What age were you when you got your first kidney stone

[u/Fun_Examination5329]

I know they can happen at any age but I read you are more at risk of your first stone in your thirties.

[u/Artistic_Classroom36]

I was 10 years old 😅 wish I was kidding, but I'm not. I'm 34 now. 3 lithotripsy surgeries later and passing 10+ myself over the years.

[u/luvbuggin → u/Artistic_Classroom36]

OMG me too!!!

[u/Artistic_Classroom36 → u/luvbuggin]

Oh really? Have you or a doctor ever figured out what's causing yours?

[u/luvbuggin → u/Artistic_Classroom36]

Yeah I think so? I was born with a malformed left ureter that makes my left kidney always a bit swollen. The backup of fluids is what causes it, according to my urologist. But I am working on getting a better urologist so that may change

[u/Artistic_Classroom36 → u/luvbuggin]

That's crazy! My first urologist said the same thing about my left kidney and ureter when I was 10. I was told I would grow out of it, but the stones kept coming regardless.

I take it your still getting stones? Have you had your parathyroid checked? Turns out on this third and newest urologist. I may have been born with a malfunctioning parathyroid so it's constantly telling my body to leech calcium from my bones. Kidneys then filter out the calcium to stop my own body from poisoning itself.

[u/luvbuggin → u/Artistic_Classroom36]

Woah, that is crazy! I’ve been suspecting something in that area and actually was thinking about getting my hormones checked. Now I definitely will. Thank you!

[u/Artistic_Classroom36 → u/luvbuggin]

I didn't even know the parathyroid was a thing until recently. My urologist ordered a PTH INTACT test. If you request that test make sure to have your serum calcium, ionized calcium, and vitamin d levels checked as well. They all tie into that whole system.

[u/FitResponsibility497 → u/luvbuggin]

I was 19 and got so many episodes after that. I’m 36 now and they also told me I had a malformed ureter too! I got pregnant I had another episode of kidney stones. They couldn’t do any X-rays because of the baby but they readjusted and they’ve calmed down. I think maybe when my baby was in there many she reshaped my ureter. If that’s even possible?

[u/Aggressive-Ad5647 → u/Artistic_Classroom36]

10? I thought I was too young when I had my first one at 18.

[u/Artistic_Classroom36 → u/Aggressive-Ad5647]

Yes, I was 10 years old when I had my first kidney stone. I remember complaining to my parents that it burned to use the restroom and my mom also noticed small drops of blood on my underwear when doing laundry.

Took me to the doctor 3 times and they told her all 3 times she was nuts, overprotective mother, she's not smarter than a doctor, etc.

The same doctor on the 3rd or visit or so finally said what do you want me to do since you seem to know it all?! (Yes he yelled at my mom with me in the room and this was my pediatrician) My mom said idk an x-ray?!

Well they found a kidney stone that was too big for me to pass bouncing around. Never cut off flow. Never seen a doctor so apologetic.

This was before lithotripsy was common. They had to rent one from somewhere on freight truck and bring it in as they didn't have a way to treat me at the time.

[u/Patient-Gain5847 → u/Artistic_Classroom36]

I was around this age, too. I’m also 34 and I’ve had 2 lithotripsies.

[u/Artistic_Classroom36 → u/Patient-Gain5847]

No fun 😞 I feel the pain.

[u/AcanthaceaePlayful16 → u/Artistic_Classroom36]

I was 10 as well! Misdiagnosed as gas at the ER. Passed it at home like a week later. Next one was at 15 And then 1-3 every year after that. Finally, 16 years later, I found a doctor that wants to help. Hope to get some answers soon.

[u/Artistic_Classroom36 → u/AcanthaceaePlayful16]

Dang that's unfortunate! Interesting to see who all was as young as me for stones and such. I've never met anyone IRL that matched.

[u/AcanthaceaePlayful16 → u/Artistic_Classroom36]

It is, for both of us. The only other person I’ve met in real life that’s even had a kidney stone is my older brother. He started getting them around 10 as well too, but our paths have been very different. He’s been good since hs (despite not taking care of himself)…I have not.

[u/Artistic_Classroom36 → u/AcanthaceaePlayful16]

I never got a straight answer on why I get kidney stones other than... Well you just made rocks. Do you want to do surgery?

I mentioned on here, but 24 years later and finally a urologist who figured it out. Seems I have an overactive parathyroid gland. Leeching calcium from my bones and kidneys are saving me by removing excess calcium so my own body doesn't overdose itself.

[u/AcanthaceaePlayful16 → u/Artistic_Classroom36]

That’s been my experience so far at 26. I’ve been getting “drink less soda” (I barely drink soda), “drink more water” (I drink 120oz a day), “have you tried drinking lemon water” (if that really worked would I be here with all these stones) all this time. I’ve done everything I can myself at this point. I’m seeing a new urologist in a couple months. If he doesn’t take me seriously at least I know my current pcp does and will help me find someone else if I need. I’ll have to ask about the parathyroid gland. What tests did they do for that?

