I have chronic kidney stones, and my kidneys are “on the bubble” because of the damage the recurring stones have done. To “combat” this my docs, a GP, a Urologist and a Nephrologist have all put me on a meat restricted diet. I’m “allowed” no more than three 4 oz servings of any meat a week. It’s driving me crazy, to the point that I inevitably cheat once in a while.
Supposedly, the proteins in the meat help create the stones, and it’s not just meat that does this. Dairy products are also considered animal protein, so I can’t even really enjoy cottage cheese, eggs or other cheeses as much as I’d like.
The Nephrologist prescribed a new medication, allopurinol, that was supposed to reduce the acid level of my urine and thus—alledgedly—reduce uric acid kidney stones. Unfortunately, allopurinol almost killed me. Seven days after starting that medication I broke out in a head-to-toe rash, had a fever of 103, and couldn’t hold my head up. Once you have those symptoms they are associated with an 11% mortality rate, so I spent three days in the hospital under constant monitoring.
One good thing about all that is they gave me CT scans and X-rays that showed I have no new stones in my system, only the 4 or 5 left over from last year’s group—which I have since passed. So as far as my wife and docs are concerned I have no more than 12 ounces of meat a week. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
P.S. We fired the Nephrologist...