The truth about kidney stones

So they are more common than we think. Both hubby and I have been victims.

Bottomline from doc is that we need to drink 8-10 glasses of water every day. Period.

But there are many other things I hear, especially back home, where foods like spinach and tomatoes are to be avoided..

Please share your knowledge and experience in this area so we can all try our best to avoid going through this painful ordeal.

Re: The truth about kidney stones

Common reasons for kidney stones are dehyration and urine infections combined with certain dietary items containing oxalates.

Yes tomatoes and spniach like food items have oxalates and can lead to stone in kidney and its tubes called ureters.

Some uncommon diseases like gout, crohn’s disease also lead to stone formation.

Long topic so I will cut it short.

Prevention is by keeping hydrated. Avoiding oxalate food. Treat other diseases like gout.

Drink lots of fluids. Fasting in Ramadaan may be difficult and should be checked with the doctor especially in hot summer days.

Certain drugs like potassium citrate (tablet or liquid), by keeping urine alkaline , eating calcium tablet with food which has high oxalates may be helpful if stones are oxalate kind.

Some water pills like hydrochlorothiazides (HCTZ) help reduce oxalate in urine.

Vitamin C can cause stones also.

Interestingly Tea (both green and black) has oxalate. So NO to :chai:

Re: The truth about kidney stones

8-9 glasses a day?!

All my water intake is like 3-4 glasses and thats only during the night when I am literally going nuts with thirst

Re: The truth about kidney stones

It doesnt JUST have to be water, it can be juices (not alot though), fruit, soups and veggies. Those kind of foods already have a lot of water in em....so they can supplement the 8-10 requirement.

Re: The truth about kidney stones

No, the doc specifically said all juices don't count. The key is water.

So what if you don't have any of the other conditions such as gout, etc. Diwana?

Re: The truth about kidney stones

damn really? :bummer:

Re: The truth about kidney stones

There is a treatment for kidney stones, i have KS. if they are too big u need them to take them out otherwise they can block ur ureters, and if they are small they will pass out by H2O. Also they r type of medicine u can take to get rid of them before u take medicine u may have to do 24hr urine excam. Dont suffer with pain, go get treatment , find a urologist !

Then most likely the stones are of oxalate type or

...because of repeated infections. Those are larger magnesium phosphate kind of stones not oxalates.

Rarely cystiene type stones.

Like you said, it is plenty of water that is best. Juices or fruits/vegetables etc do not count because they do not increase urine flow as much.

Bigger oxalate stones need to be either cracked with lithotriosy and if that fails, surgical removal.

Smaller stones may pass simply by hydration on their own with off course the pain. :(

Sometimes obstruction in urinary tract can be found and be treated. An IVP dye test helps then to figure that out. Next step may be cystoscopy.

Five things are important:

1- Hydration. To have large urine output. This can be difficult especially if travelling or fasting.

2- Mag-Citrate for oxalate stones.

3- Spasmolytics/pain killers. (Preferably Not NSAID like motrin)

4- Prevention of further stones by diet change etc.

5- Antibiotics to clear infection quickly. It is a cycle: Stones cause infection, infection cause stones.

Re: The truth about kidney stones

namak aur mircheen kam dala kareen knahi meen.
And dry meat ziada kheya kareen
Aur curry kam.

pullaow :yummy:

Thanks

If that don’t help talk to your doc.

Re: The truth about kidney stones

I have heard that drinking 2 tbsp of lemon in 1/3 glass of water helps with kidney pain....i have tried it myself too and it worked!!!!

Well you probably did not have a stone.

Re: The truth about kidney stones

Say NO to peas, tomatoes, rice and caffeinated drinks in kidney pain n a big YES to water!!!
p.s. i cannot leave tea…so its not for me :chai:

yeahh i think this too....or maybe a little baby stone!!!

No infections in my case or hubby's either. The lab tests for the stone they removed should come back in a few weeks so I'll have a better idea I guess.

Can you shed some light on diet changes?

Re: The truth about kidney stones

Red meat is also a culprit.

Yes.

Lemon has citrate and helps in stone pevention. I mentioned above benefit of Mag-citrate.

A simple X-Ray of abdomen (KUB) would have been good for calcium oxalate stone in your case if stone was big enough.

KUB stands for Kidney-Ureter-Bladder.

Re: The truth about kidney stones

since we’re kind of on the subject, does this ever happen to anyone? You have to go but hold it in so much that your bladder cramps up ro something? It results in incredibly horrible pain…much much worse than period pain… it happens to me 2-3 times a year :bummer: I know what to (or not) do, but I jus twonder if it happens to anyone else and what exactly happens. :bummer:

Yes, males do not usually have urinary infection.

Sometimes a simple urine test under microscopy can tell the type of stone.

It is very important that exact nature of stone is determined.

Unless it is known that stones are of Oxalate type, dietary restriction cannot be advised.

However, if stones are of oxalate kind then oxalate containing dietary items should be avoided or reduced..... These are too many: :(

peanuts, cashew, hazel nuts

tea,

instant coffee (more than 8 ounces a day),

beets,

beans, Like soyabean

Concord grapes, Avoid grape fruit juice

berries (blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, gooseberries, etc. ),

chocolate,

dark leafy green vegetables like spinach,

oranges,

tofu,

sweet potatoes (Shakar Qandi)

tomatoes

Soy products

etc.

We need to remember only about 20% of oxalates are from diet. Rest is made in our body. But still it is helpful to reduce oxalate containing food items.

Lastly, water still could help if by mistake these items are taken in large amount.

It may be because the tubes (ureters) which send urine to bladder from kidneys,…these tubes periodically push urine forward. (peristalsis)

Kidneys/Ureters on both sides are attached to bladder below. Then comes one urethra. (short in females and longer in men)

The person who is holding then puts pressure backward and this makes the pain come periodically.

Women have bladder close to uterus so they may feel it like period pain. Not sure. It may be that any periodic pain they feel, they associate it with periods.

Thanks diwana.

I love tomatoes and spinach :naak: