Dear Just Answer:

My name is Cal Moore. I am a 44 year old male, 5'11", 189 lbs. I am in good physical shape, as I live in the Rocky Mountains at about 7800 ft elevation and hike, snowshoe and/or ski the back country near my house about 3 times a week. I had a stress test with an echocardiogram in October of 2004 and was told I have no visible problems and my heart was in excellent health. (There was actually a problem getting my heart rate up to their desired level even after 15 minutes on the treadmill at high speeds.) Approximately 11 months ago I had an episode with a kidney stone, (my first), and experienced all the typical symptoms (3 hours of severe pain, starting in left mid back and moving down toward groin, chills, nausea, etc.) which then subsided and gave me no further problems. Although I never did notice if I actually passed the stone from my bladder since I wasn't straining my urine, I assume it passed nonetheless.

Approximately 16 days ago I began to experience the symptoms of another kidney stone on the same side (left). The onset was more gradual and less severe, with the only really painful bout coming 15 days ago in the middle of the night for only about 45 minutes. There was also a 1" thread of blood passed the following morning. Otherwise, my urine has been blood-free, clear and without unusual smells. Since I have been drinking copious amounts of water since the symptoms began, I have been urinating frequently and without pain or problems. There are no tender spots, just the dull ache in my mid-lower back radiating toward the groin. I have since researched further and discovered that it is not unusual to take 4 weeks to pass a stone, so I am not particularly worried about the back pain.

However, what I am concerned about is the onset of some other symptoms during this bout that were not present during the last bout (although admittedly the last bout seemed to be an "extreme pain, pass-it-all-at-once" type of episode vs. the more gradual and less severe episode this time). The additional symptoms are as follows:

1.) Pain also on the right side, more localized to the upper groin area than the back.

2.) Occasional dizziness

3.) Abdominal bloating and discomfort, generalized below the stomach. Pressing in reveals a slightly tight feeling that seems to exert outward pressure when released. No tender spots or pain when any abdominal areas are pressed, just a general feeling of discomfort. Please note: although stools are slightly more segmented than usual, bowel movements are still regular at 1-2 times a day, and stools are normal size and color with no dark spots, tarriness, or unusually thin stools.

4.) Occasional shortness of breath, although this may be a by-product of the bloated feeling, as it seems to make me want to take shallower breaths leading to an occasional deeper one.

5.) Occasional headaches, although this may not be related at all, as they feel pretty much the same as a normal tension headache that I experience from time to time when all is normal.

In Summary, I just wanted to ask if these additional symptoms are to be expected with a slow-moving kidney stone, or if they signify the possibility of a different problem.
If the probability of a different problem is high, please include in your reply a prioritized list of tests most likely to quickly diagnose the problem, from most likely first to least likely last. (The reason for this request is because I am uninsured and would have to pay for all tests, and thus may only be able to afford one or two for now.)

I will await your advice on this matter. Thank you in advance for your help.

Cal Moore


Optional Information:
Male , Age: 44

Already Tried:
Pain releivers, lots of fluids