Low potassium

[Awayougo]

Hi, just wondering if anyone has any knowledge or experience of low potassium. I had blood tests on Monday. Had them because of fainting the previous week and a pain in my left side. Today the practice sent me the results and said they were satisfactory and that was it, so because of the ‘satisfactory’ I asked for a copy of the results and saw that potassium was a little low at 3.2. I am more than likely peri menopausal and assumed that some of the symptoms I’ve been having were because of that. I’ve been having palpitations for quite a while, along with muscle twitching and leg pains. I had been exercising probably about 7 hours or so before I fainted and I don’t do a lot of exercise generally! I do have low blood pressure too, so thought it was that until I knew about the low potassium. I’d be really grateful if anyone knows anything about electrolytes or has any experience of low potassium. Thank you

Yes. I had low potassium due to kidney failure. My consultant told me to eat bananas. I am of the firm belief that bananas are vile and should in fact be illegal. Consultant laughed when I advised her of my opinion and asked if I liked chocolate. Obviously yes. She told me to "gorge" on it. So I did. I'm surprised there's a Lindt ball left in the UK to be honest as I was pretty much force fed them by DH and MIL. Low and behold my potassium was back up to acceptable levels at my next blood test!

www.labtestsonline.org.uk
What exercise had you been doing for 7 hours before you fainted?

Hi Op, I’ve only ever had a low potassium level when in hospital with a stomach infection. I would advise you to try and raise it through diet (bananas etc) as the potassium supplements I was given were pretty disgusting. Also if you drink lots of caffeine, try and cut that down as it can reduce the absorption of minerals. Hope that helps. Xx

What's the underlying reason for it being low? I believe it is a risk for heart issues if it drops. Fizzy feeling in fingers is one sign. Kiwifruit I believe are good too, or a prescription supplement called Sando-K

🤣 chocolate it is then!! I can certainly eat plenty. Who would have known chocolate could be so good for you! Hope your kidneys are ok now and glad that the potassium levels are back up.

I’d just been doing some light exercises, like cardio, nothing major with some weights. Not heavy ones!

I have recurrent / chronic low potassium. The supplements are horrible! So definitely try diet - I highly recommend orange juice to raise it fairly quickly.

Take high quality electrolytes when you exercise - Nuun is good. It should be over 3.5, they only start to worry a lot when it's below 3. (Obviously not meant as proper medical advice, just from my experience!)

Yes I’ll have to up my intake of potassium rich foods. I’ll have to get back onto the drs to find out why it dropped or maybe it is permanently low. Thanks for the replies!

@GoWalkabout it's probably low for OP because she lost electrolytes exercising, at a guess. This is one of the known risks of increasing exercise - a drop in electrolytes can usually be managed fine and just feels unpleasant, but occasionally causes sudden death.

Thanks Innocenta. I’m going to get some juice etc tomorrow. I’ll try yhe electrolytes too, although a bit scared to exercise after the last not so good outcome! Do you know why yours is low? Just one of those things?

it's not very low at all, just a bit under but still, the borderline "normal" (for everything) that leaves symptomatic folks palmed off is nuts.

Mine was at 1.4 i believe when I was admitted to hospital. Let me tell you, there is NOTHING more disgusting than liquid potassium so for the love of anything, get it up quick by diet.

Get googling and eating potassium rich foods asap. Unlike the poster above, mashed banana on toast is the food of gods

Is your leg pain and muscle spasm in one leg or both. I have been having muscle spasms, cramps and general weakness and pains in my leg since my vaccine and thought it might be linked to that.

@Awayougo Potassium changes all the time - two readings in the same day can be quite different depending on how hydrated you are, etc. You definitely should talk to the GP! But it's not like something like iron where it changes more slowly and you can generally see a trend easily.

I've had mine be super low and normal all in the same day Not much fun in hospital where they give it by IV!

(Mine is low because of sone chronic gastric conditions and a potassium-depleting steroid I take to raise my blood pressure. Fairly rare stuff so not likely to be the cause for you!)

@TheCanyon That's very low to be admitted with! I've routinely been given IV replacement at below 3. It may well be different policies in different areas. I'm shocked you were given it orally when yours was so terribly low - hope you're okay now?

@Awayougo

🤣 chocolate it is then!! I can certainly eat plenty. Who would have known chocolate could be so good for you! Hope your kidneys are ok now and glad that the potassium levels are back up.

They're getting there thank you! Don't listen to this lot, the liquid stuff they give you to drink isn't that foul, the chewy calcium tablets are worse 🤣

I have chronically low potassium due to a stomach disorder. My doctors wouldn't blink at anything over 3. I'd just try and eat some extra bananas and take some fluid replacement. I have to take sando-k everyday (dissolvable potassium tablets), they aren't the greatest but I don't mind them now! They are prescription only though. I ended up in ICU with potassium going into an arterial line after being admitted with a potassium level of under 1 and in the beginning of heart failure, doctors still tell me to eat bananas but I'm allergic!

Thanks so much everyone. I feel more clued up!
TheCanyon, I can’t believe yours was so low. You must’ve felt horrendous! Fortunately I do like bananas and I’m going to google the other things I’ll be buying tomorrow.
Innocenta, thanks for all the information. Hope your gastric conditions are under control and the blood pressure too.

Glad you’re getting there pieona and I’ll remember that to avoid the chewy tablets if ever offered!
Summerrain, mine is in both legs. Almost feels like growing pains from childhood or very achy, heavy sensation from calves into my thighs.

[quote Innocenta]@TheCanyon That's very low to be admitted with! I've routinely been given IV replacement at below 3. It may well be different policies in different areas. I'm shocked you were given it orally when yours was so terribly low - hope you're okay now? [/quote]
I had pneumonia, collapsed lung and sepsis onset, had laid in my bed 5 days hallucinating before I said I wanted to just die. My body was in shock on admittance to hospital so I believe I got it iv
the first day or two til I was awake enough. The liquid was the worst thing I've EVER tasted in my life and made me sick straight away, so totally counterproductive.

3 years down the line, I'm ill atm otherwise but I'm good. I'm here to be present in my 4dc lives. That's what matters.

And ya know, there's that thread now moaning about the gp not apologising for being late. My gp literally carried me to the drs crash room and stayed with me the hour we waited for an ambulance, he was late for the rest of the day, I apologised to him the next time I saw him.

Jagley, that must’ve been frightening. Hope the stomach condition is under control for you. Can’t believe you’re told to eat bananas yet allergic! I’ll try the bananas and the replacement drink. Thanks for your reply.

I really admire your positivity TheCanyon. That’s a lot to go through. Your gp sounds great. I wish you all the best and hope you start feeling better soon xx

Potatoes in skin are absolute champions in potassium replacement, but without salt, of course.

DH had low potassium and iron levels - went it all came out he was coeliac

If you’re drinking a lot of fizzy drinks then stop especially energy drinks as they deplete potassium