A tired mom was rushed into emergency surgery after doctors discovered a potentially dangerous infection in her kidney that she says stemmed from her weekly energy drink habit.
Alison Dunn, 25, had been drinking one 12oz can of an energy drink four times a week for just seven months when she began feeling an excruciating pain in her right side.
She said she had started buying energy drinks to combat her early morning starts after getting a new job in a warehouse, as well as tackle the 'exhaustion' of being a busy mom-of-two.
But in March 2025, Dunn showed up for her shift and began feeling a dull ache in her lower right side.
Eventually, the pain became excruciating, describing it as 'worse than childbirth,' and she began vomiting.
As Dunn's symptoms worsened, she was rushed to the hospital where tests revealed she had a 6.5mm kidney stone - which is considered large - blocking her urethra, the tube through which urine passes.
She also had an enlarged, infected kidney, which can be serious if not treated. It can lead to kidney disease, irreversible kidney damage, kidney failure requiring transplant, and sepsis - a deadly reaction to an infection.
Dunn said that doctors suggested her sudden kidney issues may have been due to her regular consumption of energy drinks and advised her to stop drinking the beverages immediately.
The Florida native said: 'I work in the warehouse industry and I work really early hours. I was waking up at 5am, so on the way to work I would stop at the gas station and get [an energy drink].
'This was four days a week. I’d only drink it those days. It was only for the job. I’m also a mom so I’m always tired. Even on my days off I was exhausted most of the time. It became a habit.
'I wouldn’t say I was addicted - I didn’t crave it on my days off, but I was definitely reliant on it when I knew I had a long day.'
The day she went to the hospital, Dunn said it was 'a regular day for me.'
'I had my [drink] that morning, got to work and I started to have a dull ache in my lower right side,' she added.
'Then it continued to get worse and I started to feel really nauseous. I left work and then threw up all over my car and all over myself. After I took a shower, the pain became excruciating.'
Dunn's partner drove her to the hospital where a CT scan revealed the kidney stone, enlarged kidney and infection.
Kidney stones affect approximately 600,000 Americans a year. The stones are pebble-like clumps of minerals that form in the urinary system.
Kidneys filter waste from the blood, producing urine to carry it out, but when certain minerals from food and drink - most commonly calcium and oxalate - become too concentrated in the urine, they can begin to crystallize.
Normally, these tiny crystals are flushed out without notice. But when urine is concentrated - often due to dehydration - they can stick together and grow. Over time, they form hard, jagged stones.
Trouble begins when a stone moves into the ureter. The tube is narrow, and as the stone scrapes along its lining or blocks it entirely, pressure builds behind it in the kidney.
That is what triggers the hallmark symptom: intense, wave-like pain that radiates from the lower back to the groin, often leaving sufferers pacing, sweating and unable to find relief.
Some notice blood in their urine or feel a constant urge to urinate despite passing very little. Others experience nausea so severe that they begin vomiting.
There is a possible connection between energy drinks and kidney stones, Dr Veeraish Chauhan, a kidney specialist, wrote for Very Well Health. The main concern with these types of drinks is that they can be high in sugar and high-sugar intake is linked to kidney stones.
A 12-ounce can, which is considered one serving, of a popular brand contains about 39 grams of sugar. The daily recommendation for sugar intake is about 30 grams.
He also said the caffeine and sodium content of the drinks can contribute to kidney stones as well.
Additionally, if people are drinking energy drinks, they may be less likely to drink water and dehydration is also linked to an increased risk in kidney stones.
Dunn was rushed into surgery where a laser broke down her kidney stone into smaller pieces. This allows the body to naturally pass the stone in urine. She was discharged from the hospital four days later.
Now, she is urging others to be 'mindful' of their own energy drink consumption and has vowed never to touch energy drinks again.
Dunn said: 'I was super shocked. I drink water on a regular basis. I’d never had any kidney issues prior to this.
‘The first thing my urologist asked me was "Do [you] drink energy drinks?" They were confident that was the cause. He said I definitely need to stop. I’m very lucky the infection in my kidney didn’t spread to my blood.
‘Once you get kidney stones, it’s very easy for you to get them again so if I were to begin drinking energy drinks again, I would definitely encounter the same issues.
‘I’ll never drink energy drinks again. It was the worst pain of my life; it was worse than childbirth. I don’t think a few hours of energy is worth the toll it takes on your body.’