Scared of the HIgh Protein Diet...HELP

[Stargurrl* 5]

I am freaking out. I have had kidney stones at least five times in the past ten years and was told by my urologist to keep my Protein intake under control. SO....I found out today what my nutritionist would like me to have after surgery. That's a lot of protein. Anyone else have problems with kidney stones????

[CheckYes 46]

I have had kidney stones once - I did the Atkins induction stage for five weeks solid.. Lost 37 pounds but gained kidney stones. I haven't had any problems with kidney stones in ten years. Perhaps you could add cranberry juice or pills to your diet post op if you are worries about stones.

Beat wishes - stones are a b*tch.

[honk 780]

I really know nothing about kidney stone. One question I would ask the doctor is do certain kinds of Protein have higher likelihood of causing stones. The reason I ask is that not all Protein Powder is created equal. For example whey Protein powder comes in several "kinds", and I dont mean flavor. My doctor required whey isolate which is a higher quality of protein that your body digests easier. Isolate costs more than other types of Whey protein.

[happygirl65 5]

The thing is you have to keep your intake of Water up (that is what the nutritionist says) to avoid that...but I think my doc's requirements may be different than yours. It seems that she only says I need two Protein Drinks in a day and that hot cocoa mixed with milk counts as a Protein drink....so maybe your requirements are higher.

[L12 13]

I did have kidney stones once, and it was about a year after I was banded. At the time I was taking extra Biotin, which my doc told me to stop immediately when I had my stones. I haven't had any problems since, but then again I'm not eating especially high Protein, just a balanced diet.

[Jachut 487]

Well, I lost 120% of my excess weight, I have a BMI of 19, I eat whatever I want and am effortlessly maintaining weight loss without any fill in my band and I would NEVER do a high Protein low carb diet. I have eaten bread, rice and Pasta - in small qunatities - and i have never supplemented Protein with shakes or bars- all the way through - with the blessing of my doctor as well - we just dont get told to do that high protein stuff here.

If I had such a risk of kidney stones, i wouldnt touch a really high protein diet with a bargepole personally. I'd eat normally from all food groups, smaller quantities, balance calories in/calories out and weight loss will follow.

[Acadia 20]

It should be noted that kidney stones are also related to excess Calcium. So if you're taking a Calcium supplement, stop for a while.

And if all else fails and you get and pass a stone, take it to your Dr and ask them for an analysis so you know exactly what is causing it. Calcium stones are made of calcium and so on.

[Jachut 487]

Very high Protein diets can leach Calcium from your bones, which can result in the formation of calcium based kidney stones.

that's not to say high protein/low carb isnt excellent for weight loss, perhaps even the only way to lose weight for many people. But what's best for weight loss and what's best for overall health are not necessarily the same thing for all people. The only real reason I wouldnt do one personally is that I love my carbs! But if I was prone to kidney stones, I dont think I'd risk it.

It sucks, currently I have an ileostomy (which is only temporary) and the best way to manage one is with a low residue diet. That means lots of white bread, white rice, white Pasta, low fibre, not a lot of fruit and veg, no nuts or seeds. I may be a carb eater, but I'm a wholegrain carb, high fruit and vegies, love my salads carb eater. I started out refusing to eat a diet of white sh*t, but a few bouts of diarrhoea and exoriated skin on my stomach as a result and I might just have to bow to the wisdom of the dietician on this one. I feel for you being asked ot eat in a way you're not really comfortable with - you MUST consider your own wants, needs and knowledge about your body whilst taking the advice of the nutritionist. And even seek other proper medical advice (nutritionists are not dieticians, nor are they doctors).

[Stargurrl* 5]

Thanks for all the replies everyone. I'm in the waiting room of my urologist now. Ill let u all know what she says.....fingers crossed hoping this goes well : )