Guest guest Posted November 20, 2011 Report Share Posted November 20, 2011 I would be laughing but a similar thing happened to me.I was in the hospital in 2001 with afib for two days. My PCP said that my K was very low but, knowing that, he still insisted on doing a stress test in the hospital and wanted to put me on Coumadin upon discharge even though the afib converted on its own. He said that I was prone to afib. I was on diuretics at the time. I told him no and I would just stop taking the diuretics. He never even spoke about investigating the low K.Like a fool I stayed with that PCP for another 8 years and let him try to control a BP that averaged 170/95.In 2009 I switched to another PCP and he admitted that he has no idea as to what my problem is and I should see a Hypertension specialist. Two visits to him produced a diagnosis of PA.I little bit of Inspra and the rest is history. To: hyperaldosteronism Sent: Sunday, November 20, 2011 9:27 AM Subject: Morning Laugh I just wanted to share a bit of humor. I requested my records from my family doctor dating back to 2002 when I presented there with a K+ of 4.7 and resistant hypertension. (this after seeing 2 other doctors since '95 who were unable to control my blood pressure). Reading my office notes after what I know now, there is so much evidence of PA that it makes me ill just thinking about what I endured. The potassium started dropping almost immediately to where a 3.3 reading prompted the doc to actually write himself a note to address Potassium level at next office visit, which he never did. This while I was heavily medicated with Cartia XT, Diovan/HCT and a high dose of Metoprolol! Fast forward to 2011, my doctor left to be a hospitalist and I was forced to accept the new guy from another office. At my last office visit in September, I had addressed serious concerns as to why my potassium was jumping all over the place. It was 3.0 in May and June, up to 4.0 after three supplements a day, back down to 3.5 in spite of those supplements. Now I know what the doctor thought since I have the records and I quote his office note: "Hypokalemia, and Anxiety. Decreased Potassium level due to diuretic, I bet". For those of you who don't remember me, I self-referred myself to UPMC Renal Clinic where I was diagnosed with PA. The doc added Spiro, took me off K+ supplements, potassium now normal. Blood pressure better than ever and have started a reduction in medication due to low readings. Not to mention how much better I feel! My doctor lost "the bet". I am looking for a new PCP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 20, 2011 Report Share Posted November 20, 2011 You bet your life. May your pressure be low!CE Grim MS, MDSpecializing in DifficultHypertension I just wanted to share a bit of humor. I requested my records from my family doctor dating back to 2002 when I presented there with a K+ of 4.7 and resistant hypertension. (this after seeing 2 other doctors since '95 who were unable to control my blood pressure). Reading my office notes after what I know now, there is so much evidence of PA that it makes me ill just thinking about what I endured. The potassium started dropping almost immediately to where a 3.3 reading prompted the doc to actually write himself a note to address Potassium level at next office visit, which he never did. This while I was heavily medicated with Cartia XT, Diovan/HCT and a high dose of Metoprolol! Fast forward to 2011, my doctor left to be a hospitalist and I was forced to accept the new guy from another office. At my last office visit in September, I had addressed serious concerns as to why my potassium was jumping all over the place. It was 3.0 in May and June, up to 4.0 after three supplements a day, back down to 3.5 in spite of those supplements. Now I know what the doctor thought since I have the records and I quote his office note: "Hypokalemia, and Anxiety. Decreased Potassium level due to diuretic, I bet". For those of you who don't remember me, I self-referred myself to UPMC Renal Clinic where I was diagnosed with PA. The doc added Spiro, took me off K+ supplements, potassium now normal. Blood pressure better than ever and have started a reduction in medication due to low readings. Not to mention how much better I feel! My doctor lost "the bet". I am looking for a new PCP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 20, 2011 Report Share Posted November 20, 2011 Please send him my article on the evolution and a copy of his I bet note. So he can take better care of all the other PAS HE HAS seem and will be seeing in the hospital. Also take to your new dr so he is up to speed. May your pressure be low!CE Grim MS, MDSpecializing in DifficultHypertension I just wanted to share a bit of humor. I requested my records from my family doctor dating back to 2002 