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Urology/Kidney Stone Question

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Question
Hello, Dr. Leslie...
I am a 47-year-old female with high urine calcium. IVP was negative March 2006. No history of stones.  I also have pre-menopausal osteoporosis.  I have been on low dose hydrochlorothiazide and a potassium HCL supplement.  
My question is if I went off these medications for six weeks, could a kidney stone develop that fast?  

Answer
Yes, a kidney stone could develop that fast but it's not likely.  You must have had a 24 hour urine test to be able to identify that there was a high urinary calcium.  What were the other test results? (Specifically: calcium, sodium, citrate, oxalate, uric acid, total volume, phosphate and magnesium?)

You might want to consider changing from potassium chloride to potassium citrate.

For more information on kidney stones, order a copy of "The Kidney Stones Handbook".  It's the only book written specifically for kidney stone patients and approved by the NIH.  It costs around $20 or so and is well worth it.

You can order a copy directly from the publisher, Grant Gibbs, by calling him at: 530-889-1727.

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Stephen W. Leslie, MD

Expertise

Questions concerning erectile dysfunction, kidney stones and prostate disorders including prostate cancer. I have a special interest in kidney stone disease prevention.

Experience

Full time practicing urologist with 30 years experience. Associate Professor of Surgery and Chief of Urology at Creighton University Medical Center. Editor in Chief of eMedicine Urology internet textbook. Author of only NIH approved book written for patients by a urologist on the subject of kidney stones "The Kidney Stones Handbook". Inventor of the "Parachute" and "Escape" kidney stone baskets and the "Calculus" stone prevention analysis computer program.

Organizations
American Urological Association, Ohio State Medical Association, Sexual Medicine Society

Publications
Men's Health, Journal of Urology, Urology, Healthwatch Magazine, Emergency Medicine Monthly, eMedicine, "The Kidney Stones Handbook", and numerous articles in various newspapers. He is also the editor of the Urology Board Review by McGraw-Hill used by urologists to study for their Board Certification Examinations.

Education/Credentials
Graduate of New York Medical College with residencies completed at Metropolitan Hospital New York, Albany Medical Center and University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Awards and Honors
Thirlby Award of the American Urological Association. Rated as one the country's Best Urologists by the Independent Consumer's Research Institute

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