Guest guest Posted June 6, 2012 Report Share Posted June 6, 2012 Don't feel bad as we all forget - or never get the time - to ask the questions we have. I didn't catch it previously or don't recall but what are your symptoms? I had so many that seemed to lessen or resolve completely with fixing my potassium, which at times had been dangerously low and other times that blasted "borderline" they think is so unimportant. That burns me up about the potassium and how it is so discounted - because we've learned that lesson the hard way. I have a hunch there are so many women who have that fatigue and weakness they have actually talked to their docs about, that is from a "borderline" potassium and/or some other electrolytes that's a simple fix. that their docs just blow off and/or chalk up to stress or depression. And a little K (and maybe magnesium too - as I started on that long after I was already on K and it did help my moods especially. I noticed it very dramatically when I started the mag. You can always take the OTC potassium. I take the potassium gluconate, but I take alot of it because it's not the same nor absorbs the same as the prescription potassium. Of course do what your doc recommends if you trust them, if not, then do what you feel is right. You can't really get too much unless you have really bad kidneys as the body takes care of the extra K well. I take the OTC kind because Dr G pointed out early to me when I first got on this list when I had asked why the prescription K gave me a raging headache and he suggested the chloride in the KCl pills and he was dead on. It was the chloride. So I did some research and went and got the OTC kind and it works. Dietary K works best though and I can tell a difference in pill K versus diet K. No chloride, no headaches - not even little ones when taking the OTC K. I usually get it at GNC or Wal Mart and take 2 tablets, 3 times or 2 times a day depending on how good my DASHing is on K - which is my weak point with DASH. With a family of 7 kids, the fruits and veggies start getting expensive, and also what we do buy of them often gets not eaten because kids just don't eat it, and I can't eat it all fast enough. We have a pet rabbit that appreciates the wilting veggies, but it hurts the pocket book. And I have tried the V8's....all the types and for me it's the consistency I can't get used to, but it's a GREAT source of diet K. From: catherinekerth1 <catherinekerth@...>Subject: Nephrologist appt.hyperaldosteronism Date: Wednesday, June 6, 2012, 7:09 AM Went to the Neph yesterday and he will re-run my Aldo/renin ratio Friday morning at 8am. He did not seem very concerned about my potassium or my symptoms of low potassium. that irked me a little bit. He was mainly focused on the aldo/renin ratio, and explained the long term problems of whats going on with me all the different methods there are to treat me. I am very pleased about how proactive he is about correcting whats causing my crazy/uncontrollable high BP.I do have a questions.... He seemed a bit floored how high my last ratio came out.... 107.1.... I was thinking its high, but i've seen higher online so it was typical.He wants me to re-run the the test at 8am since my last blood work was done at 10am.What kind of difference is that going to make? will the ratio be considerably lower earlier in the morning?I was also on Diovan at the time of the first testing as well. I know that effects the test.... Does it effect it by a large margin?Thank you, these are questions I should have asked him, but you never think of these things until later 38yrsRenin .14 (.25-5.89)Aldo Ratio PRA 107.1 (.9-28.9)CT scan normal, as of now..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 6, 2012 Report Share Posted June 6, 2012 , I suggest you print this file http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3057029/pdf/IJHT2011-624691.pdf and it will answer most of your questions. (It's in our files also.) I think it will answer all your questions and more. >> Went to the Neph yesterday and he will re-run my Aldo/renin ratio Friday morning at 8am. > He did not seem very concerned about my potassium or my symptoms of low potassium. that irked me a little bit. > He was mainly focused on the aldo/renin ratio, and explained the long term problems of whats going on with me all the different methods there are to treat me. > I am very pleased about how proactive he is about correcting whats causing my crazy/uncontrollable high BP.> > I do have a questions.... He seemed a bit floored how high my last ratio came out.... 107.1.... I was thinking its high, but i've seen higher online so it was typical.> He wants me to re-run the the test at 8am since my last blood work was done at 10am.> What kind of difference is that going to make? will the ratio be considerably lower earlier in the morning?> I was also on Diovan at the time of the first testing as well. I know that effects the test.... Does it effect it by a large margin?> > > Thank you, these are questions I should have asked him, but you never think of these things until later > > 38yrs> Renin .14 (.25-5.89)> Aldo Ratio PRA 107.1 (.9-28.9)> CT scan normal, as of now.....> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 6, 2012 Report Share Posted June 6, 2012 , I suggest you print this file http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3057029/pdf/IJHT2011-624691.pdf and it will answer most of your questions. (It's in our files also.) I think it will answer all your questions and more. >> Went to the Neph yesterday and he will re-run my Aldo/renin ratio Friday morning at 8am. > He did not seem very concerned about my potassium or my symptoms of low potassium. that irked me a little bit. > He was mainly focused on the aldo/renin ratio, and explained the long term problems of whats going on with me all the different methods there are to treat me. > I am very pleased about how proactive he is about correcting whats causing my crazy/uncontrollable high BP.> > I do have a questions.... He seemed a bit floored how high my last ratio came out.... 107.1.... I was thinking its high, but i've seen higher online so it was typical.> He wants me to re-run the the test at 8am since my last blood work was done at 10am.> What kind of difference is that going to make? will the ratio be considerably lower earlier in the morning?> I was also on Diovan at the time of the first testing as well. I know that effects the test.... Does it effect it by a large margin?> > > Thank you, these are questions I should have asked him, but you never think of these things until later > > 38yrs> Renin .14 (.25-5.89)> Aldo Ratio PRA 107.1 (.9-28.9)> CT scan normal, as of now.....> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 6, 2012 Report Share Posted June 6, 2012 , I don't have my exact numbers handy but when I was first referred to my nephrologist/HTN specialist back in December 2010, I was taking Diovan. On that first office visit he did the ARR bloodwork, which came back in " normal " range. He called me, told me to stop taking the Diovan immediately, then retested me after 2 weeks off meds. This time, my ARR results were positive for PA. He told me that he knew that the test would not be accurate while on Diovan but wanted to see what my results would be regardless. So how inaccurate it was I can't say, but I can say that if those were the test results that had been used to diagnose me, my PA would never have been found. -msmith1928 Left laparoscopic adrenalectomy 10/13/11 > > Went to the Neph yesterday and he will re-run my Aldo/renin ratio Friday morning at 8am. > He did not seem very concerned about my potassium or my symptoms of low potassium. that irked me a little bit. > He was mainly focused on the aldo/renin ratio, and explained the long term problems of whats going on with me all the different methods there are to treat me. > I am very pleased about how proactive he is about correcting whats causing my crazy/uncontrollable high BP. > > I do have a questions.... He seemed a bit floored how high my last ratio came out.... 107.1.... I was thinking its high, but i've seen higher online so it was typical. > He wants me to re-run the the test at 8am since my last blood work was done at 10am. > What kind of difference is that going to make? will the ratio be considerably lower earlier in the morning? > I was also on Diovan at the time of the first testing as well. I know that effects the test.... Does it effect it by a large margin? > > > Thank you, these are questions I should have asked him, but you never think of these things until later > > 38yrs > Renin .14 (.25-5.89) > Aldo Ratio PRA 107.1 (.9-28.9) > CT scan normal, as of now..... > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 6, 2012 Report Share Posted June 6, 2012 If u have LA renin may be lower and aldo higher depending on when u got out of bed as well. Diovan would increase renin and Aldo likely. Has your K been low?May your pressure be low!CE Grim MS, MDSpecializing in DifficultHypertensionOn Jun 6, 2012, at 7:09, catherinekerth1 <catherinekerth@...> wrote: Went to the Neph yesterday and he will re-run my Aldo/renin ratio Friday morning at 8am. He did not seem very concerned about my potassium or my symptoms of low potassium. that irked me a little bit. He was mainly focused on the aldo/renin ratio, and explained the long term problems of whats going on with me all the different methods there are to treat me. I am very pleased about how proactive he is about correcting whats causing my crazy/uncontrollable high BP. I do have a questions.... He seemed a bit floored how high my last ratio came out.... 107.1.... I was thinking its high, but i've seen higher online so it was typical. He wants me to re-run the the test at 8am since my last blood work was done at 10am. What kind of difference is that going to make? will the ratio be considerably lower earlier in the morning? I was also on Diovan at the time of the first testing as well. I know that effects the test.... Does it effect it by a large margin? Thank you, these are questions I should have asked him, but you never think of these things until later 38yrs Renin .14 (.25-5.89) Aldo Ratio PRA 107.1 (.9-28.9) CT scan normal, as of now..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 6, 2012 Report Share Posted June 6, 2012 Yes I recommend low Na V8 first if u can tolerate it. There is also a spicy version. May your pressure be low!CE Grim MS, MDSpecializing in DifficultHypertensionOn Jun 6, 2012, at 8:32, Bingham <jlkbbk2003@...