Have you gotten the stones analyzed for their content?

First of all, pay attention to Birch's question. There are many types of kidney stones as you probably know and most doctors feel diet is a major factor in forming them.

I have had kidney stones twice and a bladder stone, so I now pay a lot more attention to what I eat and drink. For me, cutting out drinking so many coca-based sodas and tea made all the difference. Of course, I had to increase the volume of water I drank too. I even had one urologist that told me if I drank nothing but filtered water, I would never have stones again. It's been ten years since my last attack.

Once your stones are studied to find out what the composition, then you might be on the way to stopping them from forming. You and a urologist have to figure it out. Not sure why you have had an increase in stones as an adult except maybe your diet and drinks might have changed.

Good luck.

I switched to filtered spring water as well and have not had another stone for over a year.

Lonestarguy, I came across this method after my last stone...what do you think about it's viability?

http://www.jumpandbump.com/jump method.h tm

My stones are calcium based. It was over a decade ago that I had the biopsy.
Naturally a 12 year old isn't concerned about medical stuff so I neglected to listen to my doctor verbatim. Sporadic memories: I just remember him saying no cokes and something about milk...and something about my body taking calcium from my bones which is harder on the kidneys than other calciums. I thought "calcium" was calcium but I guess there are different types. I also had a fun time parading my giant kidney stone for show-and-tell the following 6th grade school year. That aside, I have a good diet. I take daily vitamins that contain calcium, I dislike tap water so I only drink filtered. And I drink cokes/alcohol in moderation. It just seems that even if I disregarded diet completely that passing 6 stones a year is a little atypical.

And you're absolutely right Birch. Thank you for that web site link. Water intake helps immensely to help a kidney stone progress. I have never tried exercise though. When I'm doubled up in a fetal position the last thing that comes to mind is jumping jacks, but I recognize the logic behind it.

I have actually seen this before. One of the urologists gave me a list of things to do if another stone reared its ugly head. That's been a few years ago and I haven't really had stone pain in ten years. I did read the steps and it sounded like it could work but I've never tried it myself.

As for grsiv, the doctors always told me to get each stone that passed analyzed because they could all be caused by different fluctuations in body chemistry. I won't bore you with a long narrative, but once I spent three days in the hospital about 15 years ago trying to pass a stone that was enormous. I finally had to have it bombarded by sound waves to break it up. And get this, the bladder stone I had was lasered to break it up and it was as big as a tangerine according my laser-happy doc.

To make a long story a little shorter, when the urologist checked the contents of the stone, it was different from my other ones. So, the moral here should be to have each stone studied and have you adjust your diet or whatever to prevent them. The exercise you found at will be a standby for me in case I get that big-time pain again.

Wow Lonestar. That really helps me understand the nature of these things. I was under the impression that I was prone to calcium based kidney stones but apparently they could have developed from a myriad of different causes. That opens up a whole new can of worms. Let's go a little further in the in hypothesis now. What is the mechanism/s in the body that create kidney stones? There has to be some kind of malfunction that makes some people crystallize these things instead of gingerly passing these elements as urine.

This may not be what you wanted to hear, but doctors do not always know what causes a stone to form. In fact, there are so many reasons that stones form, they aren't sure which one applies to you until they check the passed stones plus run a post-op test on your urine to see what elements make up the mix.

A person with a family history of kidney stones may be more likely to develop stones. Urinary tract infections, kidney disorders such as cystic kidney diseases, and certain metabolic disorders such as hyperparathyroidism are also linked to stone formation.

In addition, more than 70 percent of people with a rare hereditary disease called renal tubular acidosis develop kidney stones.

Cystinuria and hyperoxaluria are two other rare, inherited metabolic disorders that often cause kidney stones. In cystinuria, too much of the amino acid cystine, which does not dissolve in urine, is voided. This can lead to the formation of stones made of cystine. In patients with hyperoxaluria, the body produces too much of the salt oxalate. When there is more oxalate than can be dissolved in the urine, the crystals settle out and form stones.

So, I think you get the point. Chances are your stones now are similar to the ones you passed as a kid, but there are no guarantees. Calcium-based stones are the most frequently identified ones, but some people have heredity-based stones, which could be of any type. The interesting thing I learned about kidney stones over the years is that some people are just prone to have them.

In fact, one urologist indicated that even someone who didn't watch their diet, didn't drink water, drank tons of milk, ate cheese, etc., wouldn't get stones and it's still a mystery to the doctors why they don't.

So, whether I've just been lucky the last few years or the diet change has worked for me, I still have no idea. But, Birch, you will know if I have another attack when you see me hopping around outside in the street!

I hope I never get another stone- because I can't imagine hopping around in the throes of pain like that. It's like asking a woman in labor to do the high jump or something.



For what it's worth, I always thought this article was a good summation of the current thinking:
http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/library/DS/00282 .html

I remember reading about a gentleman who had chronic stones in his right kidney, and he ended up opting to get the kidney removed. I saw a photograph of it and it was littered with stones! I think he made the right decision.

My doc also said to eat bananas. Something about the potassium helping to dissolve stones in the kidneys.

