Low potassium | Mumsnet

Gingernut1989 · 2025-07-12T12:08:08+00:00

Has anyone had low potassium in pregnancy. Apparently it is rare and not something they deal with very often as midwives . I've to go to MAU to get my bloods re checked & then make a plan of action. How serious is this ?

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Original poster

Gingernut1989 · 12/07/2025 17:54

Im assuming no replies thus far means there is nobody with experience of this ? Im worrying and not sure if unnecessarily.

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Greybeardy · 12/07/2025 18:17

really depends on how low and why it's low/whether it's causing any side-effects. Sounds like they're doing the right thing by checking it again to make sure it's not a spurious result in the first place. What they might do next would depend on how low it is.

Original poster

Gingernut1989 · 12/07/2025 18:30

I have had pins and needles in my hands and flu like symptoms so achy and lethargic etc. Iron is also low but they said that one isnt as urgent I can just pick up iron tablets.
We were wanting to wait until Monday to go in really as I don't feel too bad today and we are away for the weekend. Do you know what sort of options there are? & why is it dangerous ? They wont tell me the results over the phone I did try and ask.

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laura246810 · 12/07/2025 21:54

If its actually extreemly low it can be very serious or even deadly. If its just a bit low they will give you tablets and recheck and investigate why. But if the blood clotted in transport it can be inacurate so thats why its being rechecked first before they discuss treatments.

laura246810 · 12/07/2025 21:56

If away for the weekend you could go to a hospital near you to recheck it? Dont wait until monday

Greybeardy · 13