Potasium Question

I just looked over my labs and I haven't been having Potasium tested and up until now I didn't realize.

Well what got me started on this is a co-worker mentioned chronic headaches are a sign of low potassium when I complained of a headache.  So I first looked at my labs to realize I'm an idiot and haven't had my doc testing for it.  Then I started researching other symptoms of low potassium and found out I had a whole heck of a lot of them.  So I called my doc to get a lab ordered to learn he's away until next wednesday through the VM, I doubt they'd consider this an emergency.  Would it hurt me to take a Potassium pill if its not low?  The main reason I ask is when my uncle was dying one of the things they worried about was high Potassium but he had kidney cancer so obviously nothing was filtering out.  I don't want to wait until Wednesday if my levels are low to start a supplement due to what I saw the effects could be.

Does anyone take Poatssium or have issues with it going low?

Potassium is in the complete metabolic panel/basic metabolic panel. 

I'd be extremely surprised if you weren't having this drawn, it's a very basic and common lab panel.  It'll be by the kidney function stuff...and sodium, etc.

Taking potassium when you are not low won't be harmful, given that you have healthy kidneys.  Healthy kidneys will excrete excess.  Whether it'll do any good is the main question.  OTC potassium is pretty small amounts.

 I have had low potassium from time to time. It is ordered with other electrolytes or as part of  kidney function tests. The pills available OTC are only 99mg and a banana has 300 plus mg. I would get your bloodwork result before considering a prescription K+ supplement but a banana a day can't hurt (except carbs in it).

I take 8 OTC 99mg potassium tablets a day to keep myself in the middle of the range. My dietitian is watching it with me and I test every 6 months.

--gina

Here's a post I did on hypokalemia:

http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/ds/4310569/PSA-Signs-amp-S ymptoms-of-Hypokalemia-Low-Potassium-Level/

Low potassium is very very common in dsers. If you can buy it otc, I would do it, other wise just get the test asap. I'm surprised they haven't been testing you though.