Wellness

[catter70]

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.

[rockygems123]

---

@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?  

[SilleeMee]

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.

[GingerHead]

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.

[Kachina624]

---

@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.

[skatting44]

   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.

[rockygems123]

---

@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.

[Mom in NY]

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