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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be terrified

62 replies

PinkGlitter123 · 27/03/2019 20:48

Doctor said I had high potassium (6.6) but that my kidneys were fine. Now doing a retest but terrified it will come back higher and I will be admitted to hospital. If it isn't kidneys then what's the problem? Googling has terrified me with talk of heart disease and cancers 😢

OP posts:
JellycatElfie · 27/03/2019 20:50

Why were you having the blood tests? If you were acutely unwell in hospital we’d be treating a potassium that high. Are you sure it was 6.6? Do you have symptoms?

Musicaltheatremum · 27/03/2019 20:52

Sometimes if bloods lie around for a while the potassium goes up. If your kidney function is ok it's possibly an erroneous result. We had this a lot when our lab van delivered bloods to the lab late.

Original poster
PinkGlitter123 · 27/03/2019 20:56

I have colitis. Ironically that all came back fine but was just the potassium.
I am pretty sure it was over 6, he wasn't concerned as he said my kidney levels were all good but its still terrified me

OP posts:
JellycatElfie · 27/03/2019 20:57

So if you have no symptoms and your potassium isn’t creeping up gradually it’s probably because your bloods weren’t transported to the lab quickly and processed in good time. If the blood is slightly clotted in the sample tube it will falsely elevate the potassium!

Original poster
PinkGlitter123 · 27/03/2019 20:59

It was 4 something in September last year and now up to 6. Just seems very high and odd that kidneys are fine. Is it possible there is a kidney problem and its not showing in bloods?

OP posts:
Ihatehashtags · 28/03/2019 06:39

Are you taking too many vitamins? High potassium, sodium or calcium intake can reek havoc with lots of different body systems especially your kidneys and your heart. Your kidneys might be struggling to clear the excess from your system.

Original poster
PinkGlitter123 · 28/03/2019 07:37

Only turmeric.
I feel really scared.

OP posts:
JellycatElfie · 28/03/2019 13:16

If your kidneys were struggling it would show in your bloods from what I can think of. I’m sure it’ll be lower when it’s repeated. When are you having the repeat?

Original poster
PinkGlitter123 · 28/03/2019 13:20

Do you think its possible to have damage without it showing in blood though? Will I be told to go to A&E if it rises again?

Next week it will be repeated.

OP posts:
Areyouserious9 · 28/03/2019 16:15

Had the same a month ago and was terrified too. Then researched it and found out that approx 80% of the potassium in your body is contained within the nucleus of individual blood cells. Whilst withdrawing the blood or transporting it it is very easy to damage an individual cell so the potassium in the nucleus leaches out - leads to massively raised reading.
Not a doctor and have no medical training but when my repeat test was done and was fine discussed it with my GP and he said the same as Dr Google.

Original poster
PinkGlitter123 · 28/03/2019 18:21

Cant help but panic. Was your level as high as mine Areyouserious9 ?

OP posts:
oneforthepain · 28/03/2019 18:43

You haven't been going overboard on rehydration salts/drinks, I assume?

Original poster
PinkGlitter123 · 28/03/2019 18:46

No, dont touch them.

Just scared I will be told to go straight to A&E if the next reading comes up just as high. 😢

OP posts:
NoCauseRebel · 28/03/2019 18:46

Stay away from google.

Original poster
PinkGlitter123 · 28/03/2019 22:35

Too late for that. 😢

OP posts:
Fairylea · 28/03/2019 22:38

High potassium can be linked to quite a lot of endorine issues, most specifically Addison’s disease (which I have, it is life long but treatable). I wouldn’t leap to thinking heart disease or cancer.

Frogqueen13 · 28/03/2019 22:40

High potassium can be a false result when the vein os tapped repeatedly before venipuncture or the sample is shaken. Or its left in sunlight.

We have about 3 people visit a&e everyday with this problem and on the second sample its normal.

Try not to worry. Have you had your 2nd bloods taken?

Original poster
PinkGlitter123 · 28/03/2019 23:12

Next week, just seems a bit odd to me as such a high reading. If it comes back high again I don't know what they will do.

OP posts:
MyKingdomForBrie · 28/03/2019 23:20

My dh just had exactly this - it was an apparently common error due to as a pp said a change happening in the blood sample after it was drawn. Terrifying but fine!

Original poster
PinkGlitter123 · 28/03/2019 23:25

Hopefully I will be one of the lucky ones and it is as simple as that. One chronic health condition is enough 😐

OP posts:
stayclosetoyourself · 28/03/2019 23:32

Is it possible to check the result with the GP again ?

GrandmaSharksDentures · 28/03/2019 23:35

Were the samples taken at your GP?

Potassium can leak from the cells causing an erroneous high reading if the samples are left too long before analysing or have been shaken or handled too roughly. Also poor technique when the sample is taken can cause the same

Original poster
PinkGlitter123 · 29/03/2019 07:36

No, at the hospital. Just can't help but feel really scared.

I know I am having a repeat test next week but if it comes back super high I am scared they will call me back in as an emergency admission. I want to believe it is something simple but can't help but fear that it is something awful. That said, everything else came back clear so surely something else would have shown if it was cancer/heart or kidney related?

OP posts:
stayclosetoyourself · 30/03/2019 00:06

What was the exact result?

Frogqueen13 · 30/03/2019 07:50

If your worries pop down to a&e and explain that you have had a phone call and your pottasium was high

They will do a gas and repeat your bloods and the likelyhood is you will be home in 2 hours

If it is high this is called hyperkalemia. Its a relatively easy fix with an infusion and some fluids

I once looked after a patient who had this after eating 6 bananas before he was NBM as they were going off and he didn't want them to waste whilst he was in hospital