I had a stone removed from my right ureter 2 years ago; the preceding and subsequent CT scans showed stones in both kidneys. 6 months ago I went in for a follow up CT and found a stone completely blocking the left ureter (no pain). Surgeon removed the stone it but the kidney is only functioning at 18% (at 15% the kidney will likely die). Another CT showed calcium blockage in the left ureter and multiple stones in the right kidney. I am now scheduled for back to back surgeries in late December. The first surgery will attempt to remove the calcium from the left (dying) ureter and insert a stent in the right ureter. The stent will facilitate the stones moving out of the right kidney during the second surgery to blast the stones out of the right kidney.
Could these kidney issues be related to PC treatment, ADT, low T, incontinence, radiation?
Anyone else having Kidney issues since being diagnosed or treated for PC?
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Moespy
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hello my friend. I am very sorry about your kidneys issues. I wish I was qualified to answer your questions with useful answers but from my own experience, about 6 months or less after my RP I had a kidney stone problem. The pain was unbearable and I had to be rushed to the emergency room. I stayed there for over night. They did the usual and it was a kidney stone on its way out. I have some kidney cysts which I am not doing a good job monitoring them. Just tired of the whole thing. I do wish you the best of luck and you are in my prayers. Happy holidays.
Since the most common stones are calcium oxalate you could discuss having a Dexa scan to see what is happening to the bone density (increased bone reabsorption due to castration treatment) and also discuss measuring the calcium in the urine.
If the stones were calcium oxalate changes in the diet and increasing the amount of calcium in the diet and reducing bone reabsorption may help to reduce the risk of developing kidney stones.
I have both - prostate cancer and kidney stones - but no idea whether there is any cause and effect. I kept on having stones every year so this year we decided to be proactive and the doctor went into both kidneys and scooped out 10 stones! They may come back but good thing is I am likely free of them for several years. Two suggestions - 1) my doc preferred to “scoop” them out rather than “blast” them apart as the blast can leave small deposits that can grow back and 2) my doc put me on potassium citrate pills (once a day) that can potentially prevent recurrence (of stones).
I’m on Lupron Xtandi Zometa and I don’t have kidney stones , but there is another kidney issue with ADT as well. My kidneys are trashed by my ADT , I have microalbumin in the near 300 range. That’s serious kidney malfunction . There are home urine microalbumin tests on Amazon if you aren’t tested for it by your pcp. It might help to have more knowledge of your kidney function in making decisions.
I have had many kidney stones over the roughly 15 years that I also have had prostate cancer. In the case of the first stone, pain was severe and long-lasting, (six hours),and I learned that the pain could be lessened with ice. I learned also over time that the stones were caused by calcium-rich antacid tablets, which I took for heartburn. I switched to non-calcium antacid pills (famotidine) which essentially ended the problem, except for high-calcium milk substitutes like soy milk, which, combined with poor hydration and extra-hot weather, leads me to passing a stone once in a while. All of my stones passed without surgery. Some passed with the assistance of massage, within minutes. I have saved some of them, and the largest one was about 1/8" across, while most of them are about half of that. I understand that if they are too big for the ureter, they can be broken up with sound blasts while in a tub of water. I have not heard of surgical removal. Just remember to keep hydrated especially during heat waves, and try to limit calcium intake. Also, they can apparently be reduced in size and caused to pass by drinking fruit juice, e.g. apple or cranberry. High dairy intake might be a factor in my PC as well.
I have passed a few and have had 1 stuck in each ureter which required uretersoppe removal. I have a cluster in my right kidney that will be blasted out later this month. Thanks for sharing and well done on your longevity of keeping your PCa at bay.
Hubby has kidney disease and lost a kidney 20 years ago. For all these years in spite of his Kidney disease, he has done well and lived pretty normal. We are in the early stages of PC only being diagnosed about 6 weeks ago. We are still gathering info to make a treatment decision. Gleason 7, 4+3, T1c. We spoke to his Nephrologist about how treatment would affect his kidney and he said it shouldn’t affect it all and to keep him posted.
