Oxalates in food

I was diagnosed with Stage 4 CKD (GFR 16 and Creatinine 3.80) in March 2018 due to severe oxylate damage. I was eating a lot of spinach, tofu, tempeh, nuts and nut butters. Through changing my diet and cutting those out, I’m now at GFR 36.7 snd Creatinine of 1.90. I’ve been using this list as a guide https://kidneystones.uchicago.edu/how-to-eat-a-low-oxalate-diet/

I don’t believe cucumbers, blueberries and strawberries are high in oxylates. I use a list from the University of Chicago that has helped me go from stage 4 (GFR of 16) to stage 3b (GFR of 36). Best wishes.

Because of my rare defects plus health issues like 3rd stage kidney disease, I’m on an extremely limited diet. I must monitor eight things that are a no-no, and because of that my meals are difficult to make. So as the saying goes “I’m damned if I do and damned if I don’t.” The whole problem for me is this, the things you mentioned are good for one health issue I have and bad for another, So how do I chose, I don’t. I go by how the food reacts to both health issues and chose by what it does, help or hurt the most critical of the two health issue involved. Such as bowel vs kidneys or say kidneys vs heart or heart vs brain. That’s the method I use and sometimes I simply give up and place the food on my DNE list, do not eat. By the way, my kidneys have gone from 37 to 51 over the last six months. Hope this helps, just keep track of your numbers to see if things get better or worse and you’ll have your answer. Good luck.

I just met with my nephrologist to get his opinion about the large stone in my kidney that won't pass (but my urologist will be the one to remove it after I get an image update) and we discussed my AM-to-PM diet, what I ate, and he had a lot of recommendations on diet. Then he ordered a 24 hour urine test. Two things I changed immediately based on his recommendations were to reduce my salt intake significantly and to drink 16 oz. of water first thing in the AM and 2+ liters total water a day. I strongly suggest that you have a talk with your nephrologist to see what's right for you.

We found out that oxyalate damage to her kidneys was created back in 2000 when she had a gastric bypass! Beware if you had the old bypass where they surgically cut and joined to physically make your stomach pouch smaller. Oxalate didn't create stones for my wife but between her high BP and Diabetes the oxalate damage was very bad. We didn't find out about oxalate damage till she was in stage 5 and we went to Mayo! Love this place!

From the info I was given, you need to also add carrots and chocolate to your list.
Be careful with what you eat. I lost a kidney due to a huge 7x11 stone that shredded my ureter tube when it tried to leave my kidney. I spent 9 months trying to save my kidney. But it had to be removed after all the trouble I went thru.
I was lucky enough to be able to see a wonderful Dr. at Mayo in Jacksonville FL. Cannot say enough wonderful things about Mayo Clinic. Had Cancer surgery a few years later at same Mayo Clinic. Totally different problem, nothing to do with kidneys . Dr and staff were so friendly and helpful. I recommend Mayo to everyone!

@bythelakeinwi, may I ask what type of cancer you had?

I also find it very frustrating about all the conflicting information out there about oxylates. I was diagnosed with Stage 4 CKD four years ago due to severe oxylate damage. This was primarily because of a change in diet that unbeknownst to me at the time was super high oxylate. I’m now at Stsge 3b, having improved my GFR from 15 to 37 through s change in diet. I use this list as my guide - https://kidneystones.uchicago.edu/how-to-eat-a-low-oxalate-diet/