when I presented there with a K+ of 4.7 and resistant hypertension. (this after seeing 2 other doctors since '95 who were unable to control my blood pressure). Reading my office notes after what I know now, there is so much evidence of PA that it makes me ill just thinking about what I endured. The potassium started dropping almost immediately to where a 3.3 reading prompted the doc to actually write himself a note to address Potassium level at next office visit, which he never did. This while I was heavily medicated with Cartia XT, Diovan/HCT and a high dose of Metoprolol! Fast forward to 2011, my doctor left to be a hospitalist and I was forced to accept the new guy from another office. At my last office visit in September, I had addressed serious concerns as to why my potassium was jumping all over the place. It was 3.0 in May and June, up to 4.0 after three supplements a day, back down to 3.5 in spite of those supplements. Now I know what the doctor thought since I have the records and I quote his office note: "Hypokalemia, and Anxiety. Decreased Potassium level due to diuretic, I bet". For those of you who don't remember me, I self-referred myself to UPMC Renal Clinic where I was diagnosed with PA. The doc added Spiro, took me off K+ supplements, potassium now normal. Blood pressure better than ever and have started a reduction in medication due to low readings. Not to mention how much better I feel! My doctor lost "the bet". I am looking for a new PCP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 20, 2011 Report Share Posted November 20, 2011 "ibet" is latin for "oops". Reading the records is funny. I had the one when I was an inpatient that said, and I just looked at again, "patient refuses to take anymore of his blood pressure medication as he feels it is making his heart rate too slow". When I "refused" the BP meds, and it was ONLY metoprolol 100mg, my heart rate was 37 and I had been throwing up and falling over when standing. No mention is made of the heart rate in the notes. Vitals were only listed later. Ahhhh love medicine.......Oh and they hassled me at the time when I refused it. But jokes on them. I was low K, had gone in for sever HTN 160ish/140ish, they did s 24 hr urine and blood but no renin or aldosterone was done. Just catecholamines. They never considered PA. It was found 2 months laterSent from my Palm Pre on the Now Network from Sprint You bet your life. May your pressure be low!CE Grim MS, MDSpecializing in DifficultHypertension I just wanted to share a bit of humor. I requested my records from my family doctor dating back to 2002 when I presented there with a K+ of 4.7 and resistant hypertension. (this after seeing 2 other doctors since '95 who were unable to control my blood pressure). Reading my office notes after what I know now, there is so much evidence of PA that it makes me ill just thinking about what I endured. The potassium started dropping almost immediately to where a 3.3 reading prompted the doc to actually write himself a note to address Potassium level at next office visit, which he never did. This while I was heavily medicated with Cartia XT, Diovan/HCT and a high dose of Metoprolol! Fast forward to 2011, my doctor left to be a hospitalist and I was forced to accept the new guy from another office. At my last office visit in September, I had addressed serious concerns as to why my potassium was jumping all over the place. It was 3.0 in May and June, up to 4.0 after three supplements a day, back down to 3.5 in spite of those supplements. Now I know what the doctor thought since I have the records and I quote his office note: "Hypokalemia, and Anxiety. Decreased Potassium level due to diuretic, I bet". For those of you who don't remember me, I self-referred myself to UPMC Renal Clinic where I was diagnosed with PA. The doc added Spiro, took me off K+ supplements, potassium now normal. Blood pressure better than ever and have started a reduction in medication due to low readings. Not to mention how much better I feel! My doctor lost "the bet". I am looking for a new PCP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 20, 2011 Report Share Posted November 20, 2011 AmenSent from my Palm Pre on the Now Network from Sprint I would be laughing but a similar thing happened to me.I was in the hospital in 2001 with afib for two days. My PCP said that my K was very low but, knowing that, he still insisted on doing a stress test in the hospital and wanted to put me on Coumadin upon discharge even though the afib converted on its own. He said that I was prone to afib. I was on diuretics at the time. I told him no and I would just stop taking the diuretics. He never even spoke about investigating the low K.Like a fool I stayed with that PCP for another 8 years and let him try to control a BP that averaged 170/95.In 2009 