Kidneys are Killing me.
trish55011
Posts: 139 Member
This is new. Can anyone help explain why my kidneys are hurting so badly? I am drinking at least 1 gallon of water every day, and at least 32 oz of "keto-aid" (more on days when I work out) are my kidneys simply protesting the extra work load (getting rid of ketones) will it pass?
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That's an awful lot of fluid! Why are you drinking so much water? Are you constantly thirsty? Are you working outside, or working out outside, and sweating a lot? Did someone tell you to drink a certain amount of water per pound?3
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How much water do you drink normally? Maybe they are not used to handling so much water.2
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Wow. I'll ask the same question. Why are you drinking so much water?2
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Do you have any pre existing kidney conditions, are you prone to kidney stones? Are thy certain it's your kidneys that are actually hurting?3
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@castlerobber @BaconSan2 @kpk54, I always drink lots and lots of water. Before beginning keto I would fill up my 32 oz cup 8-10 times per day. Yes I am always thirsty. Even though my bg numbers are now in the pre-diabetic range it seems like I cannot get enough to drink. The only thing besides water and now keto-aid I drink is coffee. Will have homemade Bullet proof coffee in am usually before 8am (running a little behind this morning) then reg coffee sporadically through out the day. But always follow coffee with water.
I was under the impression that water consumption should be your weight in Oz. For example I weigh (at last check) 212 lbs, so my H2o intake should be 212 oz. So based on that number if I have 10 32oz cups of H2o that's 320 oz. Not a huge overage right?
Since beginning keto I have been um, not sure how to say this nicely, urinating a lot more than before keto. Before keto I could go hours and hours without going to the bathroom. (Retired truckdriver) now... I'm going 2 sometimes 3 times every hour.0 -
Trish,trish55011 wrote: »This is new. Can anyone help explain why my kidneys are hurting so badly? I am drinking at least 1 gallon of water every day, and at least 32 oz of "keto-aid" (more on days when I work out) are my kidneys simply protesting the extra work load (getting rid of ketones) will it pass?
You need to seek advice from a doctor. No one here can tell you what's going on with you without lab tests. Not even a doctor. ❤️
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@auntstephie321, just had blood work done at Dr visit last week. Kidney function was spot on. Have never had kidney stones, or kidney infection. I've never even had a bladder infection. Cannot say with 100℅ certainty that kidneys are acting up, but the pain is right over the area in my back where kidneys are located. Both sides. Thought at first I may had pulled something in my lower back, but it's not that kind of pain. Have gone through my medicine basket and none of the things I take have acetomeniphen or ibuprofen. And I haven't taken any since beginning keto. I have been watching my macros to make sure I'm not overloading with protein, so I am really at a loss here ad to what could be going on. Also since the pain started, my energy level has gone down. Not sure if they are connected or not.0
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Are you getting enough sodium to keep up with all the water you're drinking
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@JosetteGetsFit, not asking for a diagnosis, just if anyone has experienced the same thing. Have only been Keto for 8 days. Did not know if this is a common thing with keto beginners because of ketones being excreted from the body. Didn't want to have a freak out and go running off to the dr, if this is something that will pass, like keto-flu.0
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@auntstephie321, think so. I drink one 32 oz homemade keto-aid every day. 2 if I work out. I add 1 heaping 1/4 tsp of salt and No-Salt (potassium) to each 32 oz bottle. I also take 250 mg magnesium in the morning and 250 magnesium before bed.0
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trish55011 wrote: »@auntstephie321, think so. I drink one 32 oz homemade keto-aid every day. 2 if I work out. I add 1 heaping 1/4 tsp of salt and No-Salt (potassium) to each 32 oz bottle. I also take 250 mg magnesium in the morning and 250 magnesium before bed.
That doesn't sound like enough. I dont know if that would cause pain in your kidney area. But if you are urinating a lot you are flushing out a lot of sodium too. Sounds like your water sodium balance is off so you aren't retaining any water. How long have you been keto?1 -
Keto makes the kidneys and liver work harder. Drinking a lot of water is important in this diet. If your having pain in your organs that is not normal.trish55011 wrote: »@JosetteGetsFit, not asking for a diagnosis, just if anyone has experienced the same thing. Have only been Keto for 8 days. Did not know if this is a common thing with keto beginners because of ketones being excreted from the body. Didn't want to have a freak out and go running off to the dr, if this is something that will pass, like keto-flu.
