KIDNEY RELATED ISSUES
Updated: Oct 30
This subject comes up often, so I wanted to share a post on kidney stones and other kidney-related issues. It's personal for me, too. At one point when I was really struggling, my labs came back and my doctor told me I had stage 3 kidney failure. Hearing those words scared me so badly. They gave me two bags of IV fluids and sent me home, and the next week all my labs were back to normal. For me, it turned out to be connected to dehydration. That's why I always remind people how important staying hydrated is. Please go over everything with your doctor.
Short on time or energy? A quick-view graphic with the key points is at the bottom of this post.
For bladder symptoms and IC, see:
For product ideas, see my Chanca Piedra and Magnesium posts, linked below.
KIDNEYS AND TICK-BORNE INFECTIONS
- Kidney problems caused by Lyme itself are rarely reported in people. "Lyme nephritis" is mostly known from dogs (2019 review, older source, still worth reading).
- ILADEF (2024) lists kidney failure as a possible late complication of Ehrlichia, and kidney inflammation (nephritis) as a possible later complication of Mycoplasma.
- Babesia breaks open red blood cells, which can turn the urine dark (Dr. Bill Rawls, ILADEF, 2025).
- Kidney injury is one of the possible complications of Babesia. A 2025 study of 225 adults with confirmed babesiosis found it in 24% of people with a weak immune system or a missing or poorly working spleen, and in 11% of the others.
- Bartonella can, rarely, infect a heart valve and lead to kidney inflammation. Antibiotics improved kidney function in a 2023 case.
- A 2024 case report described a man with long-standing Lyme, Babesia and Bartonella who kept forming large numbers of kidney stones. He also had a kidney condition (medullary sponge kidney) that often comes with stones. The authors asked whether his infections and immune system played a part. It's one case and a question, not proof.
These serious kidney problems are uncommon. They're a good reason to ask your doctor to keep an eye on kidney labs during treatment.
KIDNEY STONE BASICS
- The most common kind of kidney stone is calcium oxalate. Other kinds include calcium phosphate, uric acid, struvite and cystine (2025 review).
- Oxalate from food is absorbed and can join with calcium in the urine to form stones.
- The best diet depends on your stone type, so ask your doctor if yours has been tested.
DIET TIPS FOR CALCIUM STONES
From MedlinePlus (2024) and a 2025 UCLA review:
- Drink plenty of fluids, mostly water.
- Eat less salt.
- Don't cut out calcium. Getting too little calcium from food can raise your stone risk.
- Limit animal protein.
- Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.
- Skip calcium or vitamin D supplements unless your doctor suggests them.
FOR CALCIUM OXALATE STONES
Your doctor may suggest limiting high-oxalate foods, such as spinach, rhubarb, beets, nuts, chocolate, tea and sweet potatoes (MedlinePlus, 2024).
MAGNESIUM CITRATE WITH MEALS
- Magnesium may lower stone risk by binding oxalate in the gut and raising citrate in the urine. Studies found less oxalate in the urine when magnesium was taken with meals (2026 review).
- The same review says the best studies are still limited, and magnesium isn't a replacement for treatments your doctor prescribes. Citrate forms may be considered for some people.
- Product ideas are in this post.
CHANCA PIEDRA
An herb used for kidney stones. Product ideas are in this post.
ALKALINE DIET
My post on the alkaline diet also covers kidney stones.
BEFORE YOU START
- Read the warning on each bottle.
- If you have kidney disease, check with your doctor before taking magnesium.
- Citrus and lemonade can help prevent some stones, but citrus is a common IC trigger. If you have both, ask your doctor what fits you.
RELATED POSTS
OXALATES
CHANCA PIEDRA
BLADDER ISSUES
SOURCES
ILADEF, "Tick-Borne Diseases Other Than Lyme" (2024)
ILADEF, "Herbs for Bartonella and Babesia" by Dr. Bill Rawls (2025)
MedlinePlus, "Kidney stones - self-care" (2024)
Ojo and others, UCLA, diet and kidney stones (2025)
Scoglio and others, magnesium and kidney stones review (2026)
Gueye and others, Lyme nephritis review (2019, older source, still worth reading)
Kakoullis and others, babesiosis outcomes (2025)
Shahzad and others, Bartonella and kidney inflammation case (2023)
Paz and others, kidney stones and tick-borne infections case (2024)
Disclaimer: Rise Above Lyme makes no claims about any possible benefit of using any product mentioned within this site. Always consult with your doctor before adding anything. The information shared is based on personal experience, years of accumulated researched resources from Lyme Literate doctors and polls conducted within Lyme groups from actual patient experience using these solution ideas.
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