I switched to another PCP and he admitted that he has no idea as to what my problem is and I should see a Hypertension specialist. Two visits to him produced a diagnosis of PA.I little bit of Inspra and the rest is history. To: hyperaldosteronism Sent: Sunday, November 20, 2011 9:27 AM Subject: Morning Laugh I just wanted to share a bit of humor. I requested my records from my family doctor dating back to 2002 when I presented there with a K+ of 4.7 and resistant hypertension. (this after seeing 2 other doctors since '95 who were unable to control my blood pressure). Reading my office notes after what I know now, there is so much evidence of PA that it makes me ill just thinking about what I endured. The potassium started dropping almost immediately to where a 3.3 reading prompted the doc to actually write himself a note to address Potassium level at next office visit, which he never did. This while I was heavily medicated with Cartia XT, Diovan/HCT and a high dose of Metoprolol! Fast forward to 2011, my doctor left to be a hospitalist and I was forced to accept the new guy from another office. At my last office visit in September, I had addressed serious concerns as to why my potassium was jumping all over the place. It was 3.0 in May and June, up to 4.0 after three supplements a day, back down to 3.5 in spite of those supplements. Now I know what the doctor thought since I have the records and I quote his office note: "Hypokalemia, and Anxiety. Decreased Potassium level due to diuretic, I bet". For those of you who don't remember me, I self-referred myself to UPMC Renal Clinic where I was diagnosed with PA. The doc added Spiro, took me off K+ supplements, potassium now normal. Blood pressure better than ever and have started a reduction in medication due to low readings. Not to mention how much better I feel! My doctor lost "the bet". I am looking for a new PCP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 20, 2011 Report Share Posted November 20, 2011 Guess they had never read the guidelines. Do you have any suggestions as to why they never read the guidelines? May your pressure be low!CE Grim MS, MDSpecializing in DifficultHypertension "ibet" is latin for "oops". Reading the records is funny. I had the one when I was an inpatient that said, and I just looked at again, "patient refuses to take anymore of his blood pressure medication as he feels it is making his heart rate too slow". When I "refused" the BP meds, and it was ONLY metoprolol 100mg, my heart rate was 37 and I had been throwing up and falling over when standing. No mention is made of the heart rate in the notes. Vitals were only listed later. Ahhhh love medicine.......Oh and they hassled me at the time when I refused it. But jokes on them. I was low K, had gone in for sever HTN 160ish/140ish, they did s 24 hr urine and blood but no renin or aldosterone was done. Just catecholamines. They never considered PA. It was found 2 months laterSent from my Palm Pre on the Now Network from Sprint You bet your life. May your pressure be low!CE Grim MS, MDSpecializing in DifficultHypertension I just wanted to share a bit of humor. I requested my records from my family doctor dating back to 2002 when I presented there with a K+ of 4.7 and resistant hypertension. (this after seeing 2 other doctors since '95 who were unable to control my blood pressure). Reading my office notes after what I know now, there is so much evidence of PA that it makes me ill just thinking about what I endured. The potassium started dropping almost immediately to where a 3.3 reading prompted the doc to actually write himself a note to address Potassium level at next office visit, which he never did. This while I was heavily medicated with Cartia XT, Diovan/HCT and a high dose of Metoprolol! Fast forward to 2011, my doctor left to be a hospitalist and I was forced to accept the new guy from another office. At my last office visit in September, I had addressed serious concerns as to why my potassium was jumping all over the place. It was 3.0 in May and June, up to 4.0 after three supplements a day, back down to 3.5 in spite of those supplements. Now I know what the doctor thought since I have the records and I quote his office note: "Hypokalemia, and Anxiety. Decreased Potassium level due to diuretic, I bet". For those of you who don't remember me, I self-referred myself to UPMC Renal Clinic where I was diagnosed with PA. The doc added Spiro, took me off K+ supplements, potassium now normal. Blood pressure better than ever and have started a reduction in medication due to low readings. Not to mention how much better I feel! My doctor lost "the bet". I am looking for a new PCP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 20, 2011 Report Share Posted November 20, 2011 Don't think any of the Dr I have see in the past 5 