Kidney Stone Preventation - Any Suggestions?

[Lopburi99]

I have passed three kidney stones in the past few weeks. I have a life-long history of stones, but having several in a short time period is something new so I am looking into possible preventative measures for life here in Thailand.

Drinking lots of water is universally recommended. How about eating (or avoiding) certain food/fruits available here? Anybody had any experience which may be noteworthly?

(One comment about the medical care here. I was prescribed an antispasmodic which quickly reduced the major pain to a tolerable level for several days until a stone cleared. In the states, the Drs would prescribe pain medication which wasn't as effective. I continue to be impressed with the Thai doctor's approach and treatments for various health issues I have had in the past while living here.)

[Jingthing]

Have you been a big dark soda drinker (Coke, Pepsi)? These have been proven to cause stones. I have some cousins from one family and most of them got stones but they also are big dark soda drinkers, so genetics and diet could both be involved. In any case, if you are drinking dark sodas, you should stop.

Edited February 26, 2009 by Jingthing

[sbk]

moving it out of business and into health lol

[Lopburi99]

Have you been a big dark soda drinker (Coke, Pepsi)? These have been proven to cause stones. I have some cousins from one family and most of them got stones but they also are big dark soda drinkers, so genetics and diet could both be involved. In any case, if you are drinking dark sodas, you should stop.

Nope, never drink Coke or Pepsi. I rarely drink beer either, although a urologist I knew once said an occasional beer may be a good idea. I have noticed a beer does definitely increase my fluid output however so perhaps I will start having one every day. I have resisted in the past, having concerns about adding to my weight and beer being a depressant (something I definitely do NOT need!).

My Dad had a few stones and each brother did also, but nobody near as many as I have had - more than 50 starting when I was 22. At least one every year since, sometimes involving hospitalization procedures (stone removal via catheter with stent placement). After the first stent removal I have henceforth insisted in having a general anesthetic for my other removals, avoiding being conscious for the nastiest, most painful procedure imaginable - like having a hot poker shoved up Mr. Peter !! )

Edited February 26, 2009 by Lopburi99

[Gary A]

I suffered from gout and was prescribed allopurinol. I did my own research on the Internet and was a bit surprised that it also prevents kidney stones. That's a side affect that I welcomed. My gout is well controlled and I have had no kidney stones.

[londonthai]

drinking coconut juice, a liter per day, for a week, should do the job of breaking stones into a very small (sand like) pieces.

after a week do an xray or scan to see what the result and eventually start a weekly cycle again.

as to foods:

drinking a lot of water, soft one (if you have hard you can boil it) flushes out the minerals, preventing their cristalisation. Avoid tea, citrus juices, sugar, alcohol, beer, salt and sodium, meat and proteins, spinach, rhubarb

Edited February 26, 2009 by londonthai

[henryalleman]

Avoid dairy products( milk, cheese etc.).

Drink every day a glass of high fermentation beer (Leffe-Rodenbach) available in carfour. so lagers like Singha, Chang, Leo or Heineken are useless.

This was the advise given by my Urologist after I had kidney stones.

And of course don't forget to drink a lot at least 2 or 3 liters a day minimum

[Maestro]

Did your urologist have the composition of your kidney stone analised before giving you dietary recommendations?

--

Maestro

[bonzor]

Did your urologist have the composition of your kidney stone analised before giving you dietary recommendations?

--

Maestro

Composition is key. Drinking more is not universally recommended. I used to think so but was informed by a professor of nursing that in fact some authorities believe it makes no difference. I'm inclined to believe that. Similarly where composition is largely calcium I seen too much and too little in diet as a cause. I think it's a symptom of something else wrong. What is wrong depends in my view on composition.

[Tolley]

You should avoid the following :

Avoid sugar (check ingredients for hidden sources of sugar), alcohol, antacids, excessive protein, dairy products (especially milk), salt, carbonated beverages, caffeine, and refined white flour products such as pasta, white bread, and baked goods.

Most cases of kidney stones are diet related however it also could be genetic in which case the diet adjustments may not necessarily work.

[johnh101]

1. Drink alot of Drink fresh, filtered water.

2. Cat's Whisker Tea, I have found this on the health food stalls in the shopping centres and it works a treat on breaking down stones, and I would presume preventing them.

http://www.herbsarespecial.com.au/free-her...s-whiskers.html

[pault17]

A sure way to keep your kidneys stone-free is to regularly cleanse them.

At Dr Clark's website http://www.drclark.net/en/cleanses_clean-u...ey_cleanses.php you can find more info on her herb tea formula. Recommended.