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JosetteGetsFit wrote: »
Keto makes the kidneys and liver work harder. Drinking a lot of water is important in this diet. If your having pain in your organs that is not normal.trish55011 wrote: »@JosetteGetsFit, not asking for a diagnosis, just if anyone has experienced the same thing. Have only been Keto for 8 days. Did not know if this is a common thing with keto beginners because of ketones being excreted from the body. Didn't want to have a freak out and go running off to the dr, if this is something that will pass, like keto-flu.
I think at this point, it's actually too much water. Yes, there is such a thing.trish55011 wrote: »@auntstephie321, think so. I drink one 32 oz homemade keto-aid every day. 2 if I work out. I add 1 heaping 1/4 tsp of salt and No-Salt (potassium) to each 32 oz bottle. I also take 250 mg magnesium in the morning and 250 magnesium before bed.
Yeah...that's not enough for the amount of water you're drinking. The idea that you need your weight in ounces of water is a complete myth with no foundation in science (in fact, even the "8 ounces, 8 times per day" is completely unfounded). https://chriskresser.com/hydration-101-how-much-water-do-you-really-need/
By all means, make an appointment with your doctor, because organ pain of any sort is not normal on this way of eating, but in the meantime, drink less water. A lot less.
You're going more frequently, because you're not storing all that extra water. Additionally, your kidneys are working overtime to preserve the sodium that's trying to flush out with all that water. Get more sodium, drink less water, and see if anything changes.
On a side note, thirst is a sign of high blood sugar. Unless your blood sugar was tested after eating, odds are good that your actual blood sugar gets a fair bit higher than the pre-diabetic range the test showed. If your blood sugar has been spiking (particularly before you went keto), it probably explains why you've historically felt thirsty all of the time.3 -
@auntstephie321, today is day 8. I was gauging my sodium/potassium level based on no cramps. So I am probably getting enough to help muscles, but not enough to help kidney's. So I will up my sodium/potassium intake and see if that does the trick. If not better in 48 hrs will schedule appt with Dr. I going potty a lot, and it's not the tinkle just a bit, it's lots, like I haven't gone in hours, but it has only been 30-45 min since last trip.0
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Thanks @JosetteGetsFit, going to adjust my sodium/potassium intake and see if that fixes it. If not will schedule appt with Dr in 48 hrs.1
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Thanks @Dragonwolf, bg readings are now at pre-diabetic levels, but yes before keto my bg was totally out of control. Going to up the sodium/potassium intake and see if that fixes it. Will try to drink less water, but it tastes so good. It's the only thing that quenches my thirst. But I will try. If after 48 hours things are not better (no pain) will make appointment with Dr.0
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trish55011 wrote: »@auntstephie321, today is day 8. I was gauging my sodium/potassium level based on no cramps. So I am probably getting enough to help muscles, but not enough to help kidney's. So I will up my sodium/potassium intake and see if that does the trick. If not better in 48 hrs will schedule appt with Dr. I going potty a lot, and it's not the tinkle just a bit, it's lots, like I haven't gone in hours, but it has only been 30-45 min since last trip.
I'd up the sodium more than the potassium. Sounds about right on timeline, by now you've flushed your sodium out so water is just going right through you, happens to me to. Reduce you water intake too it's gonna take a little time to level out. But if your kidneys are hurting see your Dr. I've had times that I had ache in that area too but my kidneys are fine I suspect in me it's hip flexor related0 -
trish55011 wrote: »Thanks @Dragonwolf, bg readings are now at pre-diabetic levels, but yes before keto my bg was totally out of control. Going to up the sodium/potassium intake and see if that fixes it. Will try to drink less water, but it tastes so good. It's the only thing that quenches my thirst. But I will try. If after 48 hours things are not better (no pain) will make appointment with Dr.
Unquenchable thirst is a classic sign of diabetes. You test prediabetic now, but had numbers "totally out of control," before keto. Chronic kidney disease in people even with prediabetic blood glucose levels is far more common than originally thought, and largely does not show up on the standard kidney function tests.
