Salt Tablets

[Foxyblue]

Hi everyone,

At the urging of my mother, I have acquired a bottle of salt tablets from the local pharmacy. Has anyone with POTS tried this? If so, does it work, not work, what side effects are there, etc. Any comments would be appreciated. Thank you!

Bri

[Ernie]

Hi,

I take them every day. No side effects. Better than table salt.

[pat57]

works great .

I was able to take them a month or two, then started to throw them up. (sorry) Twice I took a break and tryed again but- threw them up. I do boulion or popcorn now.

[Sushi]

I get buffered salt tablets, Thermotabs, from CVS (you can also get them on the internet) and they seem easier on the tummy.

[dawn]

I tried the buffered ones, but my tummy wouldn't take it.

I eat olives and I have aquired a taste for a cold glass of coke with a teaspoon

of salt in it.

My stomach is so sensitive to everything.

One Christmas, my co-workers bought me a salt block (lick) like cows or deer have as

a gift. LOL.

Miss those days.

Dawn

[DanniBunny]

I haven't tried the tablets yet, but I've been trying to introduce more to my normal diet , everyone else in my life has medical reasons NOT to eat salt, so I was stuck doing the same and I think its part of my problem with POTS. So far I try to snack on almonds (I need extra protein anyway), gatorate as a good amount of salt, and believe it or not those healthy cottage cheese doubles with fruit have quite a bit of salt in them too - and they're yummy

[yikespanic]

just a note, be carefull, some also contain pottassium and to much is not good. Check with pharmasist or your doctor and read them the label.

Kim

[yogini]

I've tried several times, but can't stomach any kind of salt pill, even Thermotabs. When you actually measure it seems hard to get enough salt through food and Gatorade, unless we eat fast or frozen food all of the time (which I can't stand). If you can tolerate a salt pill, that's great. I drink a super salty organic broth twice a day. It has 750mg of sodium, which is almost as much as a salt pill.

[flop]

My Cardiologist prescribed salt tablets for me after doing a 24 hour urine collection which showed low sodium levels. (There is a research paper by Prof Hainsworth about sodium loading in POTS).

He put me on slow sodium 600mg tablets - ten a day (= 6g sodium per day).

They are round white shiny coated tablets, don't taste of anything and slide down easily. I haven't noticed any stomach problems with them (even when I have cheated and swallowed all 10 with just a small glass of juice). You have to drink a lot of water with them.

I found that they helped a lot. If you are on florinef / fludrocortisone it is important to have an adequate sodium intake as the florinef makes you retain water by reabsorbing sodium in the kidneys.

I have come off the slow sodium a couple of times but always needed to go back on it. My cardiologist wants me to stop them again as he says the medical evidence is only to load with sodium for three months then stop them. I have compromised with him and have cut my dose back a lot to see if I am ok on a smaller dose.

Whatever method you choose to increase your sodium intake, try to keep an eye on how much you are taking - you don't want to overdo it and make yourself ill.

Flop

[Rachel]

Hi Bri,

I've tried salt tablets, but I actually never had a whole lot of benefit from them. But I've thought about trying it again. My health is much worse now, so maybe now I would be able to notice a difference.

One thing I do remember from using salt tablets before - I had to have a full stomach. If I didn't have enough food and water in me then I would get really nauseated from the salt. But I don't know of any other side effects. As long as you take them with plenty of fluids and some food, you should be fine.

I hope they work out well for you!

Rachel

[flop]

Sorry should have said in my previous post that slow sodium is a modified/slow release form of salt tablets. They have a matrix that gradually releases the sodium into your GI tract so you don't get that overwhelming nausea that conventional salt tablets can cause. I don't put salt on food as I can't stand the taste!

Not sure if "Slow Sodium" is available outside the UK?

Flop

[P SUDIK]

I could not take the salt tablets,they made my mouth fill with saliva then I would vomit or have the dry heaves and they also hurt my stomach. Pat

[smiles]

My cardio added salt tabs to help with worse symptoms during my periods and immediately after (I'm in premenopause). It helped so much that he increased it to during flare ups too. It's like a wonder drug for me! I take 2 in the am and 2 in the pm on bad days, with water or food. I can take up to 6 a day if necessary. Some days I don't take any. I need them every few days though to keep my levels up.