[YEA]   Shirley from Tenn writes: "Take 2 or 3 magnesium tablets 1 B6 tablet every day and drink more water. My husband had them often, since he started this, he hasn't had any in years."

[YEA]  10/11/2010: Fred K. from Vallejo, Ca writes: "Hi All,

If you are like me, and seemingly a Kidney Stone factory, this may be useful. First, I'm a mid-40's guy who has had a pretty clear health record. I first had a kidney stone about 4-5 years ago on vacation in Hawaii. My Mom and wife are RN's, and sugggested Cranberry juice as it works for UTI's. This did in fact seem to work GREAT, with pain at a level which was right at almost "Get me to the ER! ". Really amazing now that I remember it, which it caused to disappear within 60-90 minutes of chugging a quart. And which chugging 2-3 quarts of water previously had done nothing. I've noticed CJ doesn't get much recommendations now..... I was good until Jan 2010, when I started having serieous pains, which a CT scan showed several stones. Obviously I got the no help except for rX for at least a week to see if it passes. Got on the net, found this site, and tried the Lemon juice, which seemed to work as well as the cranberry. Though a hot bath really seemed to help for several hours.

Tried drinking a few beers while in the tub, was so-so. This helped somewhat, however aside from dropping the pain several levels, still painful. So, tried to do as much research on what causes stones and not just cures. There is a lot of real, peer reviewed information on Stone formation out there if you look. There are also a host of weird suggestions on the net, and here, and you have to use your head. I don't know why the Olive Oil is suggested for mixing with the Lemon, because your Kidneys do nothing, nada, zip, with respect to oils. Its suggestions like this, and the seeming lack of biological understanding of the seperate bodily systems like the Kidneys, Liver, Etc, that make me sceptical. In trying to find a cite, I just ran across this, from a real doctor's comment on lemon juice, and Vinegar's affect on Urine pH I, and

Frankly its surprising. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsqrXkRVk3U

Neither of them will acidize your Urine and help dissolve a stone. Thought they will become alkaline, which is counter-intuitive. Keep in mind what the Dr. Says about the citrate though. So, back to my story on how I've been pain free (almost) for the past 8-9 months.

I don't have the cite (this one is interesting http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17509313) , however a respected Texas Univ. Dr. Has done a study on Magnesium and kidney stones. At its core, the more Mag you have in your blood, the easier it is for Calcium to remain in solution and not to precipitate out and form stones. Also, Mag will combine with Oxolate to help it remain soluable and not precipitate out.
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0ISW/is_267/ai_n15966275/

I am in the marine aquarium (saltwater) hobby, and this Chemistry is well known. Magnesium is the most abundant mineral in saltwater, then Calcium, and Alkalines/Carbonites.

With saltwater, the higher the level of Magnesium the more you can add/buffer Calcium or Alkalinity and raise their level. But, if you keep adding it, at some point you will have a magical snowstormn in your aquarium as the added Calcium or Alkalinity becomes too large, in proportion to the Mag, and starts a chain reaction of precipitating Calcium and Alkalinity. Go to your local fish store with saltwater fish and talk to the owner. So, in my story I found this Texas Dr's cite, and started taking Mag, as I was having what seemed like weekly recurring stones. Again short story. Just like Vitamin C, Mag has a very, very cheap form available that is barely absorbed by the body. Magnesium Oxide is in the cheap bottle at the drug store, and has very little absorption. Don't try to be clever and just take more, because while it is minimally absorbed by the body, it is hygroscopic or water-attracting in the intestines! Taking too much ie >400-500mg will just sit in your intestines, abosorbing water with impressive results. If you look at the small bottles of laxative they sell in the store, you'll notice its Magnesium, though 18,000 mgs. So, after researching the different kinds of Magnesium, I am stuck on Magnesium Citrate. One, because it is well absorbed, and Two, because it also has Citrate in the formulation, which is a win-win. I also am starting to cap my own capsules as I take 4x100mg caps a day, with food. I can pay $10 for (100) 100mg caps, or pay ~$5 for 8oz of bulk Mag-Cit and cap about 150-200 for maybe $8 total. In a similar vein, Citrate does many of the things Magnesium does, and you may want to look at something like Potassium Citrate, as the Citrate will also help. If you want to drink a juice to get some Citrate help, then Lemon's really wrong, try Oranges. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/50980.php

