Kidney Stones
People who have had kidney stones say there is nothing more painful. Kidney stones can develop in one or both kidneys. Some people get one kidney stone in their lifetime, others can get them more often.
People who have had kidney stones say there is nothing more painful. Kidney stones can develop in one or both kidneys. Some people get one kidney stone in their lifetime; others can get them more often.
Urine has no solids, but there are times when the crystals in urine join together to form a stone. Although several substances can form stones, the four most common are made of:
Your kidneys are the beginning or top part of your urinary system. Urine is filtered in the kidneys and comes down through the ureters into your bladder, one from each kidney. The urine is held in the urinary bladder until it is emptied when the urine passes through the urethra and out the urethral opening.
A risk with kidney stones is a kidney infection, which can lead to sepsis. Sepsis, which was often called blood poisoning, is the body’s life-threatening response to infection. Like strokes or heart attacks, sepsis is a medical emergency that requires rapid diagnosis and treatment.
Sepsis and septic shock can result from an infection anywhere in the body, such as pneumonia, influenza, or urinary tract infections. Worldwide, one-third of people who develop sepsis die. Many who do survive are left with life-changing effects, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), chronic pain and fatigue, organ dysfunction (organs don’t work properly), and/or amputations.
While we don’t know what causes stones to form, we do know that some stones form more easily than others. Dehydration and not consuming enough fluids can contribute to stone formation, as there may not be enough urine to wash out microscopic crystals.
Calcium stones, the most common kidney stones, seem to affect more men than women, and they are most often in the twenties when it happens.
Risks include:
Although food doesn’t cause stone formation, some people may be told to avoid high calcium foods if they are prone to developing stones.
Cystine stones are caused by a disorder that runs in families.
Struvite stones are virtually always caused by a urinary tract infection (UTI) due to an enzyme secreted by certain types of bacteria. Because people with shorter urethras have more UTIs, they also tend to develop more struvite stones. These stones can grow very large and block the kidney, ureter, or bladder.
Uric acid stones affect more men than women, and they can also occur in people who already get calcium stones. People who have high uric acid levels may have or develop gout.
Some people don’t feel kidney stones until they move and try to exit the kidney. Some symptoms include:
Because of the intense pain often caused by kidney stones, many people need pain relief. Many describe it as the worst pain they’ve ever felt.
If you have a kidney stone, you will be encouraged to drink a lot of water if you don’t have a medical condition that limits the amount you may have. The extra fluid is to help wash the stone through your urinary system.
If the stone doesn’t pass within a reasonable amount of time, your doctor may recommend extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL). Shock waves are sent through to the stone to break them down into smaller pieces that can be passed. Sometimes, surgery may be needed.
The stone should be removed because of the high risk of infection, which could – in turn – lead to sepsis.
While not all kidney stones can be prevented, there are ways to lower your risk of developing one or developing another one. The first and foremost way would be to drink enough fluids to ensure your urinary system gets flushed out well.
Your doctor could recommend avoiding certain types of foods, but that is an individual call. For certain types of stones, sometimes medications are prescribed to help reduce the risk.
If you suspect sepsis, call 9-1-1 or go to a hospital and tell your medical professional, “I AM CONCERNED ABOUT SEPSIS.”
The information here is also available as a Sepsis Information Guide, which is a downloadable format for easier printing.
Would you like to share your story about sepsis or read about others who have had sepsis? Please visit Faces of Sepsis, where you will find hundreds of stories from survivors and tributes to those who died from sepsis.
Suggested Citation: Sepsis Alliance. Sepsis and Kidney Stones. 2023. https://www.sepsis.org/sepsisand/kidney-stones/
Updated February 7, 2023.
I was not feeling good for about a week. Mostly fatigued. I have a history of kidney stones that I needed surgery for x2, frequent UTIs. On Monday September 18th, I developed chills and was vomiting. I did not have any signs or symptoms of a kidney stone or UTI. I thought I had the flu so I just slept and drank tea. On Thursday, Sept. 21st I developed a temp of 101.3 and my heart rate was 125 bpm. My husband took me to ER. I was in surgery for a ureteral stent placement for infected kidney stone, pyelonephritis ... Read Full Story
Submit Your StoryView More StoriesMy story as best as I remember and have been told: This was me at the beginning of January after day surgery for kidney stones gone wrong. (Sepsis and Kidney Stones, Sepsis and Surgery) I was in a coma on life support with organ failure and given very little chance to survive. But my husband told everyone “you obviously don’t know her”. I’m a very determined person and have a wonderful God who has plans for me ?. After a month in the hospital and then in rehab learning to walk again. I’ve lost all my hair, but thankfully it’s ... Read Full Story
Submit Your StoryView More StoriesI recently had severe sepsis after some pieces of a kidney stone lodged in my ureter following a lithotripsy. (Sepsis and Kidney Stones) It was one of those nightmare situations that rarely ever happens, but it did and it happened to me. I went from doing fine following the procedure to severe sepsis/multiple organ failure in about 36 hours. I had to have an emergency nephrostomy tube placed, and had cardiac complications while I was in the hospital. When I started to recover, my palms peeled and I now have chronic kidney disease at age 34 along with other complications… ... Read Full Story
Submit Your StoryView More StoriesJanuary 7th began with a sigh of relief. I had made it to 2nd semester and no one in my home was affected by COVID. At that point, this was a major accomplishment and I felt all of our precautions were successful. My husband noticed that my responses this particular evening were off. He found my answers odd and I seemed distracted. Following his instincts, he called 911. The operator asked him to ask me my name. I was able to muster the first syllable before losing consciousness. Within an hour of arriving at the hospital, I was placed on ... Read Full Story
Submit Your StoryView More StoriesAbout a couple weeks ago (currently the 17th of July) I was sent to the ER to find out I had a 8MM kidney stone, after blood work they had taken a different tone. I wasn’t aware I had sepsis until the second day in the hospital, they wanted to keep me calm until I had my surgeries. (Sepsis and Kidney Stones) My nurses and doctors were fantastic I am incredibly thankful they were so attentive and so kind when I was at my worst. I was told that if I waited a day it would have been fatal, I ... Read Full Story
Submit Your StoryView More StoriesPeople who have had kidney stones say there is nothing more painful. Kidney stones can develop in one or both kidneys. Some people get one kidney stone in their lifetime, others can get them more often.