> wrote: Don't feel bad as we all forget - or never get the time - to ask the questions we have. I didn't catch it previously or don't recall but what are your symptoms? I had so many that seemed to lessen or resolve completely with fixing my potassium, which at times had been dangerously low and other times that blasted "borderline" they think is so unimportant. That burns me up about the potassium and how it is so discounted - because we've learned that lesson the hard way. I have a hunch there are so many women who have that fatigue and weakness they have actually talked to their docs about, that is from a "borderline" potassium and/or some other electrolytes that's a simple fix. that their docs just blow off and/or chalk up to stress or depression. And a little K (and maybe magnesium too - as I started on that long after I was already on K and it did help my moods especially. I noticed it very dramatically when I started the mag. You can always take the OTC potassium. I take the potassium gluconate, but I take alot of it because it's not the same nor absorbs the same as the prescription potassium. Of course do what your doc recommends if you trust them, if not, then do what you feel is right. You can't really get too much unless you have really bad kidneys as the body takes care of the extra K well. I take the OTC kind because Dr G pointed out early to me when I first got on this list when I had asked why the prescription K gave me a raging headache and he suggested the chloride in the KCl pills and he was dead on. It was the chloride. So I did some research and went and got the OTC kind and it works. Dietary K works best though and I can tell a difference in pill K versus diet K. No chloride, no headaches - not even little ones when taking the OTC K. I usually get it at GNC or Wal Mart and take 2 tablets, 3 times or 2 times a day depending on how good my DASHing is on K - which is my weak point with DASH. With a family of 7 kids, the fruits and veggies start getting expensive, and also what we do buy of them often gets not eaten because kids just don't eat it, and I can't eat it all fast enough. We have a pet rabbit that appreciates the wilting veggies, but it hurts the pocket book. And I have tried the V8's....all the types and for me it's the consistency I can't get used to, but it's a GREAT source of diet K. From: catherinekerth1 <catherinekerth@...>Subject: Nephrologist appt.hyperaldosteronism Date: Wednesday, June 6, 2012, 7:09 AM Went to the Neph yesterday and he will re-run my Aldo/renin ratio Friday morning at 8am. He did not seem very concerned about my potassium or my symptoms of low potassium. that irked me a little bit. He was mainly focused on the aldo/renin ratio, and explained the long term problems of whats going on with me all the different methods there are to treat me. I am very pleased about how proactive he is about correcting whats causing my crazy/uncontrollable high BP.I do have a questions.... He seemed a bit floored how high my last ratio came out.... 107.1.... I was thinking its high, but i've seen higher online so it was typical.He wants me to re-run the the test at 8am since my last blood work was done at 10am.What kind of difference is that going to make? will the ratio be considerably lower earlier in the morning?I was also on Diovan at the time of the first testing as well. I know that effects the test.... Does it effect it by a large margin?Thank you, these are questions I should have asked him, but you never think of these things until later 38yrsRenin .14 (.25-5.89)Aldo Ratio PRA 107.1 (.9-28.9)CT scan normal, as of now..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 6, 2012 Report Share Posted June 6, 2012 Yes I recommend low Na V8 first if u can tolerate it. There is also a spicy version. May your pressure be low!CE Grim MS, MDSpecializing in DifficultHypertensionOn Jun 6, 2012, at 8:32, Bingham <jlkbbk2003@...> wrote: Don't feel bad as we all forget - or never get the time - to ask the questions we have. I didn't catch it previously or don't recall but what are your symptoms? I had so many that seemed to lessen or resolve completely with fixing my potassium, which at times had been dangerously low and other times that blasted "borderline" they think is so unimportant. That burns me up about the potassium and how it is so discounted - because we've learned that lesson the hard way. I have a hunch there are so many women who have that fatigue and weakness they have actually talked to their docs about, that is from a "borderline" potassium and/or some other electrolytes that's a simple fix. that their docs just blow off and/or chalk up to stress or depression. And a little K (and maybe magnesium too - as I started on that long after I was already on K and it did help my moods especially. I noticed it very dramatically when I started the mag. You can always take the OTC potassium. I take the potassium gluconate, but I take alot of it because it's not the same nor absorbs the same as the prescription potassium. Of course do what your doc recommends if you trust them, if not, then do what you feel is right. You can't really get too much unless you have really bad kidneys as the body takes care of the extra K well. I take the OTC kind because Dr G pointed out early to me when I first got on this list when I had asked why the prescription K gave me a raging