[quote="Birch"]I hope I never get another stone- because I can't imagine hopping around in the throes of pain like that. It's like asking a woman in labor to do the high jump or something. [quote="Birch"]

It does make an interesting picture, though.

BirchyTree....thanks for providing the Mayo Clinic article. It is really condensed and easy to understand the cycle of stones. It says that very few women get kidney stones, so I guess you're one of the lucky ones, huh?

Assuming by your post that you have gone through labor, most women say that pain is in another category of hurt, but usually is forgotten because you have life's greatest reward--a child. I would be interested in how you compare the pain of labor with kidney stones.

I can honestly say that the stones were as excruciating as anything I can remember. However, I am now officially OLD, so remembering some major operations when I was younger seems like a different lifetime. I'm sure, at the time, the pain seemed insurmountable.

I have been told that women can take pain better than men and I believe it. My wife has had two children, both vaginally, and had her kneecap repositioned and other knee surgery and she has never complained. Not once.

I, on the other hand, whine and blubber constantly about my chronic back pain. Even though I have had those four operations, kidney stones, bladder stone, been wounded in war and a fractured kneecap, I am still a coward when it comes to pain.

I had never heard about the banana deal from the docs, but, I do eat them regularly so I'm good. I don't know if this is TMI, but I have several small benign cysts in my right kidney that the urologist told me are not dangerous. Of course, when you look at that x-ray that shows the cysts, immediately your heart skips a beat and you suddenly need to pee.

Oh, no, I guess my analogy was inept; I actually haven't been through labor, but I have talked to women who have done both and they do say the kidney stone hurts worse. Although I felt like an oyster, and gave birth to a pearl, I suppose they 'one up' me when they get a baby out of the ordeal.

When I had my kidney stone initially, I was amazed more than anything else. "Wow, this is an entirely new sensation to me" and I actually went back to sleep. When I woke up and it was still there, it finally registered as pain, and excruciating at that, so off to the hospital we went. There happened to be a gentleman in the waiting room with me with a kidney stone too, and it was not handling it as well. I felt bad for the poor chap.

My goodness, you have had the experience with pain. You are a regular oyster yourself with kidney and bladder stones!

I haven't read the banana thing anywhere else, but it seems like a good idea anyways. Smear 'em with peanut butter so they are edible. (I hate bananas).

Also, I stopped eating most dairy about a year ago. I still eat ice cream on occasion, but I can't remember the last time I had a glass of milk. I'm convinced dairy's a part of kidney stones and other health ailments.

Birch....Sorry about jumping the gun on making you a surprised mother going through labor. My mistake entirely, not your analogy. The story of your first time passing a stone was heartfelt and honest. My first time, I was actually on my lunch hour and browsing in one of those giant bookstores, Barnes & Noble, I think. It began as a nauseating, dull pain in my back.

I had no idea what it was and ignored it like you did. Of course, a few minutesw later, I could barely walk and had to sit down. The pain began to increase and suddenly, I was drawing a crowd. One of the ladies said "you look like you have a kidney stone," and I called my wife to get me. She worked close by and got me to the emergency room quickly.

They gave me some pain meds, which promptly caused me to vomit.
X-rays were taken, blood was in my urine and they comfirmed the book lady's diagnosis.

BTW, you are not inept. I am a writer and I am impressed by your writing skills and your unflagging honesty. I don't compliment people often. In fact, you are not afraid to speak your mind even if it is not a popular opinion and you come up with some humorous stuff. I still remember that deal you wrote about your bf blindfolded and drawing a picture of your ear. Then you said you didn't learn THAT on family guy. I nearly spit my soda all over the keyboard.

I wish I was more like that. but I'm just starting out here and not as confident in my views as you are. My humor seems to go over the head of most people on here. You seem to be very talented musically (like my wife) and accomplished in other areas. Have you ever considered college teaching?

And I love that analogy of the oyster! I have never thought of it that way. It makes me laugh. And thanks for the banana smeared with peanut butter image. You know fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches were Elvis' fav and look where it got him!!

Another BTW, you are the first human being on this planet to not like bananas that I have met. Kudos to you, another select group you're in.

Wow, thanks for all the nice comments! *blush* I appreciate that you would take notice and feel inclined to comment. And I'm glad someone appreciates honesty these days! Alot of people probably would like to intentionally misspell my name on here and I can't say I blame them. But I try to be fair and I try to think before I post.

And heh, college teaching, funny you should say that because it's a goal of mine. I have taught quite a bit at all levels and I think college would suit me nicely. There is still some 'iffyness' but I believe this fall I will be involved in instructing an undergraduate course. A nice test run.

Oooh, the p.b. and banana sandwich, yes, very enjoyable, but only if you add chocolate chips. And then, leave out the bananas. Douse with honey, and that there is a fine meal.

Back for just a moment to the subject at hand, my first stone started up when I was playing a concert. And I felt incredibly sick to my stomach on stage. I thought, "I have never had such nerves in my life". I passed it off to an extreme bout of nervousness! I mean, really, really extreme. I never get that nervous, and I thought I was going to upchuck in my instrument case. Ha ha.

Thanks again - made my day!

And your son is cute, by the way, and I'm not just saying that.