Chronic kidney stones

Jennilyn

New member
Does anyone else get chronic kidney stones? I just passed my 4th one this year. :( (3rd one since September!) Is there anything you can do to stop getting them?
 
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Ugh I'm sorry. I had them with both pregnancies and they are awful. I can't imagine 4 a year. I was told the most important thing for prevention is to get plenty of fluids on a daily basis; 8-10 glasses a day. There are preventative prescriptions available too based on the kind of stone your body is forming. It's worth talking to your doctor about it.
 
Yeah, I know I should drink more water...I rarely drink even a cup of natural water a day.
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That would probably help my recurring UTI's too eh? :D
 
I think some people are just prone to them. DH gets an average of 5-6 a year and he's even had to have lithotripsy a couple of times to break up some big ones. He's tried everything.
 
Ive had issues with my kidneys and kidney stones since I had my daughter. I was told to stop drinking sodas and tea and drink lots and lots of water. (also eating fruits and vegies with alot of water content is supposed to help.) It really sucks so hope you can get some relief.
 
You know, I'd rather have the kidney stones than chronic UTIs like I do. I also have something that sometimes makes it feel like I have a UTI but I don't. The kidney stones I get don't start hurting until they are further down the ureter, close to the bladder so the pain only lasts about an hour a lot of the time. Nothing like the hours it was the first time I got one (2 days before my wedding - 6" long bruise on the inside of my arm was nice for pics) :glare:
 
Cranberry juice is, but only if it's in natural form (meaning NOT cranberry cocktail) and it's expensive! I've been taking cranberry pills lately, but it says to talk to your doctor first if you are prone to kidney stones which I suppose means you could get them from taking the pills? It's a problem...take the pills to stop the uti, but get kidney stones instead.
 
Ugh! I'm so sorry! I had some at the end of my pregnancy and right after I had my baby and it was the worst thing ever!!!

But, I quickly discovered that mine were from not getting enough calcium (I cut out milk and other big dairy products because they made me sick when pregnant and made my baby spit up a TON).

I'm so sorry!
 
mil was prone to them and her doctor had her on a prescription to help avoid them. was told that they were milk induced.

dh used to get them occasionally (knock on wood) but he hasn't gotten another since we had our first child...he had one about 6-11 months after he was born...and not one since ... isn't that strange??? It's been 20 years now...(still knocking on wood)

Definitely check with doctor and see if they analyzed the stones (if they had them) and see if there is something he/she recommends to prevent them.
 
I have heard that excessive amounts of calcium can cause you to get kidney stones. So talking to the dr to see if they can figure out what is causing yours might help too...might just need to cut something out of your diet
 
You have to drink a TON of water every day. Lay off sodas. Also, my doc said not to drink Orange juice. I have a glass every once in awhile, but not like I used to.

I am so afraid of becoming dehydrated because I know that is when I'll get one. I drink so much water everyday...good thing I love it!

I can't imagine how horrible that must be. That many a year is just wrong!:thumbdown: What else does your doctor say to do or not do?
 
really debra? I love OJ. My doctor never really mentioned that to me...just the soda and tea. Im going to have to ask about that next time I go in
 
something about the dehydration causing it, and the OJ causing them to be released.

That was one of the two questions they asked me when I got to the hospital. Had I been drinking enough water and had I been drinking OJ. I had just gotten home the night before from a trip to Washington DC with my family. Even though it was spring and cool, and we had water bottles with us, we were walking all day for a whole week and were often very thirsty. Then, we stayed at the Embassy Suites where we could have all the OJ we wanted for breakfast, and I must've had 3 or 4 glasses each morning. They told me not to do that again. Like I said, I have one every now and again, but it scares me everytime. Kidney stones were worse than 20 hours of back labor (IMHO)!!
 
I agree about that!! My worst attack was after spending a day at the beach. We were there all day and I had only been drinking sodas. I told my husband to stop at a gas station and I thought at first I had to use the bathroom. Well I got in the bathroom and then could not get back out because I was doubled over in pain. I must have been in there for 30 or 40 minutes. Not sure why my husband did not come in to get me but he didnt. Well I eventually managed to walk out on my own and I told my husband I thought I was dying because that is how I felt. I had no idea what the heck was wrong with me. So I went to the hospital and had to sit in the waiting room for like 6-8 hours. It was horrible. No pain relief and I was doubled over in pain. At first they thought it was an appendicitus but appraently finally figured out it was a kidney stone...or multiple stones I think. I was in the hospital for four days because I had so much toxins backing up in my system at that point because the stones were stuck and not moving. I had labor for like 19 hours with my son and have had three c-sentions and none of them compared to that one experience in severity of pain.
 
I've had my share of the stones. You need to watch dairy, carbonation (that was what it was for me) and drink lots of water and cranberry juice.
 
I think the folic acid in OJ has a lot to do with them being released. The thing that did it for me was being told after having one analyzed that I should NOT drink carbonation. Plus, being treated for high blood pressure with diuretics really helps. LOL
 
I had one incident with them, where one was so large it was shutting down one of my kidneys. They had to do surgery to take it out. I haven't had any since then, thankfully, but they told me it is probably the soda. But it depends what type they are, what can be done, so they should analyze one Jennifer, to see what kind it is. I know some of them are calcium based or something? I can't remember everything they told me.

I know they suck, mine was worse than labor, and I've had two babies without meds. I would rather have another baby med free than have another kidney stone that size.
 
This isn't an easy fix, but maybe something to think about if these other ideas don't help. Have your parathyroid glands checked. They regulate calcium production, and an overactive parathyroid can cause kidney stones. My brother had one removed and that put an end to his kidney stones. The surgery is pretty simple with a quick recovery, but it's still surgery, so obviously, it wouldn't be anyone's first choice.
 
The funny thing is, it says to take calcium to stop the calcium-based stones from forming, but if you take in too much calcium, it forms them! Ugh! LOL I do drink too many sodas, not enough water and not enough calcium, so I'd say it's something in there that I need to fix. I brought in a stone once to get analyzed and they lost it! I don't have a family doctor right now since we moved here 6 months ago, but as soon as I get one, I'll be bringing in my most current stone (I keep all the ones I find). They are usually dark brown so I think those are calcium-oxalate ones.

ETA: It's grapefruit juice you need to stay away from, not orange juice.

The first kidney stone I had was as bad as being in labor, but since then it hasn't been as bad. Still hurts like a bugger, but not doubled over in pain screaming "get it out!!" LOL
 
I have them ALOT too... at least a few times a year. I agree with everything said here. DO NOT GET DEHYDRATED. And drink lots of water. I have had lithotripsy a couple of times too. The only way to tell what is causing your stones is for them to test one. Mine were calcium mostly, and some protein. They told me I need to be drinking 120 ounces of water a day, and NO soda. I have been without soda (I sneak a sip now and then) for 8 years I think. I don't ever drink enough water, but I try to drink as much as I can.

So sorry for you! The pain is unbearable sometimes, and I know EXACTLY how you feel!
 
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