danelle Posted March 30, 2005 Report Share Posted March 30, 2005 I have heard some people talking about having low potassium with POTS, has anyone had this experience? I have only had it once and that was about 6 months ago, maybe I should get it rechecked even though they treated me with potassium pills at the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenn202 Posted March 30, 2005 Report Share Posted March 30, 2005 Hi Danelle - I always have trouble reaching good levels of Potassium.... I only drink electrolite drinks full of potassium. potassium supplements, and eat potassium rish foods like banannas, and even with all that I just barely have a "normal" potassium level..... I have muscle cramping on and off and when I do I have to load up even more on it as well as sodium.I think electrolite imbalance is fairly typical with autonomic dysfunction. I just posted about Low Sodium.... I am sure others will also share there experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calypso Posted March 30, 2005 Report Share Posted March 30, 2005 I have had low potassium once. I never got it checked again. I try to eat a lot of potassium-rich foods just in case. I remember Morgan (our veteran cardiac nurse specialist) saying that potassium is one of the first minerals to drop if you have cardiac issues or chronic illness ... does that sound right, Morgan?Amy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ernie Posted March 30, 2005 Report Share Posted March 30, 2005 Sometimes I test low and sometimes I test normal. I don't feel the difference when I am low or normal.Ernie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morgan617 Posted March 30, 2005 Report Share Posted March 30, 2005 Mine is always borderline to low, which is why when they put me on diuretics for my meneires it about killed me. It dropped to 2.4 which is cardiac arrest time. That was fun.....morgan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leah1321 Posted April 1, 2005 Report Share Posted April 1, 2005 Mine tends to run dangerously low and I have had problems (muscle paralysis and spasm issues) so I take potassium everyday and had to change my florinef dosage (it leaches potassium and calcium out of the body, but most people can compensate) and I get my electrolytes tested every 2-3 months. Don't let it get too low or too high or you can have horrible problems. Not to bring up political issues, but Terri Schiavo actually had brain death following a heart attack due to low potassium (thought to be from Bulimia so that shows that dehydration can cause some serious serious problems). You can also have paralysis, muscle weakness, and hr issues/palpitations with low potassium. Keep on top of this. Many of us do get low potassium, by the way, be it from florinef or chronic dehydration. Google Potassium rich foods or something similar. A banana a day helps a lot. Gatorade also has potassium in it. Don't let the potassium get too high either because that is also dangerous. Good news is that it is easy to correct when found before symptoms and the blood test is very easy and quick to give results. Leah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
briarrose Posted April 1, 2005 Report Share Posted April 1, 2005 I get severe muscle spasms when my potassium starts running low. A banana a day does help out with this.It would probably be very difficult to do but high potassium (hyperkalemia) can be fatal quickly. Hypokalemia (low potassium) can also cause arrhythmia, extreme thirst, frequent urination and confusion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomtoGiuliana Posted April 1, 2005 Report Share Posted April 1, 2005 This topic has been discussed many many times on this site. I did a search and it took awhile to remember in which thread I had posted this. But anyway, here it is, in case it is useful! I found this on this website--this looks like a good list http://www.barttersite.com/potassium_page.htm I think the #s presented are mgs. It is interesting that there are several fruits and veggies actually much higher in potassium than bananas. FOODS THAT ARE RICH IN POTASSIUM Kellog's All Bran 532 Dried Apricots 454 Pinto Beans 531 Baked Potato 593 Orange Juice 479 Nabisco 100% Bran 354 Cantaloupe 412 Kidney Beans 452 Baked Winter Squash 590 Grapefruit Juice 360 Bran Flakes 251 Prunes 353 Lentils 374 Baked Sweet Potato 528 Tomato Juice 552 Shredded Wheat 155 Banana 338 Black Beans 309 Spinach 440 Tomato Sauce 459 Raisins 225 (3tbs) Avocado 510 Canned Beans 332 Peas 296 Blackstrap Molasses 1218 (2tbs) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corina Posted April 1, 2005 Report Share Posted April 1, 2005 Hi, can anyone tell me how potassium is tested. I don't think my doctors have done that. We never talked about it. Is it something in the blood? I didn't read your link Katherine because I can't do that right now, maybe someone can explain it in easy words for me?Thanks in advance,Corina Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
briarrose Posted April 2, 2005 Report Share Posted April 2, 2005 It's a blood test. It can be ran alone or is often on a basic metabolic panel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shanti Posted June 15, 2020 Report Share Posted June 15, 2020 Yes! Ugh.. i asked my GP to monitor it twice but he dismissed my request.. ended up in ER again bc of chest zings, overwhelming exhaustion, vomiting, severe arm and leg pain and dizziness 24/7..could barely do anything for a week.. then heart changes.. you guessed it - low potassium! ugh i dont like dealing w crisis when clearly it could be monitored esp w people that take florinef - potassium and electrolytes need to be checked often.. had hypokalemia at onset of pots too- and wasnt on meds... its really so overwhelming that as we are falling or in the worst of it we need to constantly advocate for appropriate checking ..so exhausted but to stay alive we need to keep forcing strength. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndreaIndigo Posted December 22, 2022 Report Share Posted December 22, 2022 Hi, my levels of potassium get so bad that I have to infuse myself with a bag of Iv potassium (mix with saline) every day, otherwise my levels go down super-fast, and I end it up hospitalized. A couple weeks ago I went to "new" endocrinologist, and she decided to get to the bottom of the potassium situation, which was a surprise for me, since so many doctors (specialist) had no idea what was going on. Anyways she gave me a test called renin activity and that one came out low <0.167, it seems like that has a lot to do with the "potassium situation". I'm waiting to see her and figure out what is the next step, but obviously I already research like crazy, and there is some much information about it, I can't believe I couldn't find it before. Low renin hypertension - PMC (nih.gov) Good luck!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morgan617 Posted January 5, 2023 Report Share Posted January 5, 2023 "Hi, can anyone tell me how potassium is tested. I don't think my doctors have done that. We never talked about it. Is it something in the blood? I didn't read your link Katherine because I can't do that right now, maybe someone can explain it in easy words for me? Thanks in advance, Corina" Hi Corina, my friend. I see my last post was about 2005. Holy cow. Potassium is typically always in a metabolic panel, which is a very common test. It would be a K with a result. My potassium was always so low I would paralyze. For people on here with HIGH blood pressures and low potassiums, it can be an adrenal problem. Then you get more specialized tests. Aldosterone, renin, and aldosterone/renin ratio. I had to have a heart attack and kidney failure before anyone believed I was not making these things up or causing them. Now I take one med for it. But the damage is done. Anyway, if you have access to your labs. Look for the K and that will show your potassium levels...I hope you are well..I miss you. morgan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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