"Buffering" your medicines post op: UrocitK for kidney stones

Seems I  have found myself in a vicious cycle of low citrate, kidney stones, and gastrointestinal distress. I know I have come to this forum before with similar questions, but this is specifically about "buffering' the vitamins and what can be done to do this.

When I take my Potassium Citrate like I am suppose to, I end up with explosive lava like feces that burns and causes discomfort for at least an hour after I go. It also has caused some hemorrhoid issues that I do not find comfortable at all.

My only alternatives are to live with the two kidneys full of stones, waiting for one to drop and cause excruciating pain, or start a mariachi band and play my kidneys like maracas.  Not an easy choice.

I have tried to "buffer" the pills like the web says by taking them with a meal, but it is not working.  I don't know what foods to eat that would buffer them properly, allow them to absorb, and not cause the acidic torture during output.  This is further complicated by the fact that you are suppose to drink 8 oz of liquid with the pills.  It is hard to eat, drink, and swallow 3 horse pills at one time.  I can't drink milk because of similar issues, so that is out.  I have tried all kinds of proteins, but don't think they cause the right kind of "buffering".

Hoping someone can help because I know the stones are growing, even as I type it feels like I am about to start passing one, and I don't want to end up in the hospital again with this mess.
I have been following BearMom's advice on taking the B1 vitamins, drinking lemon water, etc.  I also drink the Yogi Kidney Detox tea to try and help.  I notice that Naproxen makes my kidneys hurt, so I avoid that, and I am trying to listen and learn so that I don't have to deal with this long term.

Any and all advice, experiences, or help is appreciated.

I take the 15 MeQ size, one pill three times a day...not three at once.  My stomach would rather I DID NOT take them, but I don't have the symptoms you have.

Are you taking three at a time?

I do it the same way as MsCalC, and spread them through the day. I was on 3 per day, and just had that raised to 6(!?!?) per day of those horse pills, and I am NOT going to take 2 tablets 3 times a day, but spread them out to 6 individual pills. 

When I first went on them I did have softer poo, that burned. I try to balance it with things that constipate many people, so alternate doses with calcium citrate, and iron. I'm dreading this new increase, but my body did seem to get used to them, so I'm hoping this increase in dosage will also be tolerable in a month or so. 

I know I sound like a nagging mother, but with the calcium, it not only will balance the poo issues, but is really, really important for binding that oxalate in the gut and passing it out with the poop, so it never even makes it to the kidneys. So, take calcium EVERY SINGLE TIME YOU EAT, so all oxalates in food have the opportunity to bind with it. Even if you use cheap, useless tums (which is calcium carbonate) just to bind the oxalate in food, and take your real calcium doses other times.

Try that, and keep taking them with food, and hopefully your system will get used to them in a few weeks as well.

ETA - and UNTIL you get it back to normal, use moist butt wipes every time you go. I LOVE them.

Can you drink Lactaid milk?  I guess an Alkaline diet would include fruits, veggies, tubers, nuts and legumes and little alcohol or caffeine.  You could google it.   We eat lots of meat which is acidic, but we've got to get in our protein.   I take 1080 mg potassium citrate - 1/2 morning, 1/2 nite.  And of course calcium....

10 MeQs = 1080 mg

I take 15 MeQs tid = 4860 mg per day...I think. 

I'm don't know what strength Poodles uses.

Is this a prescription or OTC?

Rx.


www.urocit-k.com/

I thought we couldn't take extended release tablets of any kind and this formulation wasn't an option for DSers. 

I take Potassium as well, and next time I see the doc, going to ask him to up it since it barely keeps me at 3.5 mg serum potassium.  My endo doc thought that taking the inaipamide (low dose diuretic) will keep more stones at bay.  

I had stones before I ever had DS surgery, they run in the family but only with the gals!  The men in the family just aren't prone to them for some reason!

Patti 

My uro said I should try it and we should go by the results. 

I tried it and my urine citrate went from essentially too low to measure to normal within a month or two.  The uro was REALLY impressed.

So that's what I'm doing.

ok, there's no arguing with success!