newanatomy
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- Jan 5, 2014
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I had my cholecystectomy in 2008, 6 years before my DS. I had suffered with a "sluggish" gallbladder for years before they found stones and then removed my gallbladder. I have read all of the threads regarding kidney stones and make sure to take my calcium citrate orally so that it can bind with the oxalates in my gut to help prevent kidney stones. I also take potassium citrate.
I still worry because, I know that I am a "stone former". This article confirmed one of my suspicions as to gallstones and kidney stones being somehow related. I am still hoping that I am doing enough to prevent kidney stones.
If you are interested, I thought I would share:
https://www.floridahospital.com/blog/gallstones-vs-kidney-stones-how-similar-are-they
First, let’s define what the function of the two organs are. The purpose of the kidney is to filter blood, which then creates urine. The job of the gallbladder is to store bile produced by the liver, which aids in the digestion and absorption of fats.
Each one can produce a stone. A kidney stone is a solid mass made up of tiny crystals from the minerals calcium, oxalate and uric acid. Gallstones are hard, pebble-like cholesterol or pigment deposits that form inside the gallbladder. They can be as small as a grain of sand or as large as a golf ball. There can be one or more stones in the kidney or gallbladder at the same time.
“People who have had a kidney stone seem to have a heightened risk of gallstones – and vice versa,” according to Dr. Juan Omana, general surgeon at Florida Hospital Kissimmee.
Who is at risk for gallstones?
Hispanic or Native American women over the age of 40 with diabetes, obesity, or rapid weight loss are most likely to have gallstones.
Who is at risk for kidney stones?
Kidney stones are more prevalent in men over 40, than in women. A person with one stone has a 50 percent chance of developing another over the next 10 years.
Symptoms for gallstones: Dr. Omana explains, “Most people with gallstones experience no symptoms, but when they do, they experience pain in the upper right abdomen, back pain, nausea or vomiting.”
Symptoms for kidney stones: Some kidney stones will go unnoticed as well. The pain is described as sharp cramping pain in the back and side near the kidney. Nausea or vomiting and blood in the urine are also symptoms. If they are large, they can stretch and irritate the ureter, blocking urine and causing excruciating pain.
Treatment for gallstones: There may never be any symptoms for gallstones, but patients with symptoms need surgery right away. “Unlike in the treatment of kidney stones, removing the gallbladder is the most common way to get rid of gallstones,” explains Dr. Juan Omana. Laparoscopic cholecystecomy is the most common procedure for removing the gallbladder. You can eliminate the stones while preserving the gallbladder, but it is not recommended because you will most likely produce more stones. Fortunately, the gallbladder is an organ you can live without.
Treatment for kidney stones: Smalls stones can and will usually pass on their own. The patient can stay home drinking liquids and taking pain medication as needed, until the stone passes. If pain is too severe or a stone is blocking the urinary tract, then a medical procedure called lithotripsy can be performed to remove the stone.
Prevention of gallstones: Diet plays a major role in the prevention of gallstones. Maintaining a healthy, balanced lifestyle is the best prevention for gallstones.
If you loose weight, do it slowly and correctly. Don’t skip meals and exercise regularly. Talk with your doctor if you are taking estrogen hormones or a high-dose of birth control pills.
Prevention of kidney stones: Dr. Omana says, “Preventing kidney stones is as easy as drinking lots of water and liquids throughout the day.”
People prone to forming calcium oxalate stones may be asked to limit or avoid certain foods containing those chemicals.
- See more at: https://www.floridahospital.com/blo...nes-how-similar-are-they#sthash.Z0KZ8Ku1.dpuf
I still worry because, I know that I am a "stone former". This article confirmed one of my suspicions as to gallstones and kidney stones being somehow related. I am still hoping that I am doing enough to prevent kidney stones.
If you are interested, I thought I would share:
https://www.floridahospital.com/blog/gallstones-vs-kidney-stones-how-similar-are-they
First, let’s define what the function of the two organs are. The purpose of the kidney is to filter blood, which then creates urine. The job of the gallbladder is to store bile produced by the liver, which aids in the digestion and absorption of fats.
Each one can produce a stone. A kidney stone is a solid mass made up of tiny crystals from the minerals calcium, oxalate and uric acid. Gallstones are hard, pebble-like cholesterol or pigment deposits that form inside the gallbladder. They can be as small as a grain of sand or as large as a golf ball. There can be one or more stones in the kidney or gallbladder at the same time.
“People who have had a kidney stone seem to have a heightened risk of gallstones – and vice versa,” according to Dr. Juan Omana, general surgeon at Florida Hospital Kissimmee.
Who is at risk for gallstones?
Hispanic or Native American women over the age of 40 with diabetes, obesity, or rapid weight loss are most likely to have gallstones.
Who is at risk for kidney stones?
Kidney stones are more prevalent in men over 40, than in women. A person with one stone has a 50 percent chance of developing another over the next 10 years.
Symptoms for gallstones: Dr. Omana explains, “Most people with gallstones experience no symptoms, but when they do, they experience pain in the upper right abdomen, back pain, nausea or vomiting.”
Symptoms for kidney stones: Some kidney stones will go unnoticed as well. The pain is described as sharp cramping pain in the back and side near the kidney. Nausea or vomiting and blood in the urine are also symptoms. If they are large, they can stretch and irritate the ureter, blocking urine and causing excruciating pain.
Treatment for gallstones: There may never be any symptoms for gallstones, but patients with symptoms need surgery right away. “Unlike in the treatment of kidney stones, removing the gallbladder is the most common way to get rid of gallstones,” explains Dr. Juan Omana. Laparoscopic cholecystecomy is the most common procedure for removing the gallbladder. You can eliminate the stones while preserving the gallbladder, but it is not recommended because you will most likely produce more stones. Fortunately, the gallbladder is an organ you can live without.
Treatment for kidney stones: Smalls stones can and will usually pass on their own. The patient can stay home drinking liquids and taking pain medication as needed, until the stone passes. If pain is too severe or a stone is blocking the urinary tract, then a medical procedure called lithotripsy can be performed to remove the stone.
Prevention of gallstones: Diet plays a major role in the prevention of gallstones. Maintaining a healthy, balanced lifestyle is the best prevention for gallstones.
If you loose weight, do it slowly and correctly. Don’t skip meals and exercise regularly. Talk with your doctor if you are taking estrogen hormones or a high-dose of birth control pills.
Prevention of kidney stones: Dr. Omana says, “Preventing kidney stones is as easy as drinking lots of water and liquids throughout the day.”
People prone to forming calcium oxalate stones may be asked to limit or avoid certain foods containing those chemicals.
- See more at: https://www.floridahospital.com/blo...nes-how-similar-are-they#sthash.Z0KZ8Ku1.dpuf