[Lopburi99]

Did your urologist have the composition of your kidney stone analised before giving you dietary recommendations?

--

Maestro

Yes, years ago but the stones look the same. The diagnosis was described by my Dr as "garden variety" stones. Calcium and oxalate. The oxalate, I believe, is the black part and calcium the gray. My stones also have a crystalline portion to them, quartz-like looking, not sure what that is.

About allopurinol Gary A, I was also prescribed it years ago and took it for many years. I was also prescribed hydrochlorizide (water pills?) which increased my urine production (but I later learned drains the body of potassium [which can easily be replenished by eating bananas]). I liked taking the HZCL because it also lowers blood pressure and mine runs a bit high at around 145. One Dr I had in recent years took me off all meds and I have remained off them. It's always difficult to know which meds to take and which to try to get off of. I used to take a handful of them in the states, now I don't take any prescription drugs here. I was trying the natural route which I will continue to try. [bTW, salmon oil capsules, only 250b/100 at Lotus, seems to be a winner for me in treating depression. Unfortunately fresh salmon is available in Thailand only at a high price but I've read the capsules result in identical benefits.]

Lots of ideas here about dietary considerations. The trick is to pick several which won't be too much of a clash to my preferences, otherwise I know I wouldn't stay with the plan long. But I know I need to try something new because I had never had 3 large stones in rapid succession as I did recently and is obviously something not to be ignored.

[Exzessiv]

I have passed three kidney stones in the past few weeks. I have a life-long history of stones, but having several in a short time period is something new so I am looking into possible preventative measures for life here in Thailand.

Drinking lots of water is universally recommended. How about eating (or avoiding) certain food/fruits available here? Anybody had any experience which may be noteworthly?

(One comment about the medical care here. I was prescribed an antispasmodic which quickly reduced the major pain to a tolerable level for several days until a stone cleared. In the states, the Drs would prescribe pain medication which wasn't as effective. I continue to be impressed with the Thai doctor's approach and treatments for various health issues I have had in the past while living here.)

Hello Lopburi,

was it necessary to operate the stones or do you have a shockwave therapy or something else?

What are your favorite meals?

In the kidney stone research the found out that there a few countries with more stones than in other.

There is a statistic somewhere in the internet. Just search for "kidney stones country"

Maybe if you find out what country have less stones and what the people eat there it would be helpful.

If you need information of shockwave therapy methods you can write me a mail.

Take care.

Exzessiv.

[Lopburi99]

I have passed three kidney stones in the past few weeks. I have a life-long history of stones, but having several in a short time period is something new so I am looking into possible preventative measures for life here in Thailand.

Drinking lots of water is universally recommended. How about eating (or avoiding) certain food/fruits available here? Anybody had any experience which may be noteworthly?

(One comment about the medical care here. I was prescribed an antispasmodic which quickly reduced the major pain to a tolerable level for several days until a stone cleared. In the states, the Drs would prescribe pain medication which wasn't as effective. I continue to be impressed with the Thai doctor's approach and treatments for various health issues I have had in the past while living here.)

Hello Lopburi,

was it necessary to operate the stones or do you have a shockwave therapy or something else?

What are your favorite meals?

In the kidney stone research the found out that there a few countries with more stones than in other.

There is a statistic somewhere in the internet. Just search for "kidney stones country"

Maybe if you find out what country have less stones and what the people eat there it would be helpful.

If you need information of shockwave therapy methods you can write me a mail.

Take care.

Exzessiv.

Exz, all of my hospital procedures have been catherization with stone removal and stent (a shaped rubber tube) placement between my kidney and bladder so the injured ureter can heal. No surgery yet, and hopefully never will need it. I have heard about sound (shock?) wave treatments for breaking up stones and once while in Germany even considered it (since it is done there), but for that stone it was deemed inappropriate, I assume since the stone had already dislodged and in my ureter.

My favorite meal here in Thailand is vendor grilled chicken and sticky rice, but my wife does not let me eat it often due to worries about increasing my weight.

[Wrong Turn]

I suffered from gout and was prescribed allopurinol. I did my own research on the Internet and was a bit surprised that it also prevents kidney stones. That's a side affect that I welcomed. My gout is well controlled and I have had no kidney stones.

Brief off-topic - apologies.

Gary A, what is you daily dosage on Allopurinol? I started taking it twice and believe it actually started gout attack twice, so I stopped taking.

I never got a uric acid blood test. Dr. told me to start off at 100 mg per day for 1 week and then go to 300 MG per day.

I'm confused.