headache and he suggested the chloride in the KCl pills and he was dead on. It was the chloride. So I did some research and went and got the OTC kind and it works. Dietary K works best though and I can tell a difference in pill K versus diet K. No chloride, no headaches - not even little ones when taking the OTC K. I usually get it at GNC or Wal Mart and take 2 tablets, 3 times or 2 times a day depending on how good my DASHing is on K - which is my weak point with DASH. With a family of 7 kids, the fruits and veggies start getting expensive, and also what we do buy of them often gets not eaten because kids just don't eat it, and I can't eat it all fast enough. We have a pet rabbit that appreciates the wilting veggies, but it hurts the pocket book. And I have tried the V8's....all the types and for me it's the consistency I can't get used to, but it's a GREAT source of diet K. From: catherinekerth1 <catherinekerth@...>Subject: Nephrologist appt.hyperaldosteronism Date: Wednesday, June 6, 2012, 7:09 AM Went to the Neph yesterday and he will re-run my Aldo/renin ratio Friday morning at 8am. He did not seem very concerned about my potassium or my symptoms of low potassium. that irked me a little bit. He was mainly focused on the aldo/renin ratio, and explained the long term problems of whats going on with me all the different methods there are to treat me. I am very pleased about how proactive he is about correcting whats causing my crazy/uncontrollable high BP.I do have a questions.... He seemed a bit floored how high my last ratio came out.... 107.1.... I was thinking its high, but i've seen higher online so it was typical.He wants me to re-run the the test at 8am since my last blood work was done at 10am.What kind of difference is that going to make? will the ratio be considerably lower earlier in the morning?I was also on Diovan at the time of the first testing as well. I know that effects the test.... Does it effect it by a large margin?Thank you, these are questions I should have asked him, but you never think of these things until later 38yrsRenin .14 (.25-5.89)Aldo Ratio PRA 107.1 (.9-28.9)CT scan normal, as of now..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 6, 2012 Report Share Posted June 6, 2012 Sorry if u have PA. May your pressure be low!CE Grim MS, MDSpecializing in DifficultHypertensionOn Jun 6, 2012, at 11:13, Clarence Grim <lowerbp2@...> wrote: If u have LA renin may be lower and aldo higher depending on when u got out of bed as well. Diovan would increase renin and Aldo likely. Has your K been low?May your pressure be low!CE Grim MS, MDSpecializing in DifficultHypertensionOn Jun 6, 2012, at 7:09, catherinekerth1 <catherinekerth@...> wrote: Went to the Neph yesterday and he will re-run my Aldo/renin ratio Friday morning at 8am. He did not seem very concerned about my potassium or my symptoms of low potassium. that irked me a little bit. He was mainly focused on the aldo/renin ratio, and explained the long term problems of whats going on with me all the different methods there are to treat me. I am very pleased about how proactive he is about correcting whats causing my crazy/uncontrollable high BP. I do have a questions.... He seemed a bit floored how high my last ratio came out.... 107.1.... I was thinking its high, but i've seen higher online so it was typical. He wants me to re-run the the test at 8am since my last blood work was done at 10am. What kind of difference is that going to make? will the ratio be considerably lower earlier in the morning? I was also on Diovan at the time of the first testing as well. I know that effects the test.... Does it effect it by a large margin? Thank you, these are questions I should have asked him, but you never think of these things until later 38yrs Renin .14 (.25-5.89) Aldo Ratio PRA 107.1 (.9-28.9) CT scan normal, as of now..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 6, 2012 Report Share Posted June 6, 2012 Sorry if u have PA. May your pressure be low!CE Grim MS, MDSpecializing in DifficultHypertensionOn Jun 6, 2012, at 11:13, Clarence Grim <lowerbp2@...> wrote: If u have LA renin may be lower and aldo higher depending on when u got out of bed as well. Diovan would increase renin and Aldo likely. Has your K been low?May your pressure be low!CE Grim MS, MDSpecializing in DifficultHypertensionOn Jun 6, 2012, at 7:09, catherinekerth1 <catherinekerth@...> wrote: Went to the Neph yesterday and he will re-run my Aldo/renin ratio Friday morning at 8am. He did not seem very concerned about my potassium or my symptoms of low potassium. that irked me a little bit. He was mainly focused on the aldo/renin ratio, and explained the long term problems of whats going on with me all the different methods there are to treat me. I am very pleased about how proactive he is about correcting whats causing my crazy/uncontrollable high BP. I do have a questions.... He seemed a bit floored how high my last ratio came out.... 107.1.... I was thinking its high, but i've seen higher online so it was typical. He wants me to re-run the the test at 8am since my last blood work was done at 10am. What kind of difference is that going to make? will the ratio be considerably lower earlier in the morning? I was also on Diovan at the time of the first testing as well. I know that effects the test.... Does it effect it by a large margin? Thank you, these are questions I should have asked him, but you never think of these things until later 38yrs Renin .14 (.25-5.89) Aldo Ratio PRA 107.1 (.9-28.9) CT scan normal, as of now..