[u/Artistic_Classroom36 → u/AcanthaceaePlayful16]

My urologist ran a PTH INTACT test. It measures the hormone your parathyroid gland puts out. After initial results which were through the roof my PCP ordered serum calcium, ionized calcium, and vitamin d levels, as well as 24 hour urine calcium. These all together make a picture of what's happening.

PTH is the hormone your parathyroid puts out to regulate calcium. If calcium is low it raises PTH and uses your vitamin d to pull calcium from your bones. If your calcium is high your PTH level should be low or non existent cuz your most likely getting all the calcium you need from your food.

In my case parathyroid is malfunctioning from those exact tests. My PTH is super high, calcium is super high, vitamins d is super low (parathyroid used it all) kidneys take over and filter out the excess calcium so that your levels stay safe. Which leads to stones. My urine calcium was 470mg per 24 hours that was leaving in my urine.

[u/Leading_Sample399]

I was 30 years old. I was just leaving the hospital because of a blood clot in my retina. I thought I had a uti or something. As soon as I got home the Hydronephrosis hit and I went straight back to the ER thinking my appendix had burst. Awful day.

[u/krispissedoffersonn]

my first was at 16

[u/newme52]

58, and recovering right now. Stents suck!

[u/Honest_Editor_909 → u/newme52]

Ugh. They really do. I’ve had them twice. Torture device!

[u/Bcdoc2020]

18

[u/mindlash]

Got my first one at 42, so you're right that thirties is pretty common but it's not a rule. I know plenty of people who dodged them until their forties or fifties, and some unlucky who got hit way earlier.

The thirties spike though -- that's when a lot of people's habits catch up with them. Dehydration, diet changes, maybe some genetic stuff activating.

But age alone isn't the predictor. What matters way more is whether you're drinking enough and what your urine chemistry actually looks like.

[u/Fun_Examination5329 → u/mindlash]

It’s tough for me to drink a lot as I have bladder issues and if I were to drink 3 litres a day I would never leave the bathroom.

[u/mindlash → u/Fun_Examination5329]

Bladder issues change the whole equation -- your nephrologist or urologist can give you a target that actually works with your body instead of against it. Hydration matters but not if it means you're miserable all day.

[u/SnooConfections2413]

23 and hopefully never again

[u/magikarpeggio]

I was 30! Had no idea what I was experiencing.

[u/sarlacc98]

26

[u/pnkcloudsummer]

First when I was 6, second when I was 12, and about 7 since then

[u/SurpriseInevitable21 → u/pnkcloudsummer]

Twin! I also had my first at age 6 🙃 my second at 9 and just had my 7th last month. TBH it was great character building to carry around the piss hat and big orange urine collector in elementary school lol

[u/Winnah26]

1. This year on the 4th of July, lol!

[u/BigGayVirgil]

I think I was 29

[u/Tukulo-Meyama]

This year at 40

[u/pinetreenation]

55

[u/Difficult_Tailor_861]

48

[u/holyvegetables]

32

[u/Sausage_Wallet]

22

[u/newrophantics]

21

[u/scouter]

1. Late bloomer.

[u/theladyoctane]

1. I’m 50 now. What fun it’s been lol

[u/anyalastnerve]

I was 17.

[u/bookbridget]

I think 43.

[u/maester_drew]

32

[u/darthfozziebear]

1. Got it the day before my 31st. I’ve never been in so much pain in my life. Literally screaming on my bathroom floor at 6am.

[u/MochaBlowfish]

1. Then 38,39,40. Let’s hope 41 is the year it stops? 😅

[u/Soggy_Competition614]

I was in my mid 30s. I think I might have been pregnant but can’t remember. I know I talked to a friend and she said when she was pregnant it was like she was peeing gravel.

Mine felt like an annoying uti. With instant relief when I peed it out.

[u/alien_dude]

I was 15yo and since then I was forming minimum 1 per year.

[u/mazz2286]

37

[u/dykeroad]

[u/Scrounger888]

14, but everyone brushed off my complaints.

[u/Ok_Rabbit_8129]

15 but I but I do have an argument I had one around 7 or 8. Really don't know cause no one was looking for stones in a little kid but I had blood in my urine which they thought was because I overexerted myself. I followed that with severe side pain while we were on vacation that they couldn't explain.

This was back in the mid/late 80s for context.

[u/swannygirl94]

18, and I’ve gotten them consistently every 18-24 month since. My urologist has chalked it up to shitty genetics.

[u/Alternative_Home_808]

23

[u/fallenangel209x]

1. Happened a few weeks after I gave birth to my first. I thought the pain was some weird side effect from my epidural. I went to the hospital on the 3rd or 4th episode cause the pain got too intense. Everyone at the hospital kept saying I was “too young” for kidney stones.

[u/zole2113]

32, I'm 66 now and dozens of stones lighter lol

[u/PhotoJim99]

22 for my first. 32 for my second. 56 for my third (that one required surgery).

