Low carb and kidneys

[Mereja]

Since I started on this WOE I got TOM only 4 days late the first month and 9 days late the 2nd. It usually is 3 weeks late or more. But, the first month I really started to pee a lot when it started and then I started feeling like I was getting a bladder infection. I took my cranactin and drank a lot of water and got over that without going to the doctor. This month the same thing happened except that the cranactin and lots of water didn't help. I ended up going to the doctor for meds.

The big question and worry is this. On Monday the doctor gave me a new bp medicine which is an ACE inhibitor. 6 days later with TOM I got the worse bladder infection I have ever had. I was passing blood clots everytime I went to the bathroom. I told the doctor on Monday that I thought it had to do with the new bp med. I drank a lot of water but was peeing very little and with a lot of pain. I also had some discomfort in one of my kidneys. He insisted it wasn't because of that and this med is really good for people with diabetes etc. I got antibiotics and tylenol 3. I was in pain and misery for 3 days. The tylenol 3 didn't touch the pain. Ibuprofen helped some, but not much. On Tuesday and Wednesday I didn't take the bp med and went back to the doctor. Of course my bp was really high and so the doctor (a different one, same clinic) asked me what bp med I would feel comfortable taking, so I got that changed. Finally Wednesday night I started feeling a little better. I felt like the bp med was really hurting my kidneys.

So, I am thinking it was the bp med but also the month before I had the same symptoms (without the bp med) but I got over it faster and it didn't get so bad. Could it have to do with the changing hormones, or low carbing or ??? I also have PCOS and IR. Any ideas????

Sorry this was so long. :wave:

[Dodger]

It's also possible that you passed a kidney stone.

[Mereja]

Do you think that low carbing could help get rid of kidney stones?

[Dodger]

Do you think that low carbing could help get rid of kidney stones?
No, could have just been the time for them.

[jimjam]

There's a bit controversy about low carb and kidneys - I'd be careful and just keep an eye on it. Like mentioned, it could just have been a kidney stone, but at the same time, you don't want to mess around with your kidneys, so be careful, k?

[tofi]

I have to differ with you Jimjam. There is no controversy about LCing and kidneys; there are just false reports and fear mongering that claim "LCing damages the kidneys". Not true.

Dr. Atkins used to publicly challenge the entire medical community to bring forth EVEN ONE CASE where LCing had damaged healthy kidneys. NO ONE ever came forward, not even his worst naysayers. Don't you think that IF that had been true, there would have been a lineup?

However, it has been accepted as true that people with EXISTING kidney disease or problems should not do LCing. However they would already be sick enough to know about it.

The low protein diet has been accepted medical treatment for existing kidney disease - even my elderly cat was on low protein for a couple of years. But the vets recently told me that the thinking is changing on that and that perhaps LCing would be the BEST possible treatment. Even science evolves.

[nepeta]

I have a history of kidney stones & just pay attention it a little more now that I'm lowcarbing. Recently when I attempted induction again it was sometimes so dehydrating that I was peeing every 5-10 minutes. I was drinking the normal amount of water needed. (but also not doing any salt, so no water retention I guess)

It's common sense to me that atkins puts a small amount of stress on the kidneys. Healthy kidneys can handle it, it seems with no problems. But if the person has kidney problems it's best to avoid low carb diets, or at least the more restrictive ones.

I'm actually one of those people who did atkins in the late 70's as a teenager. Looking back, I did it without many carbs, and without adequate water intake. I also, a couple years later developed kidney stones and went into the hospital when I was 20yrs old with an abcessed kidney. I'm not saying that the diet is the cause of kidney stones, I had been off atkins for a couple years at that point. but that imo & experience I'm not going to say 100% that they played no part.
Maybe in the old atkins book they told you to drink a lot of water, but I didn't see it. Does anyone who did the diet back then remember? I drank a few ice teas, and diet sodas, but little water.

Anyways, sorry if I'm rambling, what I wanted to get across is that there may be a correlation, that maybe for some people these diets place more stress on the kidneys. I think it's just important to continue to listen to your body.
There are a few of us that post here who don't do well on atkins induction, who feel pretty unhealthy with that low of carbs. I seem to be at my optimal health between 40-80carbs daily.
Everyone's different, and people here say they feel great on induction, and I believe them.

Oh, what bp meds were you on? I know that they wanted to continually check my kidney profile when I was doing hydrochlorothiazide diuretics(they can be hard on the kidneys) it's possible that the bp meds played a part, maybe it was the meds combined with lowcarb?

Just to confuse you more. I have a food allergy to dairy which when I eat some I get bladder infections and kidney pains. All that got better when I took them out of the diet. Do you have anything like that?

Again sorry for the rambling. Hope it helps though.:)