Question about electrolytes…

[Electrolytequery]

I’m very sorry this is not AIBU I’m posting for traffic. I was out yesterday morning shopping and suddenly felt very nauseous, my vision became impaired ( ground zooming in and out very quickly) and lost consciousness. An ambulance was called and took me to A & E. The person who called the ambulance kindly stayed with me and said I was also having some kind of fit / seizure.

At hospital I was very well looked after and had blood tests and was injected with magnesium and given phosphate drinks. The nurses mentioned some sort of imbalance with electrolytes and this is probably what caused this to happen. I was also seen by a heart specialist who did EEG, ECG and had an MRI scan. All ok.

I was discharged earlier and told to wait to see a neurologist as an outpatient, but not to worry.

I am very pleased to be back home and relieved there doesn’t seem to be anything major wrong, but I am kicking myself as I should have asked about the electrolytes- how can I stop this from happening again?

I am otherwise healthy, don’t drink, smoke or take drugs. I have no history of epilepsy, heart or neurological problems. I am early 50’s. This has never happened before.

can anyone please advise how to prevent this from happening again, I’m sorry I should have asked the doctor, I’m a bit of a worrier.

I would follow up with a GP appointment and get some advice from them

could you schedule a chat with your GP while you're waiting for the neurology appointment? And there are lots of electrolyte solutions you can buy OTC that might help.

Thanks both, that’s a good idea. I’ll give the GP surgery a call on Monday and see if I can get an appointment- I just don’t want to waste their time when I know I’m probably worrying unnecessarily.

You can get electrolyte drops, powder or tablets. Amazon will deliver to your door quickly.

You may need extra salt in your diet. It's crucial to wellbeing

Most of us are low in Magnesium and Potassium. Electrolytes are small but mighty and without them we don't function properly.

My dad had several seizures in one day due to low sodium.
He was told to drink less. He was limited to something like 800ml of water/squash each day for a few weeks.

Oh that sounds so frightening- hope he’s ok now. Did he have to see a neurologist?

No, he had follow ups with his GP.

Are you dieting?

No - although I hadn’t eaten yet that day. It’s not unusual for me though, quite often I fast until lunch / afternoon. I had also forgotten to take my medication (20mg citalapram) as well, so quite possibly that had contributed.

It just seems like such an extreme reaction! I guess the human body is quite complex, I’ll try and look after myself a bit better

Did he lose consciousness with his seizures? I understand there are different types of seizure

Sorry to hear this, OP. So glad there was a kind bystander to look after you.
No advice I’m afraid but my Mum is in hospital now having been very unwell for the past 48 hours and her bloods have shown an electrolytes imbalance.
hope you recover well OP