years have read or have not understood them. > > > >> > >> I just wanted to share a bit of humor. > >> > >> I requested my records from my family doctor dating back to 2002 when I presented there with a K+ of 4.7 and resistant hypertension. (this after seeing 2 other doctors since '95 who were unable to control my blood pressure). Reading my office notes after what I know now, there is so much evidence of PA that it makes me ill just thinking about what I endured. The potassium started dropping almost immediately to where a 3.3 reading prompted the doc to actually write himself a note to address Potassium level at next office visit, which he never did. This while I was heavily medicated with Cartia XT, Diovan/HCT and a high dose of Metoprolol! > >> > >> Fast forward to 2011, my doctor left to be a hospitalist and I was forced to accept the new guy from another office. At my last office visit in September, I had addressed serious concerns as to why my potassium was jumping all over the place. It was 3.0 in May and June, up to 4.0 after three supplements a day, back down to 3.5 in spite of those supplements. Now I know what the doctor thought since I have the records and I quote his office note: > >> > >> " Hypokalemia, and Anxiety. Decreased Potassium level due to diuretic, I bet " . > >> > >> For those of you who don't remember me, I self-referred myself to UPMC Renal Clinic where I was diagnosed with PA. The doc added Spiro, took me off K+ supplements, potassium now normal. Blood pressure better than ever and have started a reduction in medication due to low readings. Not to mention how much better I feel! > >> > >> My doctor lost " the bet " . > >> > >> I am looking for a new PCP. > >> > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 20, 2011 Report Share Posted November 20, 2011 I have read my records a dozen times. The common denominator is that the doctor always questioned me about having any stress. Of course I was a normal woman with a job, a family and aging parents. Who doesn't have stress? It seems that it was so easy to explain away his failure in helping control my pressure by just labeling me with stress. That surely didn't address the K+ level but maybe the doc was hoping I never noticed. I saw my very renowned dermatologist the other day and he told me that PA is very very rare. There you go. I think that doctors are not even considering PA because in their mind, it is so rare. Stress is more common. In hyperaldosteronism , Clarence Grim wrote: > > Guess they had never read the guidelines. Do you have any suggestions as to why they never read the guidelines? > May your pressure be low! > > CE Grim MS, MD > Specializing in Difficult > Hypertension > > > > > " ibet " is latin for " oops " . Reading the records is funny. I had the one when I was an inpatient that said, and I just looked at again, " patient refuses to take anymore of his blood pressure medication as he feels it is making his heart rate too slow " . When I " refused " the BP meds, and it was ONLY metoprolol 100mg, my heart rate was 37 and I had been throwing up and falling over when standing. No mention is made of the heart rate in the notes. Vitals were only listed later. Ahhhh love medicine....... > > > > Oh and they hassled me at the time when I refused it. But jokes on them. I was low K, had gone in for sever HTN 160ish/140ish, they did s 24 hr urine and blood but no renin or aldosterone was done. Just catecholamines. They never considered PA. It was found 2 months later > > > > > > > > > > Sent from my Palm Pre on the Now Network from Sprint > > > > > > > > > > You bet your life. > > > > > > > > May your pressure be low! > > > > CE Grim MS, MD > > Specializing in Difficult > > Hypertension > > > > > > > >> > >> I just wanted to share a bit of humor. > >> > >> I requested my records from my family doctor dating back to 2002 when I presented there with a K+ of 4.7 and resistant hypertension. (this after seeing 2 other doctors since '95 who were unable to control my blood pressure). Reading my office notes after what I know now, there is so much evidence of PA that it makes me ill just thinking about what I endured. The potassium started dropping almost immediately to where a 3.3 reading prompted the doc to actually write himself a note to address Potassium level at next office visit, which he never did. This while I was heavily medicated with Cartia XT, Diovan/HCT and a high dose of Metoprolol! > >> > >> Fast forward to 2011, my doctor left to be a hospitalist and I was forced to accept the new guy from another office. At my last office visit in September, I had addressed serious concerns as to why my potassium was jumping all over the place. It was 3.0 in May and June, up to 4.0 after three supplements a day, back down to 3.5 in spite of those supplements. Now I know what the