Kidney stones

[nedsmehlp]

I just passed my second kidney stone, and my Dr said the test of it showed it was from calcium and nuts. He told me to stop taking calcium pills. I’m 71 years old with osteopenia, what does everyone else do about this? Need some advice.

Thanks

 

[Spiky Bugger]

I’m 74 with osteoporosis and you need a smarter doctor. He is REALLY out of date on this topic! Most of us NEED to supplement calcium.

i suppose he was trying to tell you that you have calcium oxalate stones. Did you do a 24-hour urine collection? Or did he see the stone itself?

SOME OF US have chronic stones because...instead of being pooped out, the oxalates (and they are something our bodies don’t use) that we eat bind to the calcium we eat and together they end up forming stones in the kidney. To work around that problem, my urologist has had me add prescription Potassium Citrate morning and night. So far, the GIANT stone I’ve had for years is stable and no new stones have formed.

I DO have to limit oxalates.

But, as far as I know, cutting out calcium supplements is a recipe for disaster, so REALLY that “medical advice” may be WAY OUT IN LEFT FIELD. (Is the doctor older than you and I are?)

 

[DianaCox]

You need to be taking calcium CARBONATE with your meals. Doesn’t count towards your calcium, because it’s going to bind to the oxalates in your food.

Are you taking vitamin C? Don’t. It is converted to oxalate in your body.

 

[nedsmehlp]

My Dr is in his early thirties, he’s only been practicing a few years. I changed to him because my previous Dr thought I was paranoid about keeping up my blood work, and no matter how many times I told her I had the DS, she kept putting in my records I had the gastric bypass! They STILL have me down as gastric bypass!!! They tested the stone and it’s calcium oxalate. So do you take the prescription potassium citrate and your Citracal? Do you take calcium carbonate besides Citracal? I really appreciate all the help!! No one is interested in knowing the DS here! I’m not sure they take my surgery seriously because I weigh 190 lbs, (my top weight was 309) so I’ve been a bad example for this surgery, my own fault!!

 

[nedsmehlp]

I do take 1000 vitamin C, I’ll stop taking that immediately.

 

[southernlady]

You need to be taking calcium CARBONATE with your meals. Doesn’t count towards your calcium, because it’s going to bind to the oxalates in your food.

Are you taking vitamin C? Don’t. It is converted to oxalate in your body.

We accidentally went to calcium carbonate, bought the wrong bottles (2 of them). We;ve used them for the last four months. Dh and I both had calcium go up.

Both of us have great D level and PTH where they should be, low end of PTH.

DH had that massive stone made of calcium oxalate removed in Aug. (One doc said he was making concrete). We read that he needEd to stop the vitamin C.

I know common knowledge says we need calcium citrate for our calcium needs but given ours went up with carbonate, maybe you can explain (in English, not medical) as to why? And do we really need the extra cost of citrate?

 

[Spiky Bugger]

Diana’s input was news to me. Oh, well. Calcium citrate is cheap and easy to take.

You’re a Keshishian patient? I believe he will order lab work for you. And maybe even order it so that a copy goes to your young PCP doctor. Meanwhile, where are you, geographically, that you are having trouble finding well-informed doctors? I mean, I’ve had a few who didn’t “get it,” but luckily there have been other options.

 

[nedsmehlp]

I live in small town Kansas, I think Dr’s here just aren’t interested in knowing about the DS. So how much calcium carbonate and then should I discontinue the Citracal?

 

[Spiky Bugger]

southernlady and Diana and Larra and others can answer the ”which” and “how much” questions better than I can.

Maybe we can find some other DS patients in KS? And educate ONE professional if there is not one already?

Are any of us…I’m addressing any of us here…especially those on social media forums… in or near KS? Do we know any knowledgeable physicians or some who WANT to be knowledgeable about the DS?

k

 

[southernlady]

How much, a minimum of 1500 broken down into 3 doses of 500 each. If you do 2000, it’s 4 doses.

I’ve always been told citrate but now I’m confused and awaiting clarification from DianaCox

 

[southernlady]

Maybe we can find some other DS patients in KS? And educate ONE professional if there is not one already?

There is a DS surgeon in KS. Over in Topeka, maybe ask her office

 

[Spiky Bugger]

There is a DS surgeon in KS. Over in Topeka, maybe ask her office

And the Interwebz says that University of Kansas performs the DS, but I don’t know if it’s the original or one of the variations.
And left-to-right, top-to-bottom, KS isn’t all that big and UK has satellite offices.
And I’m very pushy.


So, several steps might be involved.
•I think I’d simply email Keshishian and tell him that my local doctors refuse to order full labs and think that supplementing is for neurotics.
•I’d ask him if he would order labs; and, depending on the results, maybe help me locate a physician familiar with the follow up requirements of DS patients.
•University of Kansas Health System says they are ASMBS certified. Keshishian is a Fellow of the ASMBS, he might have a list of names of doctors who are familiar with post-op lab needs.
•And, if after all that work you “get lucky,” you may find a UKHS satellite office near you where there are doctors who will comply.

 

[Spiky Bugger]

How much, a minimum of 1500 broken down into 3 doses of 500 each. If you do 2000, it’s 4 doses.

I’ve always been told citrate but now I’m confused and awaiting clarification from DianaCox

Me, too.

But it makes sense to give the oxalates something cheap—easy to swallow and small—to play with every time we eat an oxalate-containing food. Then, they can bind together THERE and we can poop it all out. I think.

 

[Spiky Bugger]

Oh! And by the way, you may have to worry about more than nuts.

 

[southernlady]

Well, the first one is on hubby’s daily list.