Potassium Supplement

[JenniferInOhio]

I got some blood work done the other day and my level was 3.6 (with a range of 3.5 - 5.0). My doctor wants to put me on a potassium supplement for 10 days and then get my blood re-drawn. I wasn't able to talk to my doctor, as the nurse called to tell me...but does anyone know why I would need a supplement if my range is within norms?

Thanks in advance.

[lthomas521]

If you are taking something like Florinef, which can deplete your potassium, they might worry that your potassium values might dip below the bottom of the normal range on a bad day.

Eating some bananas or drinking some orange juice or V8 juice should do the trick.

[morgan617]

3.6 is at the very low range of normal. Actually you are lucky he's interested enough to do that for you.

I take 60-70 meq a day just to stay at 3.5, and serum potassiums are not always a great indicator of what your potassium is really doing or where it is in your body. You can google lots of info on hypokalemia and it may be that you find you have enough symptoms of it that he felt it was worth a try to see if some of them improved. Good luck sweetie!

[JenniferInOhio]

Thanks for your replies. I'm not on florinef, so I wasn't sure. I guess I will be a good girl and take it like my doctor prescribed.