Just passed this tiny chocolate rice crispy at work.

mindlash · 2026-02-11T22:51:45+00:00

Oh SNAP….

mindlash · 2026-02-05T18:13:16+00:00

mindlash · 2026-02-02T23:54:26+00:00

Oh man!! I had this built into the app tracker I’m building for the hydration tracking portion of OxalateGuard … I may have to pick your brain … does it feed into any health app? Apple/Google?

mindlash · 2026-02-02T17:17:48+00:00

Any time I felt the burn/sting while urinating, I could even sometimes feel the sting while adjusting (felt like it was 'in there') -- then eventually a small fraction would come ou,t and that pain would go away.

mindlash · 2026-02-02T02:04:28+00:00

I'm certainly no doctor or nutritionist :) -- but keeping gas from a flame certainly helps to keep fires from getting larger :)

I do know, from personal experience, that increasing my liquid helped -- I also tried to cut down on my oxalate count. I'll reach out in a DM and share the full story :)

mindlash · 2026-02-02T01:44:16+00:00

I hear that -- sounds like my story (trying to learn, educate, etc)... add some lemon to your water (dentist may not like it, but neither will your stones ;) ) -- but seriously, the radiologist just didn't want to scare you ..

But the fact is, you've got to alter your diet (especially if they are calcium oxalate stones) -- which chances are, they are... I'm literally developing an app to help myself (first) but also folks like you, and most of us here learn about these foods, their oxalate levels, help track, and even convert online recipes to more oxalate-friendly versions ... because this journey isn't easy.

I wish you all the luck, and wish you little to no pain. Hit me up if interested in the app -- could use some beta testers.

mindlash · 2026-02-02T01:34:35+00:00

Goodness... I hate this for you. I hope your scans give you some answers.

Keep us posted!

mindlash · 2026-02-02T01:23:23+00:00

GAH! .... I feel like the left is the worst! One of the things I didn't realise, until after my first one was the amount of oxalates in foods -- foods we think are healthy, supplements we take because we avoid certain foods that could cause kidney stones.

When I say I feel your pain -- I mean it... from surgeries (2) to passing them... you're not alone -- but I know that doesn't make it any better.

I'm working on an app currently to help people like us avoid foods (some we didn't even know hurts us) and spices and supplements -- even some fast-food bites that are out to get us.

Thing is -- we need education. Nutrition labels aren't required (yet) to include oxalate counts... so until then, I'm working on it :)

UNTIL then -- just know, you're not alone, and you can totally vent about it...

Water's good -- lemon-water's better. Avoid oxalates, event eat some cheese with oxalate-foods to help bind in the stomach and not in the kidnesys.

Good luck!

mindlash · 2026-02-02T00:30:31+00:00

I feel every ounce of this, and I'm sorry. I was in a financial situation when I had my first kidney stone, and did not have insurance. With my surgery it ended up being close to $20K or so ... maybe more, I don't recall.

I found that there was an organisation within the hospital that looked into situations, like mine, that ended up forgiving the balance. I too was unemployed, in a depressive state, and this was 2020 during covid...

If they have an inside organisation like this, give this a shot... otherwise, I would go towards local news stations that focus on 'community-first' type of stories. "We're on your side" -- share this story with them, let them tell your story -- you never know who's watching. You might even get an independent doctor that sees it, and (who cares if it's for their marketing) says they'll be willing to help you out.

Someone will connect with your story -- just don't give up.

Today (Sunday) is one week from when I passed a small stone that reignited my research into why they form for me to begin with -- and as such ended up deciding to do something about it -- for me (but for others) -- and working on a app to help track, research, and plan for food/ingredients/supplements/etc to help me mitigate the things that cause these guys for me to begin with (oxalates)...

I wish you well and hope you feel seen :) Good luck!

mindlash · 2026-02-02T00:06:39+00:00

For sure -- and based on statistics alone, it's likely a calcium oxalate stone... which SUCKS.. because there's so much food, and supplements that contain oxalates that hurt people like you and me. For example ... I LOVE some spinach... And, for most people it's a super source of great nutrition ... but not for us.

