Question:
Can WLS cause Kidney problems?
I've been having some bad backaches which is'nt like me. Anyway Saturday I got one and took a couple of codienes (on an empty stomach of all the stupid things to do). My back pain got tremendously worse... like every nerve was on fire and my pouch hurt so bad it was like it ate a hole through it. Actually I hurt from my chest down and all around my stomach and back. I tried to throw the pills up, but they had evidently passed through. I was in one of the worst pain I've been in in my life, and I've had alot of pain in the past. I thought for sure I was going to pass out. And I hurt so bad I almost could'nt talk. This lasted three hours. Then I was fine for about the next 36 hours. Then sometime in the very early hours of Monday morning I tried to roll over and my back (lower to mid right side) again felt as if it was busted. So yesterday I went to the doctors. Well, the nurse came in and said I may be dehydrated and wanted me to give a urine sample. Well I never saw my urine that color! It was a dark brown and seemed to have some white things floating around. (However the white could have been what they wanted me to wipe with). Anywho they checked and there was no blood and something else in there ether (forgot what it was). But they are sending it out to a lab so it will be a few days before I know. The doc asked if the pain was relieved by changing position or if I wanted to move alot. I said MOVE! I tried every position you could think of to stop the pain and it would'nt. So based on that she does'nt think it's a back problem (muscles) but rather a kidney infection or stones. I'm floored. I had no idea that something like that could cause back pains. And I have no idea if WLS could cause kidney stones or an infection. I've had urinary reconstructive surgeries almost 10 years ago, and rather suspect that is the cause... unless there are stones in the Kidneys. Perhaps rapid weight loss can not only cause gallbladder problems (mine was removed post op) but kidney as well? Anyway, has anyone had kidney problems post op??? By the way, I drink lots of diet W Ginger Ale so I certainly get enough fluid. Also I've had to take Furosemide (40 mg) everyday since 1993 because of the botched surgeries back then. (I put on 3 pounds today as I missed yesterday's fluid pill). And this also lowers potassium (which regulates fluid retension?). I've had lots of potassium problems as a new post op last year. So I'm just wondering if the WLS caused or made anything worse and what I can do about it? (Drink water for one thing). I had a doctor bitch at me last year as all I was drinking was WATER. (No pop or anything else). So I gave up and went back to drinking what I like... seeing water is bad if that is all you drink. Can't win. Thanks. — Danmark (posted on July 30, 2002)
July 30, 2002
Hi Daniel. I am still pre-op (August 7th!) but as far as I know ANYONE
losing weight quickly is at risk for kidney stones. My mom was on the
Atkins diet and had lost about 50 pounds rather quickly, when she suddenly
developed kidney stones. She wasn't drinking her water like she was suppose
to, and I am assuming that the water shortage in her body helped them
develop. Once again, I obviously am not a doctor, but I have heard that
losing weight, and not drinking enough water puts you at risk. Good luck!
:o)
— fropunka
July 30, 2002
WLS itself doesn't "cause" kidney problems. Dehydration does!
If your pee is a dark color, you're not drinking enough. It should be
almost clear if you're getting in your 64+ oz. of water. About 3 months
post-op, I had a whopper of a kidney infection that almost killed me. My
doctor stressed drink, drink, drink! I told him I didn't like the taste of
water, and I dumped on sugar. That's when he suggested unsweetened iced
tea, flavored with Splenda. It has been a Godsend for me!!! I drink an
entire pitcher of the stuff every single day. No kidney problems since my
initial "scare." Please do drink, drink, drink ... whenever
you're not eating, drink. God bless,
— Terissa R.
July 30, 2002
Daniel - They will likely do an ultrasound to see if you have stones -
there are 2 types of makeup, which they can analyze if you pass them. One
kind is genetic, meaning nothing you do can make them happen or go away,
though dehydration makes them worse. They often run in families - I had
this kind once, both my dad and brother get them every 5 years or so. Lots
of soda can make these worse, too as they are a magnesium based? stone.
The other kind is a bit more tricky, and more common - they are made up of
calcium, excess calcium of the worng kind, chronic dehydration, too much
protein, etc can cause these. I am surprised they think it is kidney
stones, cuase usually that is confirmed by haveing blood and NOT white
blood cells. The edges are jagged, see, adn can cause minor blood in the
urine. If it is a kidney infection, that can be for a million reasons, but
basically bad bacteria got in your urinary tract (bladder) and moved upward
to the kidney- you are fortunate with all the surgeries you have had to not
have had a problem with that before. Yours is probably NOT WLS related, as
i have had stones twice and infections probably 8-12 times, but none since
my WLS 16 months ago - - these things just happen - I hope you find relief.
I don't recommend drinking cranberry juice, regardless of WLS it is VERY
high in calories, and hard to find at 100% juice, I use a supplement called
AZO, it has the good part of cranberry juice but in a pill - in a pink
bottle, sometimes with the feminine products.
— M. A. B.
July 30, 2002
Daniel, I'm gonna bite the bullet here, and tell you what my doctor told
me. I know most of the people on here are really into this ketosis thing.
I don't know if you are or not. I also notice a ton a kidney problems from
various posters. After some really mixed responses to one of my questions
about it, I asked my doctor if I should be in ketosis or not. He said,
"absolultey not!" Apparently it is representative that we are
indeed burning up the fat and eliminating it, but not replacing it
sufficiently with lean muscle. I know this is really taxing to the kidneys.
I don't even know if this is your situation, but that is one thought.