The long and short of Kidney Stones for those with a history of them, is to do a little research, and understand that a lot of the things going on inside of you are chemistry related. I've got a good Dr's office I go to in Napa, and even there they don't really care to investigate why I am having stones, they simply want to pull out the rX pad and prescribe flowmax or something. And I do not come off as a tree-hugging Gaia loving Alternative Health scene kind of patient either. I have obscenely acidic urine, which I think is part of my problem with stones. Decent diagnostic quality test strips are available on Amazon for $7, might be worth checking. I'm getting a referral to a nephralogist shortly, we'll see if he/she's any more interested in finding the cause and not just RX'ing. Aside all the odd-ball 'cures' that are posted here and elsewhere on the net, it would be good to keep in mind the fact that many of these are goofs for the gullible, many are based upon some person's incorrect assumptions (Drinking lemons acidify the urine and melt a stone a bit) which even I thought had some merit, or may be based upon some actual science, peer reviewed ( some of my links). Hopefully, someone finds some of this bit of a rambling on useful."

[YEA]  04/23/2006: Bertha from Phoenix writes: "I have read two books by a great American researcher and nutritionist: Adelle Davis. She thoroughly explains why kidney stones are formed, that kidney stones can be prevented and that kidney stones can be dissolved. Magnesium is essential because it acidifies the urine and in acid urine stones cannot be formed. Vit B6 prevents the formation of oxalic acid kidney stones and calcium has to be present in the died because if calcium is lacking in the diet, the body will withdraw it from the bones and form the stones just the same. As magnesium interacts with calcium, if both minerals are taken in the right proportions (300 mgs of magnesium per 1 gram of calcium) kidney stones are not formed and/or can be dissolved. This is what has kept me free from stones for the last 20 years. As soon as I FEEL there's grit in my kidney, I increase my intake of magnesium and problem is gone in 24 hours."

[YEA]  10/04/2008: Suzanne from Toledo, Ohio writes: "I have hyperparathyroidism and had excruciating painful kidney stones. I did some research and I put one heaping tablespoon of marshmallow root (dried) in a mug with room temperature filtered water and let it infuse for 3 hours. I strain it and I then slightly warm it in a pan,( it tastes better if you warm it), not microwave. I was drinking it once every day until I was feeling better. I had a few more stones on and off but there was absolutely no pain! I drink it about once every month as a tonic. I haven't had any more stones. Hurray!(you can get marshmallow root at your health food store)"

[YEA]  03/09/2009: Fred from Camarillo, Ca writes: "kidney stones prevention: you can help prevent kidney stones by bouncing on a mini trampoline and do what called kidney pounding where you tap the kidneys lighty while bouncing. this shakes stone loose early on. a minute a day is all you need. fred"

[YEA]  12/06/2008: Denise from Agoura, California writes: "I went to the hospital 3 weeks ago with horrible pain had no idea it was a 6mm kidney stone!! Had to spend the night and once home I really was not in pain. But I knew the stone was still there. An X-ray confirmed that. Was scheduled for surgery before Thanksgiving and found this site on lemon juice and olive oil. I cancelled my surgery and thought I would try it... Did it for 4 days and never saw a stone. Discouraged- saw another site and went to the Health Food Store and got pills called Stone Free. Took 5 pills two times a day till bottle was gone. Again never saw a stone. Scheduled surgery again for Dec 8th and went for another X-ray today and NO STONE !!! Doctor couldn't believe I never felt it pass. I don't know what cured it, the combination or one of the remedies... all I know is I will try it again, but hopefully I never will have to. God Bless and have faith...."