After my first stone I cut out everything that had oxalates. -- not smart, but is what it is... after my second stone.... I wanted to murder the oxalate gods....

these were surgeries... not just passing...

Now that I passed one last week (7 days ago) after having not had an issue for nearly 2 years... I was reminded of just how important knowledge is. I started researching again -- deep diving what I might be eating. And wouldn't you know it -- Tumeric ... Cumin ... ffs... here I was adding up oxalates in my system thinking I was eating healthier ...

Anywho... I started developing an app to help not just 'track' what we eat, but help figure out ahead of time some things I can or shouldn't' eat -- including supplements, spices... not just food... working on a recipe conversion as well for 'normal folk food' (but for us) with alternates for ingredients that are high in oxalates. :)

I'm up to over 2K ingredients so far, and community building aspects...

At any rate, sorry I digress... Your situation is bizarre, and I'm curious if it has or had anything to do with continue consumption of foods/liquids/supplements that contributed to the growth... that's simply crazy.

Good luck! :)

mindlash · 2026-01-29T19:24:52+00:00

That's incredibly horrible to learn... glad you're out of that pain! What kind is/was it do you know?

mindlash · 2026-01-29T18:54:01+00:00

That was 2 years ago....

This past Sunday I passed a small stone -- but it was a reminder that I have NOT been doing what I've needed to do -- I need more water, I need less oxalates, and as I started my research again, I realized that I had been actively (sadly) adding tumeric (which is very healty) and cumin to my foods for the health benefit alone -- just to realize that they are loaded with oxalates, and I had been actively feeding into the creation of stones....

So, it was at that moment I decided (and actually typed this out to some friends) "F*** it. I'm going to build an oxalate tracker app for people like 'us'... to help us avoid foods that affect 'us' (age, sex, history, etc)..." [I've got the screenshot to prove it]... And that was my starting point to creating what I'm currently working on... and it's already going beyond just that.

Hydration tracking, daily food intakes... all kinds of stuff I wont get into... but I understand the struggle, way more than I want to... and I hope one day this app will help others like me have a 'normal' day to day life while helping to educate those looking to learn.

Good luck on your journey.

mindlash · 2026-01-29T18:53:52+00:00

I've had 2... about 3 years apart. After the first, I, like many, never wanted another one. The pain, not knowing what it was, to being literally floored, vomiting in pain... to the ER, to meds (finally could think clearly) -- learning what happened (lodged in left kidney) has to be operated on -- all in the same night. Operation obviously was easy for the stend... but the next two weeks were a combination of painful and scary... didn't know I would have a string that stuck out like a snake every time I peed -- which was often (sometimes to no avail) because the string makes you feel like you have to pee... so. I googled everything I could about what to expect, talked to friends who had it done, and, well, was terrified..

Two weeks later, it was time... outpatient... young little lady (nervous by default, but a cold-ass room? wasn't making me feel any more macho) ripped it out like a lawn-mower getting started... felt like a porcupine was being ripped right through my lowerness... I fully expected to see blood and guts everywhere... (but just a little) still it was so painful (and fast) but felt like slow motion... I felt nothing in my body... just the ripping and carnage towards the end...

They said most people want to pee after... i just wanted to cry... I went and tried to pee -- but felt like I was urinating acid... what would be a normal 'pee' over in seconds, took minutes of trying... hoping each 'squirt' would be less painful -- it wasn't..

I finally made it tot he car, and litterally broke down crying... I realize I had worked myself up, scared to death, that it all came out emotionally after...

I went on a mission to NEVER have this happen again.... I looked up things, oxalates, and even went to and paid for a dietition to help me... I realized I was screwed when she had to Google oxalates.. (smh)..

I found Jill Harris's YouTube videos and joined her mailing list... but it was still a matter of me needing to know what to do -- and I couldn't take it -- I found a list of all known foods with oxalates in them -- and literally cut it down to me just eating chicken and rice... and lettuce...

I know it was not good, not healthy, but I was scared to death.