Go see a doctor. The quantity you're drinking concerns me less than the fact that you are concerned about not being able to quench your thirst without constantly consuming more.3 -
Holy geez! That's a whole freaking lot of water.
I would make the keto aid part of your normal water each day, NOT IN ADDITION TO.
TGE NORE WATER YOU DRINK, the more sodium you need.
Pain is a symptom of a problem, and it may very well be caused by drinking so much water.
This is exactly why I never got in the "drink your weight in water" thing that people think is healthy. Drinking beyond thirst doesn't feel healthy to me.
I'd also try cocoa or broth instead of coffee at least for a while to avoid the diuretic effect of that.
If it were me, I'd immediately start limiting my water consumption to a normal amount. If you're thirsty, it's probably a need for sodium. Drink some pickle juice.
You won't know if this is the cause unless you get rid of the pain or see a doctor and discover it's something else. But, you certainly need to do something differently.2 -
Update... Drank 1/4tsp of salt and No-Salt about 25 minutes ago. Kidney pain is gone, and I'm not dying of thirst. Think I may have just found the ticket. Thanks you guys for helping me with this. Will definitely reduce H2o. And will up the measurements in my next batch of keto-aid. Going to try my hand now at making fat head pizza and cloud bread.
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trish55011 wrote: »Update... Drank 1/4tsp of salt and No-Salt about 25 minutes ago. Kidney pain is gone, and I'm not dying of thirst. Think I may have just found the ticket. Thanks you guys for helping me with this. Will definitely reduce H2o. And will up the measurements in my next batch of keto-aid. Going to try my hand now at making fat head pizza and cloud bread.
I can't tell you how many times we've heard "I get plenty of sodium, but..." and then, "well, I did what you guys said and had even more sodium and it totally worked". Lol
WE NEED LOTS OF SODIUM.
EVEN MORE IF WE DRINK LOTS OF WATER.
AMOUNTS THAT MIGHT SEEM CRAZY EVEN!5 -
@Sunny_Bunny_ is so right I've been getting 4000 or more mg of sodium all week and woke up with a splitting sodium headache. This is my biggest struggle with low carb, also if you look at my diary you'll see I'm not as low carb as many on here and it's still difficult for me. We are all so different it's amazing3
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There is such a thing as water toxicity, drinking too much water that you can get sick and even die. If I had kidney pain like you are describing, I would run to the Minute Clinic at CVS and they can tell immediately via a urine test strip if you have a kidney infection. It is nothing to play around with, unless you want to visit the dialysis fun park for the rest of your life.3
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I went to ER 2 months ago with what I thought were kidney stones that turned out to be muscle spasms.... THE PAIN!! Magnesium citrate was the answer for me. I never forget the magnesium now!4
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I went to ER 2 months ago with what I thought were kidney stones that turned out to be muscle spasms.... THE PAIN!! Magnesium citrate was the answer for me. I never forget the magnesium now!
Our insurance is so bad that I would go to the CVS clinic before visiting the ER. A ER visit would cost me thousands of dollars.0 -
Glad to hear that adding sodium seems to be helping. Hyponatremia (water toxicity) can kill you. A local high school football player died of it two years ago, trying to hydrate before a game and overdoing it.
"Drink an ounce of water for every pound you weigh" has no scientific backing. Even half that is still a lot of fluid.
Another possibility to consider is diabetes insipidus. It's not related to high blood sugar, but is caused by deficiency in, or failure of the kidneys to respond to, anti-diuretic hormone.3 -
Agree w/Aquawave....water toxicity can be fatal. Some of my friends drink half their weight in water but never total weight.2
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I had a hard time getting enough salt too. I eventually resorted to adding a small teaspoon of salt to a cup of water each morning. And that's on top of salting my food and coffee.
Hope it continues to feel better.3 -
@Granchick That's what I've always heard too: half your weight in ounces of water.
I've never intentionally drank a certain amount of water whether it was for losing, maintaining, living. I'm sure I get plenty of liquids though cuz coffee.
Glad you're feeling better @trish55011.3 -
@trish55011, you might want to invest in a good guide(s) to LCHF with a section on carb ntolerance/insulin resistance/diabetes - I consult my go-to faves at least every other day! (The Launch Pad has recs.)2
