Guest guest Posted February 18, 2005 Report Share Posted February 18, 2005 > Does anyone have any experience with their child having kidney > reflux? My daughter has been diagnosed with this. The doctor is > not recomending surgery at this time but she is supposed to go on a > low grade antibiotic for the next year. My husband and I are a > little concerned with this. Not only for the potential side effects > that are listed on the antibiotic (some which are pretty bad) but > the potential for her in building up a resistance to antibiotics > from such long term use. The antibiotic does not actually treat the > condition it just prevents UTIs which can result from the > condition. My husband thinks that we could just start her regularly > drinking cranberry juice, but I am not sure under the circumstances > if that will help prevent infections. Anyone have any > thoughts/knowledge on this? My heart goes out to you and your daughter! By this very diagnosis, I am only imagining the agony you have all experienced with her being ill with UTIs and kidney infections repeatedly. In my NSHO, I would strongly recommend that you do the antibiotics. My daughter has had a severe kidney infection for which she was hospitalized last year, and she has repeated UTIs. In fact, the pediatrician is giving her one more UTI this year before we do the extensive (and invasive) testing for the reflux problem. If you are being recommend the antibiotics for a year, your daughter is well beyond cranberry juice. It is a " plumbing problem " . I trust my pediatrician implicitly (he has proven himself worthy of this by his total support of our veg lifestyle, my extended breastfeeding, selective vaccinations, etc. for my 3 children). We have discussed the possibility of the long-term antibiotics and I share your fears on this. The dose is very very low and my ped felt that resistance to antibiotics after this is minimal, if any concern. The alternative is critical. Each UTI that becomes a kidney infection (and there is a greater chance of this with the reflux where urine is backing up into the kidneys because of how her body is put together) can cause scarring -- over time she could lose functioning of the kidneys. It is very, very serious for her quality of life to protect those kidneys! I really encourage you to keep researching and to get second and third opinions if you are not comfortable with the recommendations, but to do it quickly and not to mess around with cranberry juice as the sole treatment. As an adjunct to antibiotics (along with acidophilis to protect against thrush and yeast) it couldn't hurt, but not as the only remedy. All the best to you as you deal with this difficult situation. Warmly, Krissi On 2/18/05 8:12 AM, " " wrote: > > > There are 5 messages in this issue. > > Topics in this digest: > > 1. RE: OT - Kidney Reflux > " Jacq " <jacqcote > 2. 3-year old insight - sad but true > " Maynard S. Clark " <MaynardClark > 3. Re: OT - Kidney Reflux > " admartin " <admartin > 4. Re: soy milk and children/infants > " angelaseibel " <angelaseibel > 5. Re: soy milk and children/infants > " angelaseibel " <angelaseibel > > > ______________________ > ______________________ > > Message: 1 > Wed, 16 Feb 2005 19:11:29 -0400 > " Jacq " <jacqcote > RE: OT - Kidney Reflux > > > I have a problem with my bladder because it does't drain completely due post > partum complications after my daughter (swelling caused me not to be about > to urinate & the nurses ignored it until when they finally catheterized me > they drained 1.8 liters (quarts) of fluid, and so on and so on...). > > I find that if I drink a glass of cranberry juice everyday I won't get an > infection. If I skip a day or two... whammo! I also find that garlic and > acidophilous/bifidus help with avoiding bladder problems. I'm not sure when > it comes to the kidney though. If I were going to not use the antibiotics I > would want to take frequent urine samples for testing at the lab. You don't > want to cause any long term damage. > > Jacqueline > > > smartgirl27us [thesmartfamily3] > February 15, 2005 1:43 PM > > OT - Kidney Reflux > > > > > Does anyone have any experience with their child having kidney > reflux? My daughter has been diagnosed with this. The doctor is > not recomending surgery at this time but she is supposed to go on a > low grade antibiotic for the next year. My husband and I are a > little concerned with this. Not only for the potential side effects > that are listed on the antibiotic (some which are pretty bad) but > the potential for her in building up a resistance to antibiotics > from such long term use. The antibiotic does not actually treat the > condition it just prevents UTIs which can result from the > condition. My husband thinks that we could just start her regularly > drinking cranberry juice, but I am not sure under the circumstances > if that will help prevent infections. Anyone have any > thoughts/knowledge on this? > > Rachael > > > For more information about vegetarianism, please visit the VRG website at > http://www.vrg.org and for materials especially useful for families go to > http://www.vrg.org/family.This is a discussion list and is not intended to > provide personal medical advice. Medical advice should be obtained from a > qualified health professional. > > edical advice. Medical advice should be obtained from a qualified health > professional. > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 21, 2005 Report Share Posted February 21, 2005 Krissi, After reading your post. I have to agree with you....I think the antibiotic is crucial. After seeing what my daughter went through with being hospitalized and having a fever over 105 with her kidney reflux I would not risk damaging the kidneys. Kidneys are way too important in the bodies ability to function. If she