doctor thought since I have the records and I quote his office note: > >> > >> " Hypokalemia, and Anxiety. Decreased Potassium level due to diuretic, I bet " . > >> > >> For those of you who don't remember me, I self-referred myself to UPMC Renal Clinic where I was diagnosed with PA. The doc added Spiro, took me off K+ supplements, potassium now normal. Blood pressure better than ever and have started a reduction in medication due to low readings. Not to mention how much better I feel! > >> > >> My doctor lost " the bet " . > >> > >> I am looking for a new PCP. > >> > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 20, 2011 Report Share Posted November 20, 2011 That is a great idea! I will send it along with my Excel spreadsheet I made on my K+ values over the years and the ridiculous blood pressure readings. > > > I just wanted to share a bit of humor. > > > > I requested my records from my family doctor dating back to 2002 when I presented there with a K+ of 4.7 and resistant hypertension. (this after seeing 2 other doctors since '95 who were unable to control my blood pressure). Reading my office notes after what I know now, there is so much evidence of PA that it makes me ill just thinking about what I endured. The potassium started dropping almost immediately to where a 3.3 reading prompted the doc to actually write himself a note to address Potassium level at next office visit, which he never did. This while I was heavily medicated with Cartia XT, Diovan/HCT and a high dose of Metoprolol! > > > > Fast forward to 2011, my doctor left to be a hospitalist and I was forced to accept the new guy from another office. At my last office visit in September, I had addressed serious concerns as to why my potassium was jumping all over the place. It was 3.0 in May and June, up to 4.0 after three supplements a day, back down to 3.5 in spite of those supplements. Now I know what the doctor thought since I have the records and I quote his office note: > > > > " Hypokalemia, and Anxiety. Decreased Potassium level due to diuretic, I bet " . > > > > For those of you who don't remember me, I self-referred myself to UPMC Renal Clinic where I was diagnosed with PA. The doc added Spiro, took me off K+ supplements, potassium now normal. Blood pressure better than ever and have started a reduction in medication due to low readings. Not to mention how much better I feel! > > > > My doctor lost " the bet " . > > > > I am looking for a new PCP. > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 21, 2011 Report Share Posted November 21, 2011 Where is UPMC Renal Clinic located? I live in Pittsburgh and I have UPMC insurance and I was hospitazed several times to UPMC Shadyside. I am still officially undiagnosed with PA although I am about a year on eplerenone. Many thanks, Natalia Kamneva 67 Russian F with 2 cm left adrenal adenoma; diabetic; on 100 mg eplerenone, 80 mg Micardis, 2000 mg metformin, 60 mg Dexilant and 2 mg Lorazepam; Dashing; still have some occasional problems with BP, K and Na; on private consultation with Dr Grim. To: hyperaldosteronism Sent: Sunday, November 20, 2011 8:27 AM Subject: Morning Laugh I just wanted to share a bit of humor. I requested my records from my family doctor dating back to 2002 when I presented there with a K+ of 4.7 and resistant hypertension. (this after seeing 2 other doctors since '95 who were unable to control my blood pressure). Reading my office notes after what I know now, there is so much evidence of PA that it makes me ill just thinking about what I endured. The potassium started dropping almost immediately to where a 3.3 reading prompted the doc to actually write himself a note to address Potassium level at next office visit, which he never did. This while I was heavily medicated with Cartia XT, Diovan/HCT and a high dose of Metoprolol! Fast forward to 2011, my doctor left to be a hospitalist and I was forced to accept the new guy from another office. At my last office visit in September, I had addressed serious concerns as to why my potassium was jumping all over the place. It was 3.0 in May and June, up to 4.0 after three supplements a day, back down to 3.5 in spite of those supplements. Now I know what the doctor thought since I have the records and I quote his office note: "Hypokalemia, and Anxiety. Decreased Potassium level due to diuretic, I bet". For those of you who don't remember me, I self-referred myself to UPMC Renal Clinic where I was diagnosed with PA. The doc added Spiro, took me off K+ supplements, potassium now normal. Blood pressure better than ever and have started a reduction in medication due to low readings. Not to mention how much better I feel! My doctor lost "the bet". I am looking for a new PCP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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