Landed in the ER with a kidney stone and dangerously low Potassium Levels

poet_kelly
on 4/29/11 11:54 am - OH

I would let them know that you're unhappy they gave you the wrong advice. My surgeon told me to use Caltrate too and when I realized it was carbonate I sure told them I was unhappy with them and NOT following their advice.

Kelly

Please note: I AM NOT A DOCTOR. If you want medical advice, talk to your doctor. Whatever I post, there is probably some surgeon or other health care provider somewhere that disagrees with me. If you want to know what your surgeon thinks, then ask him or her. Check out my blog.

Lady Lithia
on 4/29/11 10:40 am

VERY infrequently (like six a year) I take tums for antacid purposes..... should I not even do that?

~Lady Lithia~ 200 lbs lost!
March 9, 2011 - Coccygectomy!
I chased my dreams, and my dreams, they caught me!

poet_kelly
on 4/29/11 11:53 am - OH

RNY on 11/04/08

Personally I doubt that would be enough to cause a problem. But I can't promise you that.

Kelly

Lady Lithia
on 4/29/11 12:34 pm

Well it hasn't so far, and kidney issues aren't something that are common in my family (I don't know of a single family member in my entire extended family who has EVER had a kidney stone)

I do tums in a real pinch.... like when I ate olives and it turns out the lye hadn't been washed off, and it was burning my esophagus and pouch. I think I ate four tums in a five minute period. I figured that nothing the tums could do to me would be worse than a corrosive acid in my pouch/intestines.

~Lady Lithia~ 200 lbs lost!
March 9, 2011 - Coccygectomy!
I chased my dreams, and my dreams, they caught me!

seattledeb
on 4/30/11 10:35 am

RNY on 12/22/08

I chew Tums with every meal. Not for calcium but as a phosphate binder. With renal failure you phosphate level goes up. The carbonate binds with the phosphate. The calcium is not absorbed.
I have not had trouble with kidney stones but I didn't do it the first 3 months after surgery.
It does seem like there are a lot of folks taking tums and getting kidney stones early out.
Deb T..a double calcium taker

vitalady
on 4/29/11 4:43 pm - Puyallup, WA

RNY on 10/05/94

I'm scared to death of them.

When I've had issues, I take maalox or something else. The issue I read that sent chills was "calcium containing antacids", which I suspect means all, but the stuff tastes so nasty, I won't take more than I must.

Some ppl who've had bad reflux, we switched them over to the BA mint calc citrate wafers and they got both calcium and minty thing to put out the fire. And stopped getting kidney stones. Is that a win-win-win?

Michelle
RNY, distal, 10/5/94

P.S. My year + long absence has NOTHING to do with my WLS, or my type of WLS. See my profile.

poet_kelly
on 4/29/11 9:45 am - OH

RNY on 11/04/08

You're taking calcium citrate, not carbonate, right? Carbonate can cause kidney stones.

Kelly

seattledeb
on 4/29/11 11:26 am

RNY on 12/22/08

You got great advice about your calcium.
I will tell you about your potassium. You HAVE to get that potassium down. If you can't you will need to go to the doctor and get IV potassium. Low potassium is medically very dangerous.
Also..start looking for foods that are high in potassium.Google is your friend. Look it up and see what appeals to you.
Deb T.

Lady Lithia
on 4/29/11 11:30 am

coconu****er

~Lady Lithia~ 200 lbs lost!
March 9, 2011 - Coccygectomy!
I chased my dreams, and my dreams, they caught me!

Jane N.
on 4/29/11 2:02 pm - Round Rock, TX

RNY on 08/02/10

Which kind of potassium did they give you? Potassium chloride (usually Klor-Con) will tear your stomach up. It's tough stuff. I get headaches and stomach aches if I take too big a dose of that stuff and now take it twice daily instead of just once a day. Potassium citrate (Urocit-K) is not as harsh and has the added benefit of helping prevent kidney stones (I take that 3 times a day). I've had low potassium for about 10 years and take multiple supplements daily in order to keep mine up. It's been an uphill battle though.