This Should be a quick one to answer, not to read, no B.S.

[M'Hael]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Arizona

On Monday, 11/19 I went to the local hospital outpatient surgery center for a cystoscopy and a lythotripsy for (you guessed it) multiple kidney stones. I think the largest they saw on the CT was 12mm, a few 6s and 5s and a couple of 3s.

Since I had some bleeding, the urologist wanted to do the cystoscopy to check the bladder and make sure something else wasn't wrong. He also indicated he most likely would place a stent to assist with the fragments. Cool.

Monday afternoon, I woke up and went home. Typical post-op pain, burning and bleeding. Passing stone dust like the kidney fairy. I take my percoset and go to bed.

Around 5am the next morning, I wake up in severe pain. I take some more painkillers and try to sleep it off. No good. I wake up every 10-15 minutes doubled over in a fetal position. You get the idea.

Around 7am I begin vomitting as that's the only comfortable thing I can do to relieve the pressure building. This continues until the urologist answers his phone around 11am. He advises to go to the ER and he will meet me there.

Get to the hospital, pain is 10 out of 10 and has been for hours. I get some dilaudid and it cuts the pain to about a 3 and lasts for about 45 minutes then the pain comes back. More dilaudid. Same deal. Then I get some toradol (wonderful) and i'm admitted.

Xrays show a 5 or 6mm stone blocking. The urologist shows up, says he's going to do another cystoscopy tomorrow and will put the stent in. Up until this point, I thought it was in.


Did somebody do something shady or is this just the nature of the beast? Thanks in advance!

 

[ecmst12]

Perhaps he did not think the stent was necessary at first. You should ask him.

 

[commentator]

So you thought you were getting a stent installed Monday, and you didn't? A person with a stent in the ureter can definitely experience the symptoms you describe, the violent cramping, vomiting, excruciating pain, the whole works. There are a couple of different kinds of stents and placements of them. Another kidney stone could also decide to move down at any time, which it sounds like one did.

Is it any better now? Do you now have the stent in? What did your doctor say when you asked him what sort of stent he was referring to and why he did not put it in earlier? I do not understand exactly why you are on a legal site asking about this. "Did someone do something shady?" Are you saying malpractice? It sounds a little premature to me, as we in my family have experienced several similar sounding episodes, and believe it to be in no way the fault of our very diligent doctor.

 

[M'Hael]

I was under the impression that I was getting "a" stent placed. I wasn't aware there were different kinds so I had no idea to ask. With the holiday after both surgeries, I'm having no luck contacting him.

I was also under the impression that he believed it necessary due to size and quantity of stones present based on the CT scan. I have the stent in, and am experiencing some of the minor problems that come with it, nothing more at the moment. I SAW my urologist for a total of about 15 minutes over those three days. That counts the pre-surgery talks, post surgery talks and the one visit after I was admitted. I might have asked had I been aware of it at the time. I didn't find out until I woke up thanksgiving morning and spoke to the attending.

I'm posting this here, because I figure the best people to ask about standards of care/practice are legal people. I'm not thinking malpractice. Negligence at most, but even then, I have no desire to pursue it. I'm simply asking (regardless of what the signature above says) because I want the best care possible and if I'm getting half-assed care here, I want to know so I can go someplace else. Maybe "shady" was a poor choice of words for this venue, but I meant did he follow proper protocols, or should I seek better health care elsewhere.


I live in a small-ish border town, with the current population increase due to snow-birds, who tie up the urologists, and medical direction is limited. Even my primary care (who was treating me for a prostate infection for 3 years before this started) admits the urlogist I was referred to was the best option in town with a shrug. Nearest three cities are Tucson (186m) Phoenix (about 200) and San Diego about (180).

 

[Proserpina]

I was under the impression that I was getting "a" stent placed. I wasn't aware there were different kinds so I had no idea to ask. With the holiday after both surgeries, I'm having no luck contacting him.

