Kidney stone work advice

Question/ Request for advice

I work in a school and this will be my 4th week since starting. I’ve been off for one day before and I’m off for today because I had a flare up of pain. I am so embarrassed and anxious because I’m so new. They do always ask if I should be there and I should put my health first but I feel guilty and like they don’t believe me even though a manager always checks on me. How would you deal with this situation? I do force myself to go in despite the pain but I can’t deal with the pain sometimes. I can’t exactly take time off until I’m seen by urology

For context, im a female in my early 20’s and have multiple staghorn calculi up to 14mm in size. I have pain everyday and some days like today I can barely stand up because of the pain. I have been given pain killers like codeine and co-drydamol but they make me physically ill. I was diagnosed at the end of November 2025 and my first urology appointment isn’t until the end of February 2026. So I likely won’t have a procedure until March/april. I have recurrent UTI’s which is the reason I even got diagnosed, I’m currently on antibiotics for my 5th uti in 3 months. Do you think I should be pushing my doctors more? I’m unlikely to pass any stones naturally and I can’t keep taking time off work because I’m in pain constantly. Are flare ups of pain normal?

Posted Jan 12, 2026, 7:47 AM UTC

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