Patient journeyONGOING

Having a 5x5x7 taken out in a few weeks

Stone Fighter #97CA31Sep 23, 2026👁️ 1.6k❤️ 114

Strategy: Patient journey

Hey all - my doc stumbled on a kidney stone inside me by accident (they were looking for other shit but that's all they turned up 😁) it's a 5x5x7mm sucker.

It's getting removed via scheduled surgery in a few weeks. I've had zero issues with it and had no clue it was even there. It's probably been sitting there for years.

Anyone else been through something similar? Is the stone gonna start messing with me now that it knows I'm coming after it? How does the size stack up against these things? Did I land a big one or am I still in the little leagues?

Comments (2)

Stone Fighter #17A9FESep 23, 2026

for me, a stone that size lands in the "1 week to 2 months of medium level torture (anywhere from 1 to 36 hours of heavy pain with no sleeping or eating, once or twice a week)" bracket, assuming it winds up in the urether with no surgery it doesnt usually make it into the urether for me though, unless heavy exercise, vibrations or alcohol are involved.

Stone Fighter #97CA31Sep 23, 2026

Thanks :) what counts as heavy exercise for you? I'm a runner and figured I'd stick to slow running, zone2 / 3 level, right up until the day before surgery. Other than that I don't exercise, but I walk a ton. Like, a ton. I don't drink alcohol at all.

Stone Fighter #17A9FESep 23, 2026

running, trampoline, jump rope, roller coasters all great for clearing out small stones (<3 mm), but a lot less fun once the stone is already big enough to cause a full block in your urether sometimes I've also knocked a stone loose just from walking/bicycling a long distance

Stone Fighter #97CA31Sep 23, 2026

I've got no blockage yet though. My urine's flowing like a river. But from what you're saying, if I wanna keep it that way, running isn't a smart move, even at low intensity.

Stone Fighter #432B42Sep 23, 2026

I carried a 5mm in my left kidney for 9 years. I run a lot, and even a marathon didn't shake it loose. Then one day it just moved and it was absolute misery. It was too big to fit into the ureter and I had to suffer through 2 weeks before surgery. Luckily the surgery was easy and I didn't need a stent. I did go back a month later to preventatively take out 2 more non obstructive stones from the right kidney so I wouldn't get another obstruction down the road. I needed a stent that time, but i...

Stone Fighter #97CA31Sep 23, 2026

Thanks for sharing :) honestly I'm not too worried, if it starts to move it'll be painful but I know exactly who to call and where to go. I'm in a big city so help is nearby. Though my doc did tell me "You've probably had this for years and and you could've gone years more without ever noticing it."

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