Last month I was diagnosed to have a kidney stone. The stone is lodged somewhere at the center of my kidney and about 0.5 cm in diameter. This was confirmed through a KUB ultrasound and urinalysis. Scary and bothersome? That’s what I felt too when I first found out about it.
Okay, so I did not just go to a doctor and said, ‘Doc, can you give me a request for a kidney ultrasound. I just feel like it’. Weeks prior to that, I have been feeling a bit of heaviness in my left side, somewhere along the waistline. It has actually been recurring months apart but not really painful (no sting, no throbbing), more like constipated feeling. You know the feeling when sometimes your chock load of s*&^ won’t come off for days? That’s the feeling. Mind you, my bowel and urine movement are normal.
The pain eventually came when I had another UTI (urinary track infection) attack days after. My last one was around last year and that time I was already given a recommendation to see a nephrologist (kidney specialist) and a urologist (urine specialist) as something else maybe causing the UTI to recur. I shrugged that off after the antibiotics cured me.
So now, I think it came back with a vengeance.
After interpreting my ultrasound result, my nephro gave me two options on how to get rid of the stones:
- Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy or ESWL – some mistakenly call this as Laser treatment but according to the doctor, laser is not used but rather a shock wave which aims to break or crash the stone into pieces (non surgical procedure). The broken stones should pass through my body when I urinate. It could be painful (or not depending on the size of the stones) as there are bits and pieces that will pass through very small ureter and urethra. Ouch. This is an out patient procedure but one will feel like he's been through a boxing match after.
- Medication – I will be given a medication which will help flush out the stone off my body. However, the medicine will not help minimize or breakdown the stone so there is a great possibility that it will come out the same size at it was diagnosed. Double ouch!
Fast forward to today, three weeks I saw my doctor and I still haven’t decided which route to take. I’m planning to consult a urologist also. I’m planning to have a repeat ultrasound. I’m planning to leave it to fate and just wait till it naturally flushes out of my body one fine day. Actually, I think these are just my delaying tactics, delaying the inevitable. But seriously, a second opinion is top of mind. One happy thought for now: for my case surgery is not necessary.
Meanwhile, I am following some herbalist (named MOM) advice and bought kugon or cogon root, boiled them and drank the extremely bitter juice everyday. It is believed to help flush out kidney stones since its diuretic. It can also treat UTI and even arthritis. My husband was skeptical, ‘That’s your poison’ he would say but I drink it anyway.
The doctor also prescribed me Sambong capsules while I think things over. It has the same medicinal value as cogon root.
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| http://www.filipinoherbshealingwonders.filipinovegetarianrecipe.com/kugon.htm |
Husband also bought me a 1.3L jug which I should bring to work. I have the tendency to forgo drinking water or taking a wee break if I get too engrossed at work. With the constant supply of water, I have no reason to forget drinking water.
Doctor says each person should be drinking 8-12 glasses of water each day, plus 2 glasses for every cup of coffee we drink. Add more water if you have regular physical activity like running, aero,etc.
I'm giving myself a few more weeks to decide. Hope I make the right (and brave) move.
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