Are these popular drugs behind the rise in kidney stones?

It’s described as “unforgettable agony” or even “male childbirth.”

And if you’ve ever had a kidney stone on the move, you don’t need me to tell you about the excruciating pain!

You’d do anything to avoid another one… and if you’ve been lucky enough to dodge this agonizing ailment so far, it’s definitely not something you want to risk.

Plus that, with the way people cart around water bottles (drinking water is considered the No. 1 way to prevent stones), you would think the problem would be on the decline.

But a new study from Mayo Clinic doctors has found that over the last few decades, the number of people suffering from kidney stones has gone through the roof.

But why?

While Mayo Clinic researchers name a few suspects, they conveniently forgot to mention what could be the smoking gun behind this epidemic – a risky drug we’ve been warning you about for years now.

A glaring omission

It’s a classic example of that old cliché about not being able to see the forest for the trees.

Mayo Clinic scientists have found that the number of people suffering from stones that form in the kidneys, bladder, or ureters (the tubes that connect the kidneys to the bladder) is mysteriously on the rise.

From 1984 to 2012, reported cases of kidney stones in women quadrupled, while cases in men doubled.

And if you ask these doctors why that is, you’ll probably hear responses like those from lead author Dr. John Lieske, who called it: an “interesting combination of things” like increased numbers of CT scans (in which stones may be discovered), genetics, and diets high in oxalates (found in veggies such as beets and Swiss chard).

Unfortunately, researchers somehow managed to overlook a large group of some of the best-selling meds in the United States: those acid-suppressing drugs known as proton pump inhibitors (PPIs).

Study after study has come out over the years connecting these billion-dollar drugs to such a wide variety of ills that it doesn’t even make sense that they’re still being sold.

And along with all the conditions to which they’re now linked, including a horrible and persistent gut infection called C. diff, deadly esophageal cancer, a higher risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke and a lowering of your immune function, there’s also kidney disease and kidney stones.

That last little problem was discovered by an Italian research team a couple of years ago.

After following close to 190,000 volunteers – all who had no prior history of kidney stones – they not only found a definite link between PPI drugs and that painful condition, but implicated another group of acid reducers called H2 blockers (such as Zantac) in promoting it as well.

Unfortunately, the new Mayo Clinic study failed to mention that at all. And considering the fact that PPIs such as Prevacid and Prilosec are said to be among the best-selling meds in the U.S., just think of how many people could be putting themselves in jeopardy for agonizing attacks without even realizing it.

In 2012 alone, just one of these drugs, Nexium, took in close to $6 billion (that’s right, billion, with a B)!

Yes, there’s no doubt that acid reflux can be hard to live with. I even know someone who says that they pop a PPI med before their feet hit the floor in the morning! But despite how unpleasant that can be, it’s not worth risking your kidneys over or putting yourself in jeopardy for the worst pain you could ever imagine – all from from kidney stones.

So, if stomach acid is a big problem for you, and you’re currently using a PPI or H2 blocker, now is the time to slowly wean yourself off of it. Stopping these meds too fast can cause a rebound of acid that’s even worse than why you started up on them in the first place!

And while you’re doing that, cut back on high-acid foods and drinks as well, sip on a glass of water with an added tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, and avoid eating too late or lying down immediately after eating.

And remember, there’s something you can do to help beat back an acid-reflux attack and prevent kidney stones: Drink lots of water!

“Painful kidney stones are becoming more common” Terry Graedon, February 15, 2018, People’s Pharmacy, peoplespharmacy.com