[Gary A]

I suffered from gout and was prescribed allopurinol. I did my own research on the Internet and was a bit surprised that it also prevents kidney stones. That's a side affect that I welcomed. My gout is well controlled and I have had no kidney stones.

Brief off-topic - apologies.

Gary A, what is you daily dosage on Allopurinol? I started taking it twice and believe it actually started gout attack twice, so I stopped taking.

I never got a uric acid blood test. Dr. told me to start off at 100 mg per day for 1 week and then go to 300 MG per day.

I'm confused.

Allopurinol won't stop a gout attack. It reduces the uric acid and prevents attacks. I used to have to take colchicine to stop the attack. Colchicine seriously upsets your stomach and you better not get too far from the toilet.

The doctor started me on 100 Mg a day and if I still had attacks to increase the dosage. The one 100 Mg does the trick and I have not needed to increase the dosage.

[Wrong Turn]

I suffered from gout and was prescribed allopurinol. I did my own research on the Internet and was a bit surprised that it also prevents kidney stones. That's a side affect that I welcomed. My gout is well controlled and I have had no kidney stones.

Brief off-topic - apologies.

Gary A, what is you daily dosage on Allopurinol? I started taking it twice and believe it actually started gout attack twice, so I stopped taking.

I never got a uric acid blood test. Dr. told me to start off at 100 mg per day for 1 week and then go to 300 MG per day.

I'm confused.

Allopurinol won't stop a gout attack. It reduces the uric acid and prevents attacks. I used to have to take colchicine to stop the attack. Colchicine seriously upsets your stomach and you better not get too far from the toilet.

The doctor started me on 100 Mg a day and if I still had attacks to increase the dosage. The one 100 Mg does the trick and I have not needed to increase the dosage.

Gary A, thanks, much.

I understand Allopurinol reduces the uric acid to prevent attacks. I'll go back to 150 MGs per day when I heal up in a few days.

Yes, I use Colchicine. With moderate doses (1 MG per day, only with a meal) I don't have problems. Maybe more than 1 MG per day is needed, but that's when going to the restroom becomes a problem.

Thanks for the info. Cheers.

[jackoneilone]

cranberry juice good for UTI and kidneys just keep water uptake high.

[Wrong Turn]

The doctor started me on 100 Mg a day and if I still had attacks to increase the dosage. The one 100 Mg does the trick and I have not needed to increase the dosage.

Did you ever have a blood test to find the right dosage?

This sounds like "hit and miss."

[SCARLETIBIS1]

1. Drink alot of Drink fresh, filtered water.

2. Cat's Whisker Tea, I have found this on the health food stalls in the shopping centres and it works a treat on breaking down stones, and I would presume preventing them.

http://www.herbsarespecial.com.au/free-her...s-whiskers.html

Hello,

I am curious how you or anyone else knows what works in breaking down kidney stones. First, you would have to know you have a stone which means going to the doctor for tests and then decide on the homeremedy program and then determine that the specific home remedy was responsible for the stone removal. I would appreciate any response to this since I suffer from stones and just had to have them dissolved at great cost. You do not mention type of stone nor size. Is this something you read or feelfirsthand from self use? Thanks

[cmfarmer]

Cat's Whiskers Herb as mentioned by johnh101. 

You can find images of this plant in Google. Many villagers in the countryside of Thailand grow this plant around their houses.

Many years ago I had a good Dutch friend who used to work on the tin mining dredge offshore in Indonesia and later transferred to Phuket in southern Thailand. He had some Cat's Whiskers plants around his house that he brought over from Indonesia. He often had problem with kidney stone. According to him leaves from this plants that he boiled to drink cured him of his kidney stone many times.

In Indonesia they call it ' kumis kuching ', literally translated means cat's whiskers.

[FBN]

""August 18, 2009 — The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet may help protect against kidney stones, according to the results of a prospective study reported online August 13 in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.

"Despite previously observed associations between individual dietary factors and kidney stone risk, relatively few studies have examined the impact of overall diet or dietary patterns on risk," write Eric N. Taylor, MD, from Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, and colleagues.

"The [DASH] diet, which is high in fruits and vegetables, moderate in low-fat dairy products, and low in animal protein represents a novel potential means of kidney stone prevention. The consumption of fruits and vegetables increases urinary citrate, an important inhibitor of calcium stone formation, and a diet with normal to high calcium content but low in animal protein and sodium decreases the risk of calcium oxalate stone recurrence by 51%," the researchers state.""

Quote from an article on a medical site.

This is a properly reviewed and accredited article..

[phetaroi]

My doctor attributed my two kidney stone attacks (one right after another) almost entirely to drinking too much coca cola.