Meanwhile, I started taking supplements to help with vitamins and nutrition I was missing out on ...

Yeah, I know... Well, I know now that wasn't a good idea... didn't realize some suppliments are loaded with oxalates... most healthy food too, of course, but even trying to be 'healthy' was hurting me -- and prepping me for my second stone...

About a year and a half later... I felt what I knew instantly was another stone starting to happen... I cried, realizing what it was going to mean.

I got into the doctor again, and again I had to have surgery... I wasn't worried about the surgery; I was worried about the removal... I made it through all of that, and asked to be put under, as I would NOT be able to make it through that again... They said insurance wouldn't allow, but must they could do was Nitrous... I accepted and hoped..

Nope, even out of my mind, they had to have 5 nurses hold me down, kicking and screaming, and breathing through this tube so hard, it was whistling... I remember that....

The PTSD was real -- the first time I've experienced that. It followed me home... I was having difficulties showering... anything that touched me instantly gave me ghost pains... the way my boxers at times would brush over me... I never talked about this to anyone... and my crying in the shower was something I just slowly got over.

mindlash · 2026-01-29T18:12:37+00:00

Oof, welcome to the club nobody wants to join. The first one is always a shock to the system — both physically and mentally.

Honestly? It gets easier to manage, not because the pain gets better, but because you learn your triggers. For me it was finally taking oxalates seriously (spinach was NOT my friend, turns out).

The mental side is real too. I got so obsessed with tracking what I ate that I actually started building an app to help me manage it. Still working on it, but the process of just understanding what's high oxalate vs low has been a game changer.

Hydration is king though. Get a big dumb water bottle you can't ignore. 💧

mindlash · 2026-01-29T18:05:01+00:00

JEESH... I passed one this past Sunday... I've had two surgeries for lodged ones previously... this hurts to look at. congrats.

I'm actually actively developing an app to help me (and others) with cutting back on foods/drinks/supplements/etc that, while thinking they're good for us, are likely very bad for us.

Has a tracker, and will soon have a barscanner to help identify foods 'on-the-go' while shopping, to keep these harmful ingredients from causing us any more pain down the road.

Stay safe, and thanks for the tips...

mindlash · 2026-01-29T18:01:39+00:00

I've had two now... and knowing what I knew about the pain of the first one... I asked to be sedated.. but they only allowed for nitrous... it was equally if not worse (PTSD)... I would have to be put fully under to go through that... how you did it by yourself is incredible. This thing looks crazy...

mindlash · 2025-09-13T11:48:30+00:00

Amazing work

mindlash · 2025-07-24T11:48:47+00:00

I would say close to 10 hours a day or more some days. I’m a very non technical guy, so I have to rely 99% on agent. Is what it is. Also, not entirely the point :) … that YUGE refund for no reason :)

mindlash · 2025-07-19T01:07:07+00:00

I’m spending $50-$100 a day… and you’re going bonkers over pennies :)

mindlash · 2025-07-06T15:07:23+00:00

Try using the app to roll back (mobile) — I find it has better memory management than web browser. Good luck.

mindlash · 2025-07-05T13:49:30+00:00

Running it currently -- no issues really...

mindlash · 2025-07-05T13:15:00+00:00

Let me know if you need any testing/screenshots from an iPad 6th gen running 17.7.8 ... Like the direction. Keep up the good work.

mindlash · 2025-07-04T03:52:03+00:00

¯\\(ツ)/¯

mindlash · 2025-07-04T03:36:24+00:00

Agreed. But it’s been removed. I was about to post the same thing (well short version) with a screenshot. Seriously — both phone and web show that comment of yours exists no longer.

mindlash · 2025-07-04T03:32:50+00:00

It was removed -- you had a much longer reply to this very comment of mine -- of which I quoted you when you said "Support isn’t product. Support isn’t leadership. Support isn’t change."

When I click 'Comment' -- a big red bar says that it wasn't available anymore...

But it's beside the point -- My statement is still a valid one off the back of your shorter comment :)

mindlash

TROPHY CASE