Kidney Stones - info for urologist

[Ever Changing]

Hi all,

I haven't posted in years, but always love the advice from this site. I had a sleeve in 2011 and a DS in 2017. All has been going well.

I have osteoporosis and take calcium supplements.

A few months ago I had my first kidney stone - oh, what hell that was. I'm going to a follow-up with a urologist soon. I assume she will know nothing about DS. So, do any of you have a quick reference of what I can give to her to educate her on DS and calcium?

 

[Spiky Bugger]

I’ve had multiple stone incidents over the years. A few required Emergency Dept visits. After a few, I’d just tell them “I’ll betcha, it’s yet another calcium oxalate stone…bring on the Dilaudid!”

Anyway, to prevent events…although I’ve been “home” to a 9mm stone for a few years now, but it’s just sitting there, not growing, not trying to get out…I take 20mEq of generic Potassium Citrate (the brand name was UroCit K) in the morning and another 20mEq at night. For comparison purposes, that seems to be the recommended dosage for mild-to-moderate conditions.)

Oh! I almost forgot…one really fun part of the diagnosis procedure is the 24-hour urine collection, wherein you pee into something resembling a gas can. So, you ain’t going’ nowhere else THAT day! And another INSANE piece of info for calcium oxalate stones—most, but not all stones are calcium oxalate—is when you are “gifted” with a copy of “The Low Oxalate Diet” handout. As it turns out, MOST of the “Eat This” list is stuff I can’t eat because of another medical condition.


Another Oh! We malabsorb Calcium. Because we don’t have enough calcium to bind to the oxalates (which humans don’t process), the oxalates find their way into the bladder, where they form stones. This article says that 22% of us have calcium deficiencies. (And that’s why the oxalates end up in the bladder.)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37694730/

Now I have to go order more calcium. Dammit!

 

[southernlady]

Welcome back. If you do a search on Kidney Stones AND Diana Cox, you will find interesting information on using calcium carbonate to take at meal times to help avoid more kidney stones moving forward.

 

[JackieOnLine]

welcome back, indeed.

 

[aaa]

Welcome back. If you do a search on Kidney Stones AND Diana Cox, you will find interesting information on using calcium carbonate to take at meal times to help avoid more kidney stones moving forward.

My osteo specialist has me take 1 dose of calcium carbonate a day for this reason.

 

[southernlady]

My osteo specialist has me take 1 dose of calcium carbonate a day for this reason.

Charles takes a dose each meal to which both our osteoporosis specialist and his urologist agree is prudent.

 

[Ever Changing]

Oh, thanks so much for your advice. I currently take calcium citrate, but that might not be the right one.

New respect for those who have had kidney stones. I've had many health issues in my life, but that was a new kind of hell.

 

[Ever Changing]

How much calcium carbonate do you take a day with meals? Seems like this is in addition to calcium citrate, right?

 

[southernlady]

How much calcium carbonate do you take a day with meals? Seems like this is in addition to calcium citrate, right?

Your dose of calcium citrate is based on your calcium labs.
The calcium carbonate is one dose per meal (it’s what my husband is taking).

The calcium carbonate is just to take out the trash of the meals. You still require the calcium citrate for your bones.

 

[Spiky Bugger]

Your dose of calcium citrate is based on your calcium labs.
The calcium carbonate is one dose per meal (it’s what my husband is taking).

The calcium carbonate is just to take out the trash of the meals. You still require the calcium citrate for your bones.

Love that explanatioN. It is especially valuable because your husband grows IMMENSE, UGLY stones…so you HAD TO work to control it.

 

[navygrrl]

Your dose of calcium citrate is based on your calcium labs.
The calcium carbonate is one dose per meal (it’s what my husband is taking).

The calcium carbonate is just to take out the trash of the meals. You still require the calcium citrate for your bones.

This is good information and thank you for sharing. I haven't had issues (knock on wood) in a few years, but I wonder if starting this prophylactically is a good idea.

 

[southernlady]

This is good information and thank you for sharing. I haven't had issues (knock on wood) in a few years, but I wonder if starting this prophylactically is a good idea.

I’m over 12 years out, never had an issue. I don’t take calcium carbonate at all. Apparently my husband has a previous history of them prior to his DS. There may be something to that.

 

[ShrinkingMyTiara]

I just ordered calcium carbonate after reading this!! I've had crystals in my urine for the past year and with the rapid weight loss I definitely don't want it to trigger stones. Thanks for these posts! Do you take it with every meal (I'm eating 5 times a day) or do you just take a few a day with meals?

 

[southernlady]

I just ordered calcium carbonate after reading this!! I've had crystals in my urine for the past year and with the rapid weight loss I definitely don't want it to trigger stones. Thanks for these posts! Do you take it with every meal (I'm eating 5 times a day) or do you just take a few a day with meals?

He takes it with his three main meals, not the snacks in between.