low potassium

[Guest guest]

Hi everyone, i havn`t written for a while, partly due to feeling

tired alot. I am having trouble with my potassium levels dropping

too low. I have been on potassium supplements now for about six

weeks.Also my blood pressure is quite high.

Doctors thought it could be steroids, as i`ve been on them for the

last eight years. Recently the dose was reduced, but it still hasn`t

made any difference. I`ve been getting bad palpitations, nausea,

stomach ache, tiredness etc.

I had some tests yesterday on my kidneys, adrenal glands, heart, but

i`m feeling quite worried.

Has anyone else had this problem, or know what could be causing it.

Its the not knowing that it worrying. The hospital rang last night

to tell me to double the amount of potassium again, as it was low,

even though i`ve been eating lots of bananas as well.I`m wondering

if it will resolve itself, or its another thing i just have to live

with.

Also has anyone heard of Simba, a herbal remedy for auto immune

diseases, it is supposed to balance the immune system. I would like

to try it, but don`t know if doctors would be keen, as i`m on

cellcept, plus prednisolone.

Thanks. Jackie.

I hope everyone is having a better time than i`ve been having lately.

Lots of love xxx

[Guest guest]

You might want to ask your doctors about Spirolactone. You'll want to do a

little on-line research on it, as well.

I have constantly low potassium levels, in spite of religiously taking a

great deal of potassium and eating many potassium-rich foods. (Many foods other

than bananas help potassium levels.) Also, I've been having frighteningly high

blood pressure, often at 190, and nothing was helping much. I was taking

five or six prescriptions specifically for blood pressure, and I felt like a

zombie.

A cardiologist prescribed Spirolactone, specifically because I'd mentioned

long-term potassium problems. Within days my BP was down to 120/70, with no

obvious side effects. Recently, I had to switch insurance plans and see a

different group of doctors. My new GP is worried that Spirolactone may have side

effects that aren't obvious, and that at future visits we need to discuss its

possible drawbacks for me.

I have had one major problem lately, episodes of extremely low blood

pressure; these are frightening and utterly disabling. My doctor thinks they

may be

related to adrenal gland damage from years of Prednisone use.

I'm throwing all this personal information at you simply to help you bring

up pluses and minuses with your doctors. Low potassium levels can be

extremely serious. Twice, I've had potassium infusions, which are quite

unpleasant

for some people. Untreated, extremely low potassium levels can cause heart

attacks. This happened to a friend's young wife, who didn't take the situation

seriously. Best wishes.

Harper

In a message dated 4/25/2007 7:56:13 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,

jaknjills@... writes:

Hi everyone, i havn`t written for a while, partly due to feeling

tired alot. I am having trouble with my potassium levels dropping

too low. I have been on potassium supplements now for about six

weeks.Also my blood pressure is quite high.

Doctors thought it could be steroids, as i`ve been on them for the

last eight years. Recently the dose was reduced, but it still hasn`t

made any difference. I`ve been getting bad palpitations, nausea,

stomach ache, tiredness etc.

I had some tests yesterday on my kidneys, adrenal glands, heart, but

i`m feeling quite worried.

Has anyone else had this problem, or know what could be causing it.

Its the not knowing that it worrying. The hospital rang last night

to tell me to double the amount of potassium again, as it was low,

even though i`ve been eating lots of bananas as well.I`m wondering

if it will resolve itself, or its another thing i just have to live

with.

Also has anyone heard of Simba, a herbal remedy for auto immune

diseases, it is supposed to balance the immune system. I would like

to try it, but don`t know if doctors would be keen, as i`m on

cellcept, plus prednisolone.

Thanks. Jackie.

I hope everyone is having a better time than i`ve been having lately.

Lots of love xxx

************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com.

[Guest guest]

Yes it did cross my mind that it could be low cortisol, but as soon as i took

k-dur it went away. The first time i have experienced this tho which also made

me think it was low potassium as i have expienced low cortisol many times.

I cant eat bananas and tomatoes yeast infection rocks lol, the k-dur is

amazing tho 1500mg of potassium in one tablet and its slow release.

I feel fine now ive had 4 k-dur tablets spread out over today, if anyone has any

ideas why this could of happened would be appreciated and thanks for the replies

so far.

Steve

>

> Steve,

>

> I would be extremely careful and wary that this isn't low cortisol. You were

on a high dose of HC for quite a while, weren't you, and then just to stop?

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Far be it from me to say you need HC but do you have a home blood pressure

metre?

If you don't then you should have.

You probably should add some HC back (some not all) and see if this helps. The

T3 you've added in early may: 1) not be enough - increase by a small amount? 2)

may not be early enough - half hour earlier? and 3) may not be sufficient to

cope with immediate withdrawal of a lot of HC.

The adrenals take about 4-6 weeks to pick up the slack - you're asking yours to

do it all immediately and expecting no symptoms. Whilst, this might not be life

threatening at all it might not be comfortable.

Why would potassium suddenly be an issue? Will that level of potassium throw

other balances out?

Isn't it more likely that the immediate withdrawal of the HC has done it? You

need to be using a BP metre so you can measure some unambiguous values. I'd

probably add some HC back in and see if it helps - as a diagnostic. If you were

on 30 mg HC per day then your adrenals may take some time to really get

accelerated - my experience is about 6 weeks.