I was also under the impression that he believed it necessary due to size and quantity of stones present based on the CT scan. I have the stent in, and am experiencing some of the minor problems that come with it, nothing more at the moment. I SAW my urologist for a total of about 15 minutes over those three days. That counts the pre-surgery talks, post surgery talks and the one visit after I was admitted. I might have asked had I been aware of it at the time. I didn't find out until I woke up thanksgiving morning and spoke to the attending.

I'm posting this here, because I figure the best people to ask about standards of care/practice are legal people. I'm not thinking malpractice. Negligence at most, but even then, I have no desire to pursue it. I'm simply asking (regardless of what the signature above says) because I want the best care possible and if I'm getting half-assed care here, I want to know so I can go someplace else. Maybe "shady" was a poor choice of words for this venue, but I meant did he follow proper protocols, or should I seek better health care elsewhere.


I live in a small-ish border town, with the current population increase due to snow-birds, who tie up the urologists, and medical direction is limited. Even my primary care (who was treating me for a prostate infection for 3 years before this started) admits the urlogist I was referred to was the best option in town with a shrug. Nearest three cities are Tucson (186m) Phoenix (about 200) and San Diego about (180).

Nobody here can give you medical advice.

That would be incredibly irresponsible.

 

[M'Hael]

Thanks for replying. It's probably my fault that you assumed I was asking for medical advice. I thought I made it clear in my last response that I was looking for standards of care/protocols. Seeing as how SoC are very much a legal matter, I was hoping to find some insight into those standards.

Proserpina seems to think nobody here is qualified or maybe capable to cite relevant examples, perhaps I was wrong to see legal information from a legal forum.


My apologies.

 

[Proserpina]

Thanks for replying. It's probably my fault that you assumed I was asking for medical advice. I thought I made it clear in my last response that I was looking for standards of care/protocols. Seeing as how SoC are very much a legal matter, I was hoping to find some insight into those standards.

Proserpina seems to think nobody here is qualified or maybe capable to cite relevant examples, perhaps I was wrong to see legal information from a legal forum.


My apologies.

Okey dokey.

 

[M'Hael]

Oh my, I'm sorry. I just saw your signature. I should have been kinder to somebody with your affliction. Rough game today...

 

[Proserpina]

Oh my, I'm sorry. I just saw your signature. I should have been kinder to somebody with your affliction. Rough game today...

Is that all you've got?!

Seriously?!

*guffaw*

 

[Proserpina]

(And seriously - we lost, Saints lost, Ravens won - today SUCKED )

(Then we've got the Giants kicking Aaron's butt from here to eternity!)

 

[ecmst12]

Cheering for the Giants totally makes me a traitor, but I can't help it. I'm just pretending the Eagles don't exist for the rest of the year.

 

[Proserpina]

Cheering for the Giants totally makes me a traitor, but I can't help it. I'm just pretending the Eagles don't exist for the rest of the year.

Hehehehe!

I feel your pain!

 

[commentator]

Aside from the football tragedy, I can make one more observation concerning your medical issue. I have found that it is a wonderful idea to take a "listener" with me when I have a medical procedure, especially one where they put you to sleep. In many cases, they require as much, or keep you longer due to the driving away while impaired issue.

But on the occasions when my husband has had bladder, kidney stone and kidney stent and stent removal experiences, the doctor called me and explained to me very carefully what he had done and why he had done it. Each time, the patient came out of anesthesia, came home, and the next day had really only very cloudy recall of what the doctor said and what he had been told. The paperwork he was given was not very clear, either.

You mentioned taking a good bit of high powered pain medication. You were anesthetized. You have really no idea what your doctor said to you before and after the procedures and while you were being discharged. Do some research on the internet, get a feel for your condition, and now that you are not experiencing an emergency, it would be a good idea to locate a urologist that you have more faith in. Kidney and bladder issues can be so horribly painful that they actually make you hate the doctor and blame the nurses for what you're going through, and they can admittedly be botched. But if you walk in alone and walk out with only vague memories, you really can't tell whether you received appropriate treatment or not.

 

[ecmst12]

He also indicated he most likely would place a stent to assist with the fragments.

So, while he thought he might need to place a stent, after starting the procedure he decided it wouldn't be necessary. He turned out to be wrong. No negligence.