hadn't of outgrown it and still had it.....I would still choose to give her the antibiotic. You definately put this in perspective for me. Kelly Krissi <krissi3 wrote: > Does anyone have any experience with their child having kidney > reflux? My daughter has been diagnosed with this. The doctor is > not recomending surgery at this time but she is supposed to go on a > low grade antibiotic for the next year. My husband and I are a > little concerned with this. Not only for the potential side effects > that are listed on the antibiotic (some which are pretty bad) but > the potential for her in building up a resistance to antibiotics > from such long term use. The antibiotic does not actually treat the > condition it just prevents UTIs which can result from the > condition. My husband thinks that we could just start her regularly > drinking cranberry juice, but I am not sure under the circumstances > if that will help prevent infections. Anyone have any > thoughts/knowledge on this? My heart goes out to you and your daughter! By this very diagnosis, I am only imagining the agony you have all experienced with her being ill with UTIs and kidney infections repeatedly. In my NSHO, I would strongly recommend that you do the antibiotics. My daughter has had a severe kidney infection for which she was hospitalized last year, and she has repeated UTIs. In fact, the pediatrician is giving her one more UTI this year before we do the extensive (and invasive) testing for the reflux problem. If you are being recommend the antibiotics for a year, your daughter is well beyond cranberry juice. It is a " plumbing problem " . I trust my pediatrician implicitly (he has proven himself worthy of this by his total support of our veg lifestyle, my extended breastfeeding, selective vaccinations, etc. for my 3 children). We have discussed the possibility of the long-term antibiotics and I share your fears on this. The dose is very very low and my ped felt that resistance to antibiotics after this is minimal, if any concern. The alternative is critical. Each UTI that becomes a kidney infection (and there is a greater chance of this with the reflux where urine is backing up into the kidneys because of how her body is put together) can cause scarring -- over time she could lose functioning of the kidneys. It is very, very serious for her quality of life to protect those kidneys! I really encourage you to keep researching and to get second and third opinions if you are not comfortable with the recommendations, but to do it quickly and not to mess around with cranberry juice as the sole treatment. As an adjunct to antibiotics (along with acidophilis to protect against thrush and yeast) it couldn't hurt, but not as the only remedy. All the best to you as you deal with this difficult situation. Warmly, Krissi On 2/18/05 8:12 AM, " " wrote: > > > There are 5 messages in this issue. > > Topics in this digest: > > 1. RE: OT - Kidney Reflux > " Jacq " <jacqcote > 2. 3-year old insight - sad but true > " Maynard S. Clark " <MaynardClark > 3. Re: OT - Kidney Reflux > " admartin " <admartin > 4. Re: soy milk and children/infants > " angelaseibel " <angelaseibel > 5. Re: soy milk and children/infants > " angelaseibel " <angelaseibel > > > ______________________ > ______________________ > > Message: 1 > Wed, 16 Feb 2005 19:11:29 -0400 > " Jacq " <jacqcote > RE: OT - Kidney Reflux > > > I have a problem with my bladder because it does't drain completely due post > partum complications after my daughter (swelling caused me not to be about > to urinate & the nurses ignored it until when they finally catheterized me > they drained 1.8 liters (quarts) of fluid, and so on and so on...). > > I find that if I drink a glass of cranberry juice everyday I won't get an > infection. If I skip a day or two... whammo! I also find that garlic and > acidophilous/bifidus help with avoiding bladder problems. I'm not sure when > it comes to the kidney though. If I were going to not use the antibiotics I > would want to take frequent urine samples for testing at the lab. You don't > want to cause any long term damage. > > Jacqueline > > > smartgirl27us [thesmartfamily3] > February 15, 2005 1:43 PM > > OT - Kidney Reflux > > > > > Does anyone have any experience with their child having kidney > reflux? My daughter has been diagnosed with this. The doctor is > not recomending surgery at this time but she is supposed to go on a > low grade antibiotic for the next year. My husband and I are a > little concerned with this. Not only for the potential side effects > that are listed on the antibiotic (some which are pretty bad) but > the potential for her in building up a resistance to antibiotics > from such long term use. The antibiotic does not actually treat the > condition it just prevents UTIs which can result from the > condition. My husband thinks that we could just start her regularly > drinking cranberry juice, but I am not sure under the circumstances > if that will help prevent infections. Anyone have any > thoughts/knowledge on this? > > Rachael > > > For more information about vegetarianism, please visit the VRG website at > http://www.vrg.org and for materials especially useful for families go to > http://www.vrg.org/family.This is a discussion list and is not intended to > provide personal medical advice. Medical advice should be obtained from a > qualified health professional. > > edical advice. Medical advice should be obtained from a qualified health > professional. > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 22, 2005 Report Share Posted February 22, 2005 Thanks to everyone for your replies on this. We are still deciding what to do, but I am leaning toward giving her the antibiotics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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