Re: diuretic prescribed

March 17, 2009

Bill - you always have such great info. I saw your post the other day about regular serum potassium testing and it worried me a bit because that's really all we have on a regular basis.I now see that you suggest RBC potassium. That's just a regular blood test, right? Is there a sodium version? In your opinion is this the potassium test we should always be getting, especially for those of us on florinef?

Thanks.On Tue, Mar 17, 2009 at 7:53 PM, Bill Kingsbury <b.b.bbverizon (DOT) net> wrote:

--- At 07:01 PM 3/16/2009, dorothyroeder wrote:

>

>New doc today. She thinks my breathlessness is caused by my edema. The shortness of breath was there before HC or edema, but my BP was 150. 9 days ago I gave blood and it was my usual 120/80. Since its rise may be the cause of my headache I will take her pills. ...

Edema (water retention), hypertension (high blood pressure), and

shortness of breath are all signs of a potassium deficiency.

Potassium deficiency -- and not a diuretic deficiency.

(Diuretics can cause or worsen a potassium deficiency and edema.)

(Too much calcium can cause intracellular potassium deficiency,

and that would cause edema, shortness of breath and high BP.)

A potassium deficiency could be from high aldosterone, but can

aldosterone be tested accurately, while taking diuretics ??

The most useful potassium test is for intracellular potassium,

such as " RBC potassium " -- rather than " serum potassium " .

According to: " Warning: Diuretics can cause diabetes " , quote:

<http://naturalhealthinatoxicworld.blogspot.com/2008/05/warning-diuretics-can-cause-diabetes.html>

" Because diuretics deplete 16 essential vitamins and minerals

from your system, they can render you deficient and leave you

without resources to fight host of other ailments. "

Taking more potassium without diuretics would be my first choice.

Bill

---

March 17, 2009

> (Too much calcium can cause intracellular potassium deficiency,

> and that would cause edema, shortness of breath and high BP.)

That's a possibility. Stopping calcium seemed to help a bit.

But my potassium levels have always been normal. 4.4 (3.5-5.2)in Dec.

Dorothy

March 17, 2009

> (Too much calcium can cause intracellular potassium deficiency,

> and that would cause edema, shortness of breath and high BP.)

That's a possibility. Stopping calcium seemed to help a bit.

But my potassium levels have always been normal. 4.4 (3.5-5.2)in Dec.

Dorothy

March 17, 2009

--- At 09:11 PM 3/17/2009, dorothyroeder wrote:

>

>> (Too much calcium can cause intracellular potassium deficiency,

>> and that would cause edema, shortness of breath and high BP.)

>

>That's a possibility. Stopping calcium seemed to help a bit.

>But my potassium levels have always been normal. 4.4 (3.5-5.2)in Dec.

However, your potassium test was a serum test -- and therefore

not be accurate for gauging intracellular potassium.

You can have normal serum potassium, and still be seriously

deficient. RBC (red blood cell) potassium testing (or other

intracellular testing) is also needed, to know if you need to

supplement -- and how much.

High aldosterone can deplete intracellular potassium, possibly

with little effect on serum levels. However, 98% of the body's

potassium should be inside the cells, not in the serum.

(It's the same with magnesium -- serum tests can be misleading,

and RBC magnesium testing is also needed, to know.)

Bill

---

March 17, 2009

--- At 09:11 PM 3/17/2009, dorothyroeder wrote:

>

>> (Too much calcium can cause intracellular potassium deficiency,

>> and that would cause edema, shortness of breath and high BP.)

>

>That's a possibility. Stopping calcium seemed to help a bit.

>But my potassium levels have always been normal. 4.4 (3.5-5.2)in Dec.

However, your potassium test was a serum test -- and therefore

not be accurate for gauging intracellular potassium.

You can have normal serum potassium, and still be seriously

deficient. RBC (red blood cell) potassium testing (or other

intracellular testing) is also needed, to know if you need to

supplement -- and how much.

High aldosterone can deplete intracellular potassium, possibly

with little effect on serum levels. However, 98% of the body's

potassium should be inside the cells, not in the serum.

(It's the same with magnesium -- serum tests can be misleading,

and RBC magnesium testing is also needed, to know.)

Bill

---

March 17, 2009

--- At 08:24 PM 3/17/2009, birrdyy wrote:

>

>I saw your post the other day about regular serum potassium testing and it

worried me a bit because that's really all we have on a regular basis.