Your husband has my exact numbers at biopsy. In my bio you will notice those numbers were obtained nearly 12 years ago. Now we both have great hope. Me living alot longer with one kidney and your husband with PC.Thank you for the reply!
Ok, well a good question I believe! Problem first and foremost is the PCa oncologist don't get involved if the word "cancer" isn't present regarding any co-morbidities being present. In my experience anyways...
When diagnosed, my blood had shown a bunch of new changes to my #'s across the board. LDL, Triglycerides, BP and Glucose were all elevated as well. Changed diet drastically and was able to bring most back to normal, but began some drug remedies as well. Ultimately diet comprised of many changes for glucose control. Lots of green leafy veggies, cruciferous veggies, nuts, basically close to a Mediterranean diet, but with meat proteins as well.
Scans began to show a calculus in my right kidney, but hey, nobody made any big notation on it. I saw the reference in my scans but didn't understand the significance at all. Again, no referral to maybe see somebody about that thing that was there. Subsequent scans showed it was growing too... And crickets! Well...
A few years later and PCa progression brought my to chemo therapy and wouldn't ya know that Murphy guy, smack dab in the middle of my 6 planned sessions I began to have some side/back pain on the right side. Yeah, the stone was now causing an issue. Couldn't sit in a car for long, couldn't wash dishes without having to sit, needed pain meds which I've never taken in my life!
Problem was with chemo, no action could be taken because if an infection occured it could be a huge problem. So had to wait... Upon completion of chemo and being cleared I went and got it taken care of, but the sound therapy broke the stone up small enough to get lodged in the ureter between the kidney and bladder! So I opted for surgery to just go in and fish the thing out! Success!!!
So, yes, it was tested and confirmed for Oxalate Calcium.
It's important to understand where Oxalates come from... And when considering a diet that must consider both Glucose and Oxalates, they're complementary opposites! What's good for one, is not good for the other! Greens, Nuts, Grains good for Glucose control, have Oxalates, some HIGH Oxalate content to boot! I used to drink Vit C drinks too, not a good idea either with Oxalates.
So beware!!!
My diet basically was comprised of high Oxalate diet, but my Kidney Doc couldn't say what timeline could lead to stones! But lots of green leafy veggies, lots of nuts, ie, peanut butter, while grain breads, onyl drank Iced Tea (home made), etc. In all likelihood, due to it being a major part of my diet, contributed to the formation. But take that where it's coming from. But I don't want to deal with that again, so now my diet is ridiculous and at times I just give up. Knowing that being conscious of the Oxalates, it's ok to eat them, but be knowledgeable of how much is ok. Hopefully this will prevent it again, nobody knows. And oh, the kidney doc wants me to drink 120oz (almost a gallon) of water per day! Almost impossible!!! But keeping the kidneys flush helps a lot from all that I've read since.
Play golf 3 times a week and was downing homemade salty hydration concoction in large amounts over the last 4 years. This and other salty sbacks may be the biggest cause of the stones. I am more under control now and hoping for improvement. Right now I am just hoping the left kidney can be saved by removing calcium build up in the upper ureter. I am generally positive as things could always be worse as my M.O. gave me 5 years to live 11 years ago, 😆
Thank you for this information.I do not take a calcium supplement due to reading that it is not good with PCa. What do you think about taking Vitamin C with kidney disease?
no pain? That’s good . The kidneys are essential to us all . I had pc tumors blocking kidneys and both urethras . Over a year of tubes a and a foley then urethra stents for another year 7ntil finall6 imrt and double adt knocked away those dammed tumors . Nothing about my urology is normal . But not peeing for a year was pure . Now I pee I pee around the clock day no night but it sure bats the hell out of not peeing . My tubes then the stents would always be inundated by uti’s . The entire time I was on bad antibiotics like cipro until I grew immune to them all except bactrim . It kind of a miracle what the docs can do now . I pray you’ll ge5 through this to a better place! Hang in there dear sir! 🙏
Absolutely horrible what you went through with this damn disease. I spent 4 hours on the golf course today dribbling bloody pee into a super absorbable pad inside my adult underwear. Hopefully this time next month I will just be peeing in the pad. Good to hear from you and I hope all is as good as can be expected.
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