[vacantangel]

I read your reply to Bjork and it brought up a question for me. I decided to start my own thread as to not hi-jack hers.

I have low potassium, don't know what the level is as my doctor never told me. I take only 150mg of Wellbutrin SR, along with a myriad of other psych meds, Effexor XR, Tegretol, Xanax and Klonopin. I keep myself on an extremely restricted diet but I wouldn't consider it an eating disorder. Do you think that there is any relationship between the 3 things?

[Larry_Hoover]

I'm sorry, but your question is not clear to me.

Which three things are you asking about?

Lar

[vacantangel]

Sorry! Do you think that my low potassium is caused by my Wellbutrin and/or very strict diet? Also, what effect does low potassium have on you?

[Larry_Hoover]

Mineral balance, the net effect of intake (e.g. diet) and outflow (e.g. urine content), is one factor to consider. If you're letting more go than you're taking in, your body will become depleted. Usually, your body will take whatever steps it can to retain potassium, if the diet is deficient.....but there's a limit to that ability.

Then, you have to consider that a normal intake might still be associated with a low potassium level (hypokalemia), via some kind of illness or dysfuntional state (e.g. kidney disease, bulimia) that increases loss of this mineral.

See: http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocente...als/potassium/

Down near the bottom are tables of some drugs that affect blood levels of potassium.

Wellbutrin, as far as I know, does not directly or indirectly affect potassium level. However, low potassium may increase the perception of adverse effects from Wellbutrin (that's possible, I suppose), without being classed as an interaction.

Lar

[vacantangel]

Thanks Lar. Much appreciated.

[T_MD]

How often do you vomit?

[vacantangel]

Never. OMG!!! I HATE doing that. eeeeeeeeeek!!! Sorry if I gave that impression.

[Genevieve]

Vacantangel, you say that you stick to a very restricted diet, but don't consider it an eating disorder? Can you give an idea of what you mean by "restricted?"

If you're taking in fewer than 1200 calories per day on a regular basis, that's a sign of an eating disorder. And it's likely to be related to your low potassium.

If you're not eating a balanced mix of foods and nutrients, that's likely an eating disorder -- and very likely to be related to your low potassium.

If you're overexercising to keep your weight down, that can be part of the low potassium, and the eating disorder.

Drinking too much water can lower potassium.

Not eating enough fruit can be involved in low potassium.

Using laxatives or diuretics can lower potassium, and are a sign of an eating disorder...

I guess I'm belaboring the point, but I do hope you get some help. Good luck.

[Dolfin]

Just a silly question here, but since when does it imply that because a person puts themself on a restricted diet, they have an eating disorder? I live on a very restricted diet as well, but do not have an eating disorder.

Dolfin

[Genevieve]

Dolfin, it really depends on what one considers a "restricted diet." I did specify some things that would be involved in the difference between "eating disorder" and weird dietary habits.

Besides, I have spent half my life "restricting my diet" -- you know, just "watching what I eat." But, despite what I may call it, it's still anorexia. Just took a few decades to be honest about it...

[Raynaadi]

bump