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 6, 2012 Report Share Posted June 6, 2012 You may find that V8 is better at room temperature. They do have it in 5.5 and 12 OZ cans. > > > > From: catherinekerth1 <catherinekerth@...> > > Subject: Nephrologist appt. > > hyperaldosteronism > > Date: Wednesday, June 6, 2012, 7:09 AM > > > > > > Went to the Neph yesterday and he will re-run my Aldo/renin ratio Friday morning at 8am. > > He did not seem very concerned about my potassium or my symptoms of low potassium. that irked me a little bit. > > He was mainly focused on the aldo/renin ratio, and explained the long term problems of whats going on with me all the different methods there are to treat me. > > I am very pleased about how proactive he is about correcting whats causing my crazy/uncontrollable high BP. > > > > I do have a questions.... He seemed a bit floored how high my last ratio came out.... 107.1.... I was thinking its high, but i've seen higher online so it was typical. > > He wants me to re-run the the test at 8am since my last blood work was done at 10am. > > What kind of difference is that going to make? will the ratio be considerably lower earlier in the morning? > > I was also on Diovan at the time of the first testing as well. I know that effects the test.... Does it effect it by a large margin? > > > > Thank you, these are questions I should have asked him, but you never think of these things until later > > > > 38yrs > > Renin .14 (.25-5.89) > > Aldo Ratio PRA 107.1 (.9-28.9) > > CT scan normal, as of now..... > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 6, 2012 Report Share Posted June 6, 2012 You may find that V8 is better at room temperature. They do have it in 5.5 and 12 OZ cans. > > > > From: catherinekerth1 <catherinekerth@...> > > Subject: Nephrologist appt. > > hyperaldosteronism > > Date: Wednesday, June 6, 2012, 7:09 AM > > > > > > Went to the Neph yesterday and he will re-run my Aldo/renin ratio Friday morning at 8am. > > He did not seem very concerned about my potassium or my symptoms of low potassium. that irked me a little bit. > > He was mainly focused on the aldo/renin ratio, and explained the long term problems of whats going on with me all the different methods there are to treat me. > > I am very pleased about how proactive he is about correcting whats causing my crazy/uncontrollable high BP. > > > > I do have a questions.... He seemed a bit floored how high my last ratio came out.... 107.1.... I was thinking its high, but i've seen higher online so it was typical. > > He wants me to re-run the the test at 8am since my last blood work was done at 10am. > > What kind of difference is that going to make? will the ratio be considerably lower earlier in the morning? > > I was also on Diovan at the time of the first testing as well. I know that effects the test.... Does it effect it by a large margin? > > > > Thank you, these are questions I should have asked him, but you never think of these things until later > > > > 38yrs > > Renin .14 (.25-5.89) > > Aldo Ratio PRA 107.1 (.9-28.9) > > CT scan normal, as of now..... > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 6, 2012 Report Share Posted June 6, 2012 Most if not all doctors will ignore low K symptoms and that drives me crazy. I know that in hospital setting the rule was that they do not give IV potassium until K drops below 2.5 which is ridiculous (I think I would be dead with such a low K). My K was never below 3.7 yet I have all the low K symptoms and a cup of V8 LS always helps. Like Dr. Grim was saying, PA is a CLINICAL and biochemical Dx so re-doing Aldo/renin ratio if you are >100 is kind of useless IMHO. Better to re-read/redo you adrenal scan and confirm PA with salt loading/saline suppression test. tiu > > Went to the Neph yesterday and he will re-run my Aldo/renin ratio Friday morning at 8am. > He did not seem very concerned about my potassium or my symptoms of low potassium. that irked me a little bit. > He was mainly focused on the aldo/reonin ratio, and explained the long term problems of whats going on with me all the different methods there are to treat me. > I am very pleased about how proactive he is about correcting whats causing my crazy/uncontrollable high BP. > > I do have a questions.... He seemed a bit floored how high my last ratio came out.... 107.1.... I was thinking its high, but i've seen higher online so it was typical. > He wants me to re-run the the test at 8am since my last blood work was done at 10am. > What kind of difference is that going to make? will the ratio be considerably lower earlier in the morning? > I was also on Diovan at the time of the first testing as well. I know that effects the test.... Does it effect it by a large margin? > > > Thank you, these are questions I should have asked him, but you never think of these things until later > > 38yrs > Renin .14 (.25-5.89) > Aldo Ratio PRA 107.1 (.9-28.9) > CT scan normal, as of now..... > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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