When can I shower after ureteroscopy?
If present, you may shower immediately after discharge but please no baths until the stent is removed. If the stent is placed without a string Page 5 you may take a bath after being discharged. Prior to discharge from the hospital you will be told if the stent has a string attached to it.
You may return to your normal diet and light activity, as tolerated, after surgery but avoid driving while on narcotic pain medications. Please avoid any heavy lifting more than 10 lbs or strenuous physical activities altogether for several days and then ease back into your regular activity.
Most patients are able to perform normal, daily activities within 5-7 days after ureteroscopy. However, many patients describe more fatigue and discomfort with a ureteral stent in the bladder. This may limit the amount of activities that you can perform.
For several hours after the procedure you may have a burning feeling when you urinate. This feeling should go away within a day. Drinking a lot of water can help. You may have some blood in your urine for 2 or 3 days.
Your provider will likely prescribe medicines for you to take at home. This may include a pain medicine and an antibiotic to prevent infection. Take these as instructed. Drink 4 to 6 glasses of water a day to dilute your urine and help flush out your urinary tract.
- NO lifting heavy objects (anything greater than 10 lbs) for 4 weeks.
- NO driving a car and limit long car rides for 2 weeks.
- NO strenuous exercise, limit stair climbing to minimum for 4 weeks.
- NO severe straining during bowel movements – take a laxative if necessary.
- Green leafy vegetables like spinach, mustard, and beet greens.
- Cabbage, cauliflower, tomatoes.
- Banana, mango, apricot, grapes.
- Nuts like almond and cashew.
- Alcohol.
- Soft drinks.
- Soda.
- Caffeinated drinks like tea and coffee.
Postoperative Instructions
If present, you may shower immediately after discharge but please no baths until the stent is removed. If the stent is placed without a string Page 5 you may take a bath after being discharged. Prior to discharge from the hospital you will be told if the stent has a string attached to it.
After the procedure, urine may flow better from your kidneys to your bladder. A ureteral stent may be left in place for several days or for as long as several months. Your doctor will take it out when you no longer need it. Or, in some cases, it may be taken out at home.
You may have bloody urine, possibly with some small clots. You may also have “achy” pain due to ureteral spasms. This generally only last a few hours, but should resolve over the next 2-3 days. Sometimes, mild discomfort can last up to 2 weeks.
Can I drink coffee after ureteroscopy?
Because of the raw urinary tract surfaces, alcohol, spicy foods, and drinks with caffeine may cause some irritation or frequency of urination and should be used in moderation. To keep your urine flowing freely and to avoid constipation, drink plenty of fluids during the day (8-10 glasses.) Water is the best.
Some blood in the urine is normal after a ureteroscopic procedure. Urine colors can range from light pink to reddish and can even have a brownish hue — but you can typically see through it. Medications to help with the burning sensation can turn the urine into an orange or blue color.
Other potential sources of pain include ureteral spasm (7, 8), mucosal irritation, ischemia, inflammation, and activation of chemoreceptors (9, 10). During ureteroscopy, forced irrigation causes distention of the renal collecting system.
Most patients will feel better within a few days; however, do not lift, push or pull any heavy objects until after your doctor says it is OK. Full recovery takes six weeks to allow for internal healing.
Ureteroscopy is typically performed under general anesthesia, and the procedure usually lasts from one to three hours. If the stone is small, it may be snared with a basket device and removed whole from the ureter.
Your healthcare provider gently pulls on the string to remove the ureteral stent. If you need a ureteral stent for a few weeks or longer, the stent won't have a string. Your provider removes the stent during a minor office procedure. You may get X-rays or an ultrasound before removal.
Conclusion: Routine placement of a ureteral stent is not mandatory in patients without complications after ureteroscopic lithotripsy for impacted ureteral stones.
Bananas may be a particularly helpful remedy against kidney stones, as they are rich in potassium, vitamin B6 and magnesium and low in oxalates. Studies have shown that consuming a banana per day can help reduce the likelihood of developing kidney problems.
Diet guidelines to prevent calcium phosphate stones
Limit animal protein: Consuming animal protein increase the risk of developing kidney stones. It's always recommended limiting animal protein such as milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, chicken, mutton, beef, pork, especially organ meats.
Most animal sources of protein increase the level of uric acid and reduce the level of citrate in urine. Citrate is important in preventing stone formation. Therefore, you should avoid eating large quantities of red meat, poultry, chicken, pork, eggs and fish which contain large quantities of citrate.
Can you shower with ureteral stent?
Water is the best fluid to drink. You may have a bath or shower. Wash between your legs each day with mild soap and water. For patients with a urethra, pat dry the area around the urethra after passing urine or having a bath or shower.
If stitches, staples, or glue were used to close your skin, you may take a shower. If tape strips were used to close your skin, cover the wounds with plastic wrap before showering for the first week. Do not try to wash the tape strips off. Let them fall off on their own.
You will also get a prescription for pain pills. You can use these prescription pain pills in addition to acetaminophen every for hours. Do not exceed 4000mg acetaminophen per day. You may also be given a prescription for tamsulsin (Flomax), this helps relax the urinary system and ease discomfort from the stent.
Recent findings: Though it has been extensively studied, the exact cause of stent-related symptoms remains unknown but is likely related to irritation of the bladder by the distal curl of the stent and reflux of urine through the stent up to the renal pelvis and transmission of high pressures associated with this.
-It is common to feel pain in your back (on the side of your body where the stent is) when passing urine. For most patients the symptoms are minor and can be tolerated. -Occasionally the stent may developed a crystal coating on its surface.
