Low potassium
 

Once again I have been told I have low potassium levels, and have to start taking a tablet supplement, as well as increasing potassium rich foods.
Iam taking prednisolone, which lowers potassium.
I was wondering if anyone else has had this problem? and if so if you've had any side affects, I've become increasingly tired, and my muscles have been a bit more fatigued than normal.

Low Potassium
 

Hello Redtail, I too have low potassium and have been advised to eat 2 bananas each day, plus dried apricots and raisins, I can't say yet whether they have improved my potassium levels - am still tired, but have been told that when I have blood tests, my potassium level should measure above the normal. If you have MG potassium is very important for muscle strength.

I am the same as well - even with a supplement and eating several bananas a day I am still just barely reaching a "normal" potassium level. My muscles get very fatigued if I don't keep on top of the potassium and I also get bad muscle cramping in my legs and feet. Strangely enough it wasn't even a doctor who initially pointed out the potassium - MG connection to me. A neighbour and I figured it out when I wasn't teaching over the summer last year and stopped eating bananas (because I wasn't packing a lunch to eat at school everyday). I had a few bad days and a few falls and then started to really contemplate what I had changed about my diet/lifestyle - it all came down to those little yellow treasures!

I'm also taking calcium supplements to help with the effects of the Pred. I've been on a 60 mg dose for almost 4 months now (I'm very, very swollen and "moon faced") and before that was on 60 mg every second day for 2 months. My symptoms seem to be under control for the time being - still have the odd weak spell, but much better than I was - so I'm hoping I'll be able to start weaning off the Pred soon. My doctor comes back from vacation this week and I can't wait to speak to her!!

Hope everyone is taking care!
~Kathy

Hi Scots Kat,
Muscle cramps in the legs could also occur when you don't drink enough, do they occur mostly during the night?
Maurice.

Who else has this problem? .......... Me, me, me!

My Potasium Deficiency wasn't picked up until after major surgery, and not until I'd set off all the bells and whistles in the Intensive Care Ward. You should have seen them run when my heart monitor went haywire! :D

High Potassium levels can cause malaise, palpitations and muscle weakness, and in extreme cases cardiac arrythmias may occur.

If you have too little Potassium, muscular weakness or muscle cramps can happen, and blood pressure may rise.

It can can occasionally provoke cardiac arrhythmias.

As you can probably tell by this, Potassium has a big role to play when it comes to fatigue. Both high and low levels can have a detrimental effect!

Potassium is one of those things that need to be in exact balance to maintain homeostasis in the body. All I can suggest is you keep taking the supplements, and eat lots of bananas. :)

Let us know how you get on, as we'll be waiting to hear.

Well today I'm having a really bad day, yesterday I sold my dear horse, as I am unable to take care of him anymore(Im having a bit of a cry over this at the moment), my poor dear dog Ned, isn't well, and it could be either an ulcer or a tumor.
On a good note I picked up my potassium tablets this morning so can now start taking them!!
So all this extra stress is not doing my MG any good, along with the lower potassium, which I know is making me very tired and causing my muscles to be weaker. Im glad I can come here and get some support!!

Redtail, I'm so sorry to hear about your horse and your dog. After what you've said, I can well understand why you're having a bad day.

Your horse will have a good home I'm sure of that. Loving it the way you obviously do, you'd never have let it go otherwise. I've never owned a horse. My experience with them has been limited to riding schools, but I can certainly understand your pain.

Your dog is in good hands with the vet. Vets are trained to make animals well, just the same as I was trained to help people get better when I trained as a nurse.

You're in my thoughts redtail......:grouphug:

Thanks Koala77,

Yes my horse is going to a wonderful place with lots of new friends, I guess I'm just sad that its the end of an era for me.

My dear little dog is a little better today, and yes the vet I take him to is wonderful.

So thanks for your kind words!!
redtail

Hi all, bad news regarding my dear dog Ned I'm afraid.
Took him in for an ultra sound thisarvo, and it showed up spleen liver and stomach cancer, I cant believe he has done this well so far.
thanks for all your support
redtail

I am so sorry to hear about your dog... (((redtail)))