topic Re: High Potassium Level in Blood in Wellness

High Potassium Level in Blood

Shelbelle — Fri, 18 Oct 2024 16:32:59 GMT

Friend of mine just asked me if I had any experience with this, I dont, anyone here have this and what was done about it? Apparently, it can be serious and needs medical attention. She is getting retested next week . thanks.

I remember my elderly Mom's level was low and she had to take potassium pills.

Re: High Potassium Level in Blood

SilleeMee — Fri, 18 Oct 2024 16:38:32 GMT

Drink more water.

Re: High Potassium Level in Blood

ahoymate — Fri, 18 Oct 2024 16:47:41 GMT

High potassium levels in the blood, also known as hyperkalemia, can be dangerous and can cause serious heart problems. A normal potassium level for adults is between 3.5 and 5.5 millimoles per liter (mmol/L), and levels above 5.5 mmol/L are considered high

Re: High Potassium Level in Blood

Skyegirl21 — Fri, 18 Oct 2024 16:49:22 GMT

Depending how much higher above normal range (it should say this the bloodwork results),it can be concerning because it can interrupt heart rhythm. Talk to doctor and I think they would say to follow a diet to decrease potassium.... (I am a scientist who works on clinical trials).

Re: High Potassium Level in Blood

Shelbelle — Fri, 18 Oct 2024 17:04:40 GMT

She said it is only a hair above the normal level, so her doc says to retest next week.

Re: High Potassium Level in Blood

SilleeMee — Fri, 18 Oct 2024 17:12:12 GMT

Dehydration can cause electrolytes (sodium, potassium, chloride) to be higher than normal.

I'm a retired med tech, chemistry lab specialist.

Re: High Potassium Level in Blood

Kachina624 — Fri, 18 Oct 2024 17:17:00 GMT

I have the opposite problem, not enough potassium. Tell her not to eat bananas or oranges as the contain a lot.

Re: High Potassium Level in Blood

Winkk — Fri, 18 Oct 2024 17:30:09 GMT

My potassium in August was 5.7. It was discovered by my annual blood test. It was because of my cholesterol medicine. The problem is unless you have blood work done you can't know what your levels are.

She should check her diet to make sure she isn't eating a lot of high potassium food.

Re: High Potassium Level in Blood

Icegoddess — Fri, 18 Oct 2024 17:37:46 GMT

That would be avocados too. I love guac. never eat bananas.

Also shouldn't be drinking electrolyte drinks like Gatorade or adding electrolytes to her drinks. I'm seeing more and more of that in stores in the form of hydration beverages or powders and so people may think they NEED them when really they don't. I only use stuff like that when I'm working in the yard.

Re: High Potassium Level in Blood

Trinity11 — Fri, 18 Oct 2024 17:41:33 GMT

Normal potassium levels are dependent upon the parameters of the lab. Anything over 6 is concerning.

As a Type 1 diabetic with Stage 4 kidney disease, I had numerous readings of potassium above 6 with low pulse of 36, back pain and dizziness. Once I was called in the middle of the night to go to the nearest ER by the Dr. in the lab. It is that serious. I changed to a renal diet, saw a nephrologist and got my levels down. Also some meds raise potassium. I had to make major adjustments to get it back to normal.

Have your friend @Shelbelle see a nephrologist if she continues to have difficulty. There are many reasons that potassium can increase but most healthy people have healthy kidneys able to excrete it.

Re: High Potassium Level in Blood

catter70 — Fri, 18 Oct 2024 17:45:34 GMT

I had high potassium levels. I was taking a potassim supp. and stopped that and my doc changed one of my BP meds. No problems since.

Re: High Potassium Level in Blood

rockygems123 — Fri, 18 Oct 2024 18:15:09 GMT

@Kachina624 wrote:
I have the opposite problem, not enough potassium. Tell her not to eat bananas or oranges as the contain a lot.

@Kachina624

Same here, low potassium. I take a diuretic and out goes the potassium.

I take prescribed potassium horse pills, dissolved in water or on my tongue before swallowing. They wreak havoc on my esophagus and when having an endoscope they showed me remants of that nasty stuff in my esophagus.

Do you take supplements?

Re: High Potassium Level in Blood

SilleeMee — Fri, 18 Oct 2024 18:36:16 GMT

A person's blood potassium level is actually a snapshot of what is circulating around at any given point in time. The level fluctuate depending on several factors. Blood potassium levels aren't really a good indicator of total body potassium where most potassium is found in tissue and not in the blood itself. In other words, a person can appear to be potassium deficient or sufficient when looking at their blood level alone when in fact be at the opposite end of that in total body amounts and there isn't any reliable way of testing for total body levels.

Re: High Potassium Level in Blood

GingerHead — Fri, 18 Oct 2024 19:05:16 GMT

Also, I wouldn't be too concerned about a single slightly elevated electrolyte level. The reference levels stated on the test are the standard/average levels of the population measured and different labs can have slightly different reference levels. So being a little out of that can be ok depending.

Also a single out of range level could be completely in range if tested the next day.

More concerning is a trend of elevated levels..... So it's good that the doc is ordering a retest.

Re: High Potassium Level in Blood

Kachina624 — Fri, 18 Oct 2024 20:49:55 GMT

@rockygems123 wrote:
@Kachina624 wrote:
I have the opposite problem, not enough potassium. Tell her not to eat bananas or oranges as the contain a lot.
@Kachina624

Same here, low potassium. I take a diuretic and out goes the potassium.

I take prescribed potassium horse pills, dissolved in water or on my tongue before swallowing. They wreak havoc on my esophagus and when having an endoscope they showed me remants of that nasty stuff in my esophagus.

Do you take supplements?

@rockygems123. Do you take Hydrochlorothycide? That's the diuretic I take that drains me of potassium. I had a chat with a doctor Tuesday and am being changed to a new BP med that doesn't require a diuretic.

Re: High Potassium Level in Blood

skatting44 — Fri, 18 Oct 2024 23:08:53 GMT

May be associated with Renal issues or some medications . Also when blood is drawn , if the tech does not gently agitate the vial they can cause serum Potassium levels to be haemolysed resulting in falsely higher than the normal limit.

Re: High Potassium Level in Blood

rockygems123 — Sat, 19 Oct 2024 00:09:03 GMT

@Kachina624 wrote:

@rockygems123 wrote:
@Kachina624 wrote:
I have the opposite problem, not enough potassium. Tell her not to eat bananas or oranges as the contain a lot.
@Kachina624

Same here, low potassium. I take a diuretic and out goes the potassium.

I take prescribed potassium horse pills, dissolved in water or on my tongue before swallowing. They wreak havoc on my esophagus and when having an endoscope they showed me remants of that nasty stuff in my esophagus.

Do you take supplements?
@rockygems123. Do you take Hydrochlorothycide? That's the diuretic I take that drains me of potassium. I had a chat with a doctor Tuesday and am being changed to a new BP med that doesn't require a diuretic.

@Kachina624

Yes I take hydrochlorothiazide. Switched to it after having swallowing and choking issues with Lisinopril and Losartan.

Hope the new drug works out well for you, will be nice to not have to take that horse pill.

Re: High Potassium Level in Blood

Mom in NY — Sat, 19 Oct 2024 15:33:46 GMT

I did and even though you don't feel dehydrated you could be. I'm on BP meds and doctor stopped my diuretic cut the other pill dosage in half. Followup labs normal