Also, I have a real problem with the doc fussing about the water you were
drinking. I mean, good grief, what is wrong with that? Our bodies are
composed mainly of water, not pop, not juice, not beer. Mine B****ed at me
for drinking a little bit of Fruit Works (that's all the store had that I
could drink when I stopped on the way to the doc). The white stuff in your
urine sounds like it could be calcium deposits, or it could be pus from a
bacterial infection. I guess you really can't speculate unless you had
tried to squish one. (I know, gross and contaminating) Anyway, I would go
back to my water, get in a sufficient amount of protein, get in a balance
of carbs and other nutrients, and get well. Keep us updated, and Good
Luck!!!
— Tina B.
July 30, 2002
Thanks all. And to the last poster, I was NEVER into this ketosis thing.
Although I did try Atkins around 4 years ago (for a couple weeks only and
did try it then & unsuccesfully too). After WLS I did have the bad
breath/taste thing for only a very short time. So I don't think I was in
ketosis. And with the water thing, for three months post op all I drank was
water. I thought I was doing great. Then when I was in the ER having
potassium by IV, the doctor (kind of loud) said you can't live on just
water!
Personally I don't know why not. It was good enough for Adam and Eve. lol
;)
— Danmark
July 30, 2002
Hi Daniel! I had kidney stones for many years due to hyperparathyroidism.
In January, I had two parathyroid adenomas removed and none since. I was
urged by my PCP to watch the ketosis thing and make sure plenty of my
calories came form carbs. Why? Diets poor in fresh fruit and vegetables but
high in meat and dairy can sometimes cause a rise in uric acid, gout. Uric
acid stones are different from Calcium stones and don't uaually show up on
an xray. Well, sometimes the calcium oxylate stones don't show up well
either. Has your doctor scheduled you for a CT of your kidneys? That
usually reveals the presence of stones better than an xray. Being a former
ER nurse, we did actually see patients in the ER who had stones present and
not enough blood in their urine to test positive. I hope you get to the
bottom of this Daniel!
— NicoleG
July 30, 2002
Daniel, I can't believe that doctor bitched at you for drinking water. The
poster that said that your pee should be almost clear is correct-thats how
you tell if you are getting enough water. Whenever mine strays from clear
to yellow, well, then I know to up the water. Ditch the diet soda and go
back to water-its good for every organ in your body.
— Cindy R.
July 30, 2002
Hey Daniel: EVERYTIME I go on a "soda pop" binge (4-5) days or
more of drinking a couple of soda's a day, I get a RAGING kidney and / or
urinary tract infection...I take the meds for a few days and the ones that
make me pee orange for a couple of days, along with TONS of water, it goes
away....SOOOOOOO if I ever get that urge to drink sodas day after day, I
just have to remember the pain...STOPS ME COLD....The dr said it was all
the carbonation in the soft drinks....Infection EVERY SINGLE TIME !!!!!
— Joi G.
July 31, 2002
UPDATE: The tests results came back today and don't reveal anything. I
don't know why BROWN urine would'nt show something. So now I'm not sure
what will happen. I'm still in pain and on antibiotics and Vicodin. So at
least some of the pain is in check.
— Danmark
July 31, 2002
I have recently had a problem like you are having also. Since last
October, I have gotten a bladder infection (so I thought) every month. I
was on antibiotics all the time it seemed, but it wasn't very effective in
taking my pain away. Also, when they checked my urine, there wasn't any
infection or blood. My doctor FINALLY had me tested for kidney stones
(IVP) and it showed I had a stone that was completely blocking my right
kidney, causing it to swell. After a urologist did surgery to remove it,
he said people with WLS are more prone to stones because our bodies don't
absorb oxylate like it did before surgery. He told me to drink water,
until my urine is clear like water, and to make sure I drink milk everyday
(which is something I didn't do) because the calcium in milk makes it
easier for our bodies to absorb the oxylate. SO, I am taking his advice
and doing that. I would ask your doctor about you possibly having a stone.
It could become serious if you do have one and it's not taking care of
soon. I was always under the assumption of people having severe pain with
stones, but wasn't in my case. Good luck!
— Lori E.
July 31, 2002
Hi, I too had a kidney stone for the first time 5 weeks after WLS. It was
the worst pain I had ever felt. They almost had to do surgery, but the
stone moved at the last moment. Urologist said WLS patients are more prone
to kidney stones and now I am on meds to prevent this. I hope I do not get
another one. But all in all the surgery was well worth it. I have lost 55
pounds in 11 weeks. I feel great. I have trouble getting all of my water in
though and my urine is always dark yellow. All I usually drink is water
cause I have so much trouble getting in the required amount. I usually only
get around 44 ounces a day. But I do drink milk in the morning and I have
been adding some dry milk to that to get in more protein. Hope you are
doing better. Just watch out for those kidneys.
— sherri H.
July 31, 2002
Dan...I had brown urine when I had hepatitis A. It was "bile" in
my urine. I was VERY ill...couldn't eat, very fatigued, and had a high
fever off and on. I was sick for three months and lost 25 lbs. This was
quite a while ago...I was 13 years old, so it was NOT post-op WLS. The doc
should check on your liver. Hope all will be well. Hugs, Joy
— [Deactivated Member]
August 1, 2002
Joy I hope it is'nt that! Geese, I don't do sex or drugs so seems like it
would'nt be. However that is something to discus. To all of you, thanks a
million! I don't know what to do next, but I hope they will do an xray to
see if it's stones. The pain has finally let up some although I still have
it. Perhaps the antibiotics are helping.
— Danmark
August 1, 2002
Dan, you don't get Hepatitis A from dirty needles or sex. It's from
unclean drinking water. Just wanted to clarify. Hep A is everywhere and
just needs a weak immune system in order to flourish. I believe it's Hep B
and C (the really bad one to get) that you can get from needles and sex.
At age 13 I was STILL a pristine little girl! Hope you can find out what
the cause is, and hope it is not serious and completely treatable. Hugs,
Joy
— [Deactivated Member]
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