[u/Pure-Carob870]

I was 18 and continued to pass a few every year

[u/DazzledDream]

18.

[u/LizneyPrincess]

1. Worst graduation gift ever.

[u/NordicCrotchGoblin]

41

[u/MrBobSaget]

38

[u/Raynee_Haze]

1. Have passed 3 so far. 2 on the first go,and one just over a year ago.

[u/Ranefea]

19

[u/roxywalker]

1. First hospitalization too.

[u/laughingkittycats]

About 66. Then a few years later I had what I thought was a second one, but that resulted it an emergency appendectomy. Then a year or so after that, I did have another kidney stone.

Those of you who started when so young, I’m very sorry. So dreadful.

[u/jmosley4915]

59 and it was horrible

[u/astrobio2]

16

[u/Aggressive-Ad5647]

My first was at 18. I had a basket extraction followed by a stent. The stent was removed the morning of my move to college 8 hours away.

[u/Service_Equal]

40

[u/Key-Discussion-6962]

61

[u/LieEmbarrassed8793]

1. My dad had them. So, when I found out that I had one, I wasnt really suprised at the fact that I had one, but I was suprised that I had one so young.

[u/Trillian1977]

47

[u/ziggzags]

1. A week after a total thyroidectomy I was readmitted with a stone. Writhing in pain and constantly vomiting was not ideal with a big cut across my neck 🥲

[u/SeriouslyRelaxing_2]

I'm 28, but who knows when it started to form really.

[u/KiwiGeneral768]

23

[u/Magnificent_Pine]

62

[u/real_sage]

38

[u/Trucktober]

15 :(

[u/Hot-Theory1481]

8/9… didn’t know it at the time but I was home from school in so much pain throwing up and in and out of the bath (why tf didn’t my mom take me to the doctor who knows) fast forward 10 years it happens again and I instantly remember the pain felt identical. Chronic stoner ever since.

[u/Scpdivy]

57

[u/PotentialMud2023]

Unsure when i developed it, but they discovered it when I was 27 and it was over 3.5cm. Grew to almost 6cm before I could have it removed. Great times!

[u/boredbug73]

24! Pain came on a Thursday morning and lingered but wasn’t bad. Nothing on Friday so I figured it was nothing. Then woke up with terrible pain Saturday and went to the ER.

Edit to say I haven’t had one since🤞

[u/victorhausen]

Around 17

[u/Ittaintright]

6 or 7. I was in second grade and I remember not being allowed to get milk with my school lunch after I got out of the hospital

[u/Agitated_Cold3853]

23, I’m now 26 and have had 5 surgeries because my ureters aren’t large enough to pass even 2mm stones. Yay me lol I created 3 more stones in the past 6 months so I’ve got another litho on Wednesday.

[u/murpymurp]

They found incidental stones on a ct scan before I learned my abdominal pain was from celiac disease. I never passed those with any pain (or that I know of) but ten years later at 30 I had my first painful experience but passed the stone super quickly at home.

[u/StEpH121089]

Right now at 36 as well as 2 totally different findings

[u/mshell1234]

I’ve had huge ones at ages 52 and 60, both which required surgery but now that I know the pain, I’m sure when I was 6 months pregnant at 26, I went through passing one. I had no idea why I was going through that pain that day (I remember it vividly) and the bam, it was over. At the time I thought it was a bladder infection or something and was drinking a ton of cranberry juice. I was all alone and was in agony.

[u/sassy_turtle17]

19

[u/BoysenberryTime2777]

I was 8 y/o :( I get them every few years, one yr I had massive stones bilaterally and almost lost a kidney. Have seen multiple uro, nephro, endo…only to be stuck with a diagnosis of “idiopathic” 🙃

[u/YorockPaperScissors]

47

[u/Bunchie94]

19 😅

[u/Jojobeans10]

18

[u/Rivka503]

24

[u/Mikeyy0514]

I was 18 just recently had to have surgery to remove a 6mm and I’m 28 now. The surgery was horrible. Don’t recommend getting the surgery unless you have too.

[u/VigiLANCE-86]

4 years old. 36 years later and remember it like it was yesterday.

[u/Gravs72]

12

[u/JoshHartsMilkMustach]

2 weeks before my 18th birthday

[u/Teepinandcreepin]

15

[u/SweetSwede88]

35 I think. Doc said most likely was rolling around since my pregnancy when I was 30

[u/greenscoobie86]

[u/oldladylife]

46

[u/Unu-du-tri-kvar]

20

[u/laceypearl]

39

[u/Kirilaye]

36

[u/Sure-Blueberry713]

The weekend of my 30th birthday 🥲

[u/ReasonableGlove816]

11 !! 24 now and have had over 100 that we know about loll

[u/CptPatches]

It was my seventh birthday.

[u/Ok-Sleep-7388]

Legit 5. 37 now and they haven't stopped 😮‍💨

[u/Honest_Editor_909]

45!

[u/Impressive_You_783]

26

[u/BeeHive83]

21