Potassium problem - please help

Okay my pre-op 10 days ago showed my potassium (K+) to be 3.3 (normal is 3.5-5.0). That was with me taking four 20MEQ tablets a day. So I increased to seven or eight 20MEQ tablets a day, started eating bananas twice a day. Had my blood re-tested yesterday it is only 3.5 now. My body just will NOT hold potassium. 160 MEQs a day is unreal. That's like eating 400 bananas a day. If my level is not at least 3.5 they will not do my surgery. Then I'm worried what will happen AFTER the surgery when I can't take my "HORSE" pills any longer. They can't be chewed or crushed. I don't want my K+ to bottom out. Did anyone out there have a similar problem? Or were you put on IV potassium after surgery? Need some info from someone. Thank you. Jeanette (8/25/04)

I take two of those horse pills a day myself. You do not want to try them crushed, they are vile and it doesn't matter what you mix them with. Just a taste gave me the dry heaves. If you go to the drugstore you can get a bottle of the same thing in liquid. It tastes terrible but easier to take than the crushed pills. As far as your pottassium being so low I would talk to my pcp about that. Good luck Patty