Low Potassium

Well I got the lab results for by blood tests the other day - and my potassium levels are low.  that sucks.

Fortunatley they just want me to double my potassium supplement and go for another blood test in 3 weeks... kinda scary though too....

Funny, I just had some bloodwork done too and my doctor called me the other day and told me my potassium was way too low.  She's putting me on a supplement -- K-Dur (I think it's called).  I take high blood pressure meds and one of them has a diuretic and she said that's what's causing the low levels.

I am on a water pill too....  I am just suprised because I have been on the water pill for ages and I've never had a problem before... god being old and fat sucks sometimes....  I want to lose weight and get off the water pill and not worry about my heart.... is that so much to ask for?

Nope, I dream of the day when I can be weaned from my bp meds.  I have a lot of work ahead of me before that can happen though.

Bananas! Bananas! Bananas! Eat some bananas! Also-- apricots, brussels sprouts, lima beans, baked potatoes, raisins, spinach and tomato sauce! They're potassi-YUMMY! (Okay, no, but a  few of those are edible.)

well I had to go to a breakfast meeting this AM and ordered 2 poached eggs on dry toast and fruit.... the fruit was banans and strawberries :) ok so maybe it was like a half a banana and some strawberries... but while those around me ate waffels and omelettes I ate 2 poached eggs on dry toast!!!  (I'm really proud of that) It is my anniversary today and we are going out to dinner (after a walk around the boardwalk on the lake).  I will order chicken breast, veggies and a baked potato....  any suggestions on what to put IN the potato?  I am thinking that my usual butter, sour cream, bacon, cheese and onion combo wont look too good on my calorie count...LOL I think that maybe because I have been pretty potato avoidant over the last week it could be part of the problem...  I wasnt even planning on the potato until just now.  I was going to have grilled chicken and veggies and  call it good.

I was gonna say something about bananas but looks like Shari beat me too it!  Oh, by the way, don't eat the brussel sprouts. You'll die!! The taste is toxic!! 

HAAAA - love that quote.

Protein foods and dairy products are also good sources of potassium.  In fact, potassium is pretty abundant in foods.  It is probably the increased wasting caused by your diuretic that is making your potassium levels low.  There are different types of diuretics, some are called "potassium sparing".  You can talk to your doctor about switching your prescription to spare potassium.

Same thing happened to me on my 3 month blood work.  He just said to take a potassium supplement and eat some potassium foods.  I ate bananas and avocado.  It took 6 weeks - but came back up.  He had me stop my diuretic for the first part and I gained 5 pounds in 5 days.  I started back with the diuretic and ate more potassium!