help please: potassium supplements
 

I'm on HCTZ not so much for blood pressure, but as a diuretic to prevent migraines. I know this is weird and not supposed to work, but it works miracles. I used to have a dozen a month, and sometimes I'd throw up and pass out. Often I was delirious. On the HCTZ I have several a year.

Well, my potassium is a little low as a result of taking the drug. I think he said my last test was 3.6, which is just barely in the normal range. I take care to eat something potassium-rich every day, but it's not enough, evidently. I don't have any noticeable symptoms of low potassium (no muscle cramping), but I know there are concerns here for a myasthenic.

My doctor gave me a prescription for a supplement: 20mg a day, and I'm to have a blood test again in a week. Can one of you super-knowledgeable people help me out here? From this chart: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/dru...ation/DR602373 it looks like 20mg isn't a high enough dose that I need to worry about overdosing, because that's what's in a potato, or a couple of small bananas. Can we talk about the concerns of low and high potassium for someone with MG, and what to look for?

Thanks!

Abby

If you received an RX from your doctor, then it is most likely,
20mEq (milliequivalents).... this is not milligrams. It has about 800mg of elemental potassium in each tablet.

You can get the same amount of potassium in a 12oz V8.

That chart on your link gives the milligrams (mg) first, and mEq in the second column.

The goal today from nutritionists is to consume 4700milligrams of potassium containing foods a day. Some anthropologists suggest our hunter gatherer ancestors consumed more and perhaps up to 7,500 mg a day from whole foods.

Diuretics also deplete magnesium, so taking some within RDA levels would be good insurance for you. Very low magnesium levels can lead to heart arrhythmias.

People can waste potassium from diarrhea, and also certain types of kidney damage. So if you test low in spite of the RX potassium, some further testing and examination by your doctor would be a good idea.

BTW that article by Mayo is really out of date. The OLD daily recommendations were 3,500 mg potassium daily.

It was recently raised to 4,700mg.

This is a really good up to date monograph on potassium:
http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocente...als/potassium/

When potassium levels get low, there can be a corresponding low magnesium as well. So do investigate magnesium rich foods, as well.

Thanks for both of these. Looks like it's time to get more serious about my diet. Thanks for the magnesium tip.

Abby

Our bodies have a delicate balance of potassium and sodium. Many people that I know who struggle with low potassium find that they also need to be careful about not consuming too much sodium.

I don't know if that would apply to you, but something to look into, and if you choose to use a V8 you might select the low-sodium variety.