>

>I now see that you suggest RBC potassium. That's just a regular blood test,

right? Is there a sodium version? In your opinion is this the potassium test

we should always be getting, especially for those of us on florinef?

RBC testing (erythrocyte mineral testing) is available for

about 10 minerals.

It's most valuable for potassium and magnesium -- together

with the serum testing for these, at the same time.

Testing for RBC sodium is usually not needed, because most

sodium is normally outside of the cells, therefore the regular

serum sodium test is fine.

When taking Florinef, RBC potassium testing could be very

important, because the serum potassium level can be misleading,

and fail to detect a potassium deficiency.

Bill

---

March 17, 2009

--- At 08:24 PM 3/17/2009, birrdyy wrote:

>

>I saw your post the other day about regular serum potassium testing and it

worried me a bit because that's really all we have on a regular basis.

>

>I now see that you suggest RBC potassium. That's just a regular blood test,

right? Is there a sodium version? In your opinion is this the potassium test

we should always be getting, especially for those of us on florinef?

RBC testing (erythrocyte mineral testing) is available for

about 10 minerals.

It's most valuable for potassium and magnesium -- together

with the serum testing for these, at the same time.

Testing for RBC sodium is usually not needed, because most

sodium is normally outside of the cells, therefore the regular

serum sodium test is fine.

When taking Florinef, RBC potassium testing could be very

important, because the serum potassium level can be misleading,

and fail to detect a potassium deficiency.

Bill

---

March 18, 2009

Thanks so much Bill. I'm going to do that test the next time. Very good info.On Tue, Mar 17, 2009 at 10:23 PM, Bill Kingsbury <b.b.bbverizon (DOT) net> wrote:

--- At 08:24 PM 3/17/2009, birrdyy wrote:

>

>I saw your post the other day about regular serum potassium testing and it worried me a bit because that's really all we have on a regular basis.

>

>I now see that you suggest RBC potassium. That's just a regular blood test, right? Is there a sodium version? In your opinion is this the potassium test we should always be getting, especially for those of us on florinef?

RBC testing (erythrocyte mineral testing) is available for

about 10 minerals.

It's most valuable for potassium and magnesium -- together

with the serum testing for these, at the same time.

Testing for RBC sodium is usually not needed, because most

sodium is normally outside of the cells, therefore the regular

serum sodium test is fine.

When taking Florinef, RBC potassium testing could be very

important, because the serum potassium level can be misleading,

and fail to detect a potassium deficiency.

Bill

---

March 18, 2009

Thanks so much Bill. I'm going to do that test the next time. Very good info.On Tue, Mar 17, 2009 at 10:23 PM, Bill Kingsbury <b.b.bbverizon (DOT) net> wrote:

--- At 08:24 PM 3/17/2009, birrdyy wrote:

>

>I saw your post the other day about regular serum potassium testing and it worried me a bit because that's really all we have on a regular basis.

>

>I now see that you suggest RBC potassium. That's just a regular blood test, right? Is there a sodium version? In your opinion is this the potassium test we should always be getting, especially for those of us on florinef?

RBC testing (erythrocyte mineral testing) is available for

about 10 minerals.

It's most valuable for potassium and magnesium -- together

with the serum testing for these, at the same time.

Testing for RBC sodium is usually not needed, because most

sodium is normally outside of the cells, therefore the regular

serum sodium test is fine.

When taking Florinef, RBC potassium testing could be very

important, because the serum potassium level can be misleading,

and fail to detect a potassium deficiency.

Bill

---

March 18, 2009

Bill, you are a genius! I wish someone had told me this many years agao

and maybe I would not have ogne all these years with Diuretic HELL and

trying to juggle the sodium potassium balance from them. In all my

research and MANY doctors, none has ever suggested potassium to me as

mine in the serum testing is rock solid at 4.2 for over the 15 years I

have had it tested regularly. Since I had to stop Florinef and still

have the horrid muscle spasms and fluid retention, I have been playing

with adding some potassium. I have not needed diuretics sinec with only

minor fluid retention in the evenings which is gone by Am. I really did

nto know what was correcting the issue. Only that it was a good thing

and I would continue what I have been doing. Now I amonly taking 4 -99mg

potassium tabs. Guess that is one mor lab to add to my list to get done

soon. Thanks for posting yuor continued good research and information!

--

Artistic Grooming- Hurricane WV

http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/NaturalThyroidHormonesADRENALS/

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/RT3_T3/

March 18, 2009