[smithereyenes]

I am new here and even though this will be my 4th stone, I could use some advice.

A little over a year ago, my kidney was aching so I went to the doctor. Sure enough, they found a 3.2mm stone in my right kidney. It was not blocking anything so I chose to just wait and see.

More than a year later, my kidney is bothering me again. It is just an ache. Not severe by any means but more painful than a year ago and enough to remind me that this stupid thing is sitting there. (On a scale of 1-10, I would rate the pain as a 3.) The pain is not constant....just sort of comes and goes with different intensity but nothing where I have ever even needed Tylenol. I often feel a "heaviness" too on that side. (if that makes any sense??)

I went back to the doctor and they rescanned me. The stone is in the same place as last year and not blocking anything but has increased in size from 3.2mm to 3.6mm. The doctor is pretty much leaving the decision to treat or not up to me.

What do I do? Wait for this to likely continue to grow and at some point dislodge itself from my kidney and make an emergency room trip (which by the way is about 50 or so miles from my house) or have costly lithotripsy surgery? I don't want to overreact but I don't want to underreact too. Advice?

[mbpress01]

3.2mm stones is small and you are lucky. I had done it all, ESWL and ureteroscopy with stent and my suggestion as this point is to start to exercise like crazy (running 2-4 miles a day) and drink 1+ gallons or water. My guess is that it will eventually move and pass since it is small enough. It is doesn't move in a few months you probably have no option except ESWL and it is pretty easy procedure. It may or may not work and in my case it didn't work so it is not optimal but it may in yours.

Best option - exercise like crazy and water water water.

Good luck.