The above is not inconsistent with the process I've discussed. I expect that

symptoms may worsen during the T3 titration. This is the only way that it is

possible to work out what the individuals adrenals are capable of. However, for

someone on such a large amount of adrenal support then this may need to have

some common sense added as it is possible that the adrenals have been overly

suppressed for a long time (why?).

>

> Hi

[Guest guest]

p.s. if you are still on Florinef and your adrenals are working better then your

sodium / potassium balance will be switched in favour of sodium (less

potassium).

>

> Hi is it possible to go to the walk in centre and get your potassium tested,

if you think its

[Guest guest]

It will take around 4-6 weeks for your adrenals to really adjust.

Thoughts:

1) Your HC/Florinef levels may have simply been too high to expect the adrenals

to completely pick up the slack immediately. Either put up with the symptoms and

wait or add in a fraction of your medication and do it slower.

2) It may be the fact that you are still on some Florinef - which will switch

sodium over potassium.

3) You may need a bigger or slightly earlier first T3 dose.

The key to all of this is symptoms and signs observation over a period of a few

days. A home BP meter is very important. It will give a good indication about

cortisol levels. The pupil dilation test is also very useful.

Collect data. Optimise the first dose as much as possible and allow a little

time for your adrenals to do as much as they can.

Hopefully, you will be able to avoid any adrenal medication of any kind.

However, there can be no guarantee of this since long term use of adrenal meds

can have a suppressive effect on the adrenal glands.

Please keep me posted (you now have my contact details).

>

[Guest guest]

Steve,

How much is in your first T3 dose? What time is it taken at now.

My experience has been that my first T3 dose has needed to be the largest - to

kick start my day and my adrenals. I found that 10 mcg didn't do a lot. 15 did a

little. 17.5 and 20 was much better. So, if you think the adrenals need more t3

then give it to them as long as you don't get too much T3 that causes other

symptoms. The T3 doses don't need to be all of the same size.

>

> Yes it did cross my mind that it could be low cortisol, but as soon as i took

k-dur it

[Guest guest]

Hi paul thanks for all the replies, i am 100% convinced now that it was low

potassium my cortisol seems to be fine, i have stable high temps any my bp is

quite nice also at 127/78 if i was lacking cortisol i imagine my temps to be all

over the place and most probably lower showing some adrenal stress, and i like

that my bp is bang on so its not my bp contributing to them couple of symptoms.

Regarding the doses i have played around with time, from 4am, 4:14am and also

4:30am and 5am 25mg each time, and i feel the best most defiantely at the 4:30

dose, didnt feel too much at 5am and felt a little more tired from the 4am dose

but each time ive had a 4:30 dose i have felt the best that day. I have gotten

my T3 spread out quite nicely in the day now i am on a 3 hour dosing most dose's

just 12.5mg, small and often is what works best for me (same when eating).

Regarding my low potassium drop yesterday this is my only theory at the moment,

my potassium was already boarderline low 3.6 (3.5-5.4) and that was taking 1x

k-dur a day i was still 3.6 after 2 months. So now my adrenals are back working

they must be producing some of their own natural florinef making my body use up

more potassium as if i was on a bigger dose of florinef than 0.1?

Steve

>

> Steve,

> How much is in your first T3 dose? What time is it taken at now.

[Guest guest]

Sheila, were you levels low from a diuretic?

I felt bad yesterday, so when I got back from work I had 2 glasses of coconut

water, some roast carrots, and raisins and a baked potato - the reason being to

see if these high potassium foods would help me.

Well i went from feeling bad to feeling at least able to think in a few hours,

and then ended up having problems sleeping - i normally sleep fine. So i think

it could well be low potassium related in me. I feel bad again today, but want

to stay off too much potassium (other than some raisins, earlier) so i can get

an accurate result for tomorrow.

sorry if this has gone a bit off topic

chris

>

> Doctor gave me a prescription for K-SOL and took it for about 6 weeks then

[Guest guest]

Yes, I think they were Chris. Let us know the results of your

test. If you have low potassium, you have no option but to supplement it. Just

like thyroid hormone. Are you taking the 'Sole' every morning made with the

pink Himalayan salt?

Luv - sheila

Sheila, were you levels low from a diuretic?

I felt bad yesterday, so when I got back from work I had 2 glasses of coconut

water, some roast carrots, and raisins and a baked potato - the reason being to

see if these high potassium foods would help me.

Well i went from feeling bad to feeling at least able to think in a few hours,

and then ended up having problems sleeping - i normally sleep fine. So i think

it could well be low potassium related in me. I feel bad again today, but want

to stay off too much potassium (other than some raisins, earlier) so i can get

an accurate result for tomorrow.

sorry if this has gone a bit off topic

chris

[Guest guest]

Some of you may know and others not, but i have been trying 's protocol this

last week and there have been a few hiccups on the way (this thread being one of

them with me concerned over low potassium)

but has been spending time one to one with me via emails and i would just

like to thank him personally on this forum, he is a very nice man and also very

knowledgavle regarding thyroid problems he deserves alot of respect

Steve

--- In thyroid treatment , " Sheila " <sheila@...>