[SeptemberMorn]

That means too much potassium in the system. My drs nurse told me it can't be flushed out and I'm not buying it. She added the sweet little note that if I feel week or anything strange get to the ER! Wasn't that sweet of her? "Anything strange" leaves a lot of room for doubt and anxiety!! What am I supposed to do when I walk into the ER, say "I feel strange."

I know that sodium displaces potassium but my kidneys aren't working right anyway, so what do I do with that bit of info? Eat salty things and watch myself bloat? That can cause heart failure just as much as too much potassium.

I've been on low doze aspirin since the stroke scare that wasn't a stroke. That can cause hyperkalemia, too, but she didn't tell me to get off it until yesterday when she called me to come get another blood test. I've hardly been eating because everything has potassium in it and I wasn't told just how high my level is, just that's it's "very" high.

She just told me to not eat potatoes, bananas, fuits and vegetables and a whole bunch of other stuff I already don't eat! So what's left??

Anyone else deal with this condition that can give me some tips?

[Yoda]

Wikipedia says it better than I could.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperkalemia
Wiki covers symptoms pretty well but on that they didn't mention is high potassium can cause the heart rate to decrease and even stop completely. So if you feel dizzy check your pulse and call 911 if your pulse is below 60 or lower than your normal at rest heart rate.

I presume they will be rechecking the level at intervals. I disagree with the nurse a bit when she says it can't be flushed out. Dialysis can restore potassium to normal levels but that will not be done unless the potassium is extremely high. Another way of lowering the level is by giving insulin IV and calcium choride IV and sometimes with dextrose; that method doesn't technically lower total body potassium but moves it around from your extracelluar (as in blood fluids which is what they are using to check your level)to your intracellular. There also is an enema commonly used for hyperkalemia called Kayexalate.

Did they tell you how high the level was?

[SeptemberMorn]

Thanks, Yoda. I know the nurse was wrong in what she said about not being able to flush out the potassium. I talked to my dr and she changed my sparing potassium water pills to those that do deplete the potassium in the body.

Medical science doesn't always know everything, either. I found a list of natural supplements that help the body excrete potassium. If this next blood test isn't low enough, I'm at least going to eat some wheat germ and "clean myself out" that way. We'll see what happens.

I know I have to be careful to not cause the opposite problem because it's as dangerous as the first!

Thanks again.

[Beholden]

I can't believe the nurse/doctor didn't give you better "at home care" instructions. Body chemistry that is not balanced isn't a good thing! I'm sory for you having to try to deal with this without much good help from your "care givers".

I'm hoping everything is working better for you soon.

God bless you.

[SeptemberMorn]

I know. I can't believe that the outcome of the blood test was given to someone that isn't even a nurse. I thought she was. In a previous conversation she said she didn't know what "aterialsclerosis" is!

I called the dr on Wed and asked her to call in an Rx for a non-sparing potassium water pill. Thankfully, she called me back and said it was a good idea. LOL

We talked about some other meds I'm taking and she told me to stop one of them and being the dr, she told me to wait until Monday for the next blood test to give the changes time to take effect.

From now on, I'm going to ask that the dr call me rather than a tech or the so-called "nurse."

I do feel a bit better not taking that one med.

[Crew]

I don't know much but I do know - Thank Goodness YOU are still around (((((SeptemberMorn))))) !!! I don't have anything to offer but my support and what I said above!

You'll be in my thoughts... ThaCrew

[SeptemberMorn]

Thanks, Crew! Every little bit helps and knowing someone cares goes a long, long way!