciated.

Well, holy shit, that was a first and it’s fucking terrifying. You mean to tell me that some of you experience this often?! How do you deal? Look, I’m annoyed at my brand of anxiety for a lot of reasons. It’s crippling, it’s new, it’s unfamiliar, and for a « newbie » (my anxiety started manifesting as daily panic attacks after an accident and health scare five years ago), I’m only recently getting the hang of managing it, and even then it still sucks. My anxiety from the surface doesn’t look so bad: I’m all sorts of full of joy and functioning according to onlookers, which honestly drives me up the wall whenever I hear them say that, because no, mine doesn’t make me scared of talking to strangers, going outside, trying and keeping new hobbies, driving, keeping a job, eating, etc. Sounds nice, huh? Well, I guess it kind of does, except when mine hits I have the compulsion of believing that death is near. Not as an idea, not the afterlife, just the overwhelming conviction that my body is failing in real time and I’m actively dying. And I’m sure most of you are familiar with the symptoms: dizziness, difficulty breathing, pain that stands out, vision issues, headache, chest tightness, my left arm specifically feeling numb, yeah, you know, the good stuff that sends folks to ERs. I get those while painting, sitting down, driving, it doesn’t really matter. Out of nowhere. No known trigger in sight. Except today my body decides to apparently dissociate on a drive for the first time. Perfect! Nothing like feeling like reality is slipping through my fingers while operating a deadly machine to make someone question their sanity. So I pull over and name every sensation I can… sense, I spell my name out loud, pinch my body, say my mom’s birthday out loud, what I had for lunch out loud, what I’m seeing in front of me, being said out loud, anything to convince my own mind that I’m real and participating in real life as I know it. And it happened again tonight.

I’m just exhausted. I’m exhausted of feeling helpless and having to come to terms with the fact that my own body and mind aren’t… mine. I hate that the attacks are sporadic. I hate that life feels really good until it doesn’t. I hate that fear consumes my whole being, because I feared very little in life. I hate that being aware that my mind is being irrational does very little to stop it from continuing the crazy thoughts. I’m just tired. I’m doing the medication after resisting it for a bit, I’m doing the therapy, the balanced diet, the trying to sleep better, the movement, the breathing, the hiking, the venting, the finding of community, and still the end doesn’t feel like it’s here yet. I’m tired.

I know you are too. I’m rooting for you. And selfishly, I’m so, so, so happy and comforted to know you exist.

I’m coming up on one week post stent removal (was in for 5 days, no stone found doing ureteroscopy, doctor felt comfortable removing it early after I called asking about leakage and bleeding). But the urinalysis showed that I also had a UTI (it’s impressive for them to know since my sample was bloody, meh) and I’ve been on Bactrim since Wednesday night. The thing is, I don’t usually get UTIs so I don’t know what’s concerning or not and I’m supposed to be progressing.

No more bleeding, have never had fever, or any of the serious things they say to look out for but there’s still slight burning when I pee and cloudiness and I have had ongoing lower/flank back pain. Nothing excruciating, just a persistent throbbing that’s observable. Does this mean that my body isn’t responding to the antibiotic? Should I go to urgent care to request new medication?

My concern is kidney infection because I read it progresses quickly to something dangerous like sepsis. What symptoms should I look out for or are mine basically worth getting checked out immediately? If anyone had or has any similar experiences I’d love to hear about them! Thanks for reading/your time.

I figured it might be but how many people here actually got a UTI (I don’t typically get them) after they had their stent removed? Mine was removed on Monday and apparently my urinalysis showed some bacteria, but I feel weird about it since the sample I gave was bloody. I was prescribed Bactrim and I’m taking it but I don’t like that I’ve been on so many antibiotics just in the last week. (Cephalexin 500 immediately after ureteroscopy, then was handed the 250 one once in office after the stent was removed, and now Bactrim for five days). What side effects can I expect and what should I look out for in terms of something maybe being serious? And theoretically what would happen if a UTI goes untreated after a stent removal? I was really hoping it would be all easy breezy now after the stent’s gone but it looks like there’s more to come. Heh.

Ureteroscopy was on Thursday ( no stone located :/ ) with stringed stent in recommended for five days. I tugged on it a few times and was leaking and when I called my urologist after hours he said it would be okay to take out as early as Sunday but to wait as close to 5 days as possible. Because I didn’t have a stone, does it lessen the odds of complications if I took it out myself a bit early? I’m experiencing bleeding only after day 4 which is freaking me out but at the same time I want this thing out ASAP, too. What usually happens after stent removal and what reactions barring a fever and signs of infection would be considered abnormal? Would continued pain and bleeding and being uncomfortable while peeing for a few days be expected, for example? Thanks in advance for your time and help.

I’m at a loss here because my experience is already a bit crazy and I’m just trying to stay sane. I had a ureteroscopy yesterday where they found no stone (last CT scan was a month ago, urologist went on medical leave, I had symptoms up until this weekend and never imagined a 6mm would pass unnoticed ((first timer)). It’s whatever, I’ll deal with it, but I have a stent on with instructions to remove in 5 days if I want or on my postop appointment this Thursday.

The thing is, I keep snagging the stent. I called my urologist to ask if that was a problem since I’m leaking more than usual, he says if I can keep it until tomorrow that would be nice but otherwise I can remove it myself. Is this okay? What can potentially happen if I remove it this early? I’m willing to deal with the incontinence until I at least get to 5 days but I don’t know what’s acceptable or not.

Also on another note how do you guys deal with feeling gross? I don’t know if it’s just me but I’m constantly peeing on myself and sometimes leaking to where there’s pee stains on my floors and clothes and I’ve taken so many day showers just to have to use the bathroom and get dirty all over again to the point where I’m even using adult diapers, but even with those on the constant peeing is driving me crazy. Not to mention that AZO is making my pee look so much more intense. Ugh, I hate it.

Anyway, I guess what I’m asking is how bad is it really that I’ve snagged my string maybe twice now which may have led to more incontinence than the average person and if my urologist okay’d removing it in 3 days should I do that or do I just deal with the leakage and keep it on? He said it’s not dangerous to do so so that’s what I feel inclined to do but fucking hell this stent is driving me mad.

I had my appointment today at 6am for a partially obstructing 6mm stone on my left ureter. The CT scan was done a month ago but my urologist had to go on a medical leave so I couldn’t be scheduled for the surgery until last week. I also have another one on my right kidney at 7mm but they said we’ll address that one once it gives me issues. I’ve been nervous as heck since I’ve never had surgery and have never been put under, but tried my best to be calm. And honestly overall the experience was far less scary and painful than I anticipated because of the kind staff and doctors. However I woke up and the first thing I was told of was that they couldn’t locate any stone! WTF? I’m grateful of course but also annoyed because how did I not know nor feel it? 6mm feels too huge to miss. Has anyone else had this experience? Last week I was experiencing « lightning crotch » and other symptoms that I read were indicative of it being in my bladder, so I’ve been extra mindful of my water intake and paying attention to the toilet bowl when I pee because obviously I also wanted to pass it naturally and skip surgery but I felt absolutely nothing nor heard anything nor saw anything. What gives? I was really apologetic to the staff but still felt relief that I at least found out that I react well to general anesthesia but I also feel really foolish on top of things. I just need to know that I’m not the first to do this and that it isn’t anything I should feel bad about.

My doctor still put in a stent which will be removed in 5 days and I still got post-op instructions as though a stone was removed but geez, the guilt.

Thank you for reading.