Potassium

Hey everyone! My PCP called today with bloodwork results and my potassium is low :(  Anyone experience this around 3-4 months? It's frustrating to go OFF medications as a result of the weight loss and then have to add another! I'll get over it, but just wondered if it was common - I don't recall reading much about potassium deficiencies associated with WLS. Nicole

Nicole, Do you get charlie-horses or muscle cramps easily?  Make sure you are getting plenty of water and eat some extra bananas here and there.  Or yogurt, has a great source of potassium.  I know when I kicked up my exercise big time, I had to take extra potassium.

Hey Nicole, No charlie horses, but, depending on the position i'm sitting in, sometimes my legs get a little tingly. I read that is a symptom of low potassium. The doc already called in the 'script for me and wants to retest in a week, so we'll see how it goes. I'd love to manage it with my diet instead of meds, that's for sure!

Hi, I had low potassium in the hospital when I had wls, they force fed me these huge yucky pills they had to crumble called Pottassium CL 20MEQ ER twice a day... I was sent home with a script, filled it and abandoned it...ate a banana by putting in my protein drink. Six months later, my labs were fine *except* my pottassium was low...I take my pills now, compared to all the drugs I was taking before surgery, it is a small price, they are big soft pills and I break in half as is allowed with these, and I still have a little trouble swallowing half, but I drin****il it goes down. I do not think the banana stayed in my newly renovated system to do much good, what do I know.... I had labs 2 weeks ago and they were perfect. Good luck to you.

Hi there! Another good thing for potassium, strawberries. My Dr. recommended V-8 juice also, low sodium version. Potassium pills are rough on the pouch.  You can look up on line things that are high in potassium. Good luck Paula  Open 4/1/4 330/195

Potassium rich foods	Potassium Content	Sodium content	RDA % *	Calories
Soya flour	1650mg	9mg	47%	450
Black treacle	1500mg	97mg	43%	260
Apricots ready-to-eat	1380mg	15mg	39%	160
Bran Wheat	1160mg	28mg	33%	200
Tomato Puree	1150mg	240mg	33%	70
Sultanas	1050mg	20mg	30%	275
Raisins	1020mg	60mg	30%	270
Potato chips (crisps UK)	1000mg	1000mg	29%	450
All Bran	1000mg	900mg	29%	260
Wheatgerm	950mg	5mg	27%	300
Figs	900mg	60mg	26%	100
Dried mixed fruit	880mg	48mg	25%	230
Bombay Mix	790mg	800mg	23%	500
Papadums	750mg	2400mg	22%	370
Currants	720mg	14mg	22%	270
Sultana Bran	660mg	700mg	19%	300
Seeds average	650mg	20mg	18%	500
Nuts average (unsalted)	600mg	300mg	17%	600
Baked Potato + skin	600mg	12mg	17%	130
Roast Potato	550mg	9mg	16%	160
Oven chips	530mg	50mg	15%	170
Bran Flakes	530mg	1000mg	15%	320
Gammon lean	520mg	2200mg	15%	170
Soya beans boiled	510mg	2mg	15%	140
Plantain boiled	500mg	4mg	14%	112
Raisin Splitz	500mg	10mg	14%	340
Weetos	500mg	300mg	14%	370
Crispbread	500mg	220mg	14%	320
Muesli low salt	450mg	390mg	13%	360
Sardines	430mg	650mg	12%	200
Pilchards	420mg	370mg	12%	125
Veal	420mg	110mg	12%	230
Wholemeal Pasta	400mg	130mg	11%	320
Banana	400mg	1mg	11%	96

Here is a list of foods rich in potassium that my doctor showed me.  Bananas are at the bottom of the list which was a surprise to me.  I was also told that peanut butter is high in fat and low in protein, whcih also was a surprise to me since most people on the lapband boards think peanut butter is a good source of protein. 

Maureen, I was surprised about the banana's too! I had to take potassium when I was taking lasix and it made me really ill so I stopped taking and started eating banana's. I told my doctor that I relplaced his pills with banana's. He explained to me that was fine as long as I was eating something like 4 yards of banana's each day or something. He broke it down for me how much was in per inch and it was much less then I had thought. I went back to the pill as I was obviously not going to eat that many bananas, even pre-surgery.  LOL. I think they are probably a good source of extra potassium, but not when you are low on potassium.

Actually, it was Melissa at Dr.  Blackstone's office that showed me this when I went for a fill.  We were talking about the peanut butter and then she said people think bananas are good for potassium and showed me this list.  My husband takes lasix for his heart failure so we need to keep an eye on his potassium.  I'm glad she showed me this so we weren't thinking banana's were the answer.  I really like Melissa, she is very informative and spends a lot of time explaining things. Also, she is good at giving fills, doesn't hurt one bit.

Maureen- Thank you for this list. I was getting leg cramps a few weeks ago. Your list and the other postings are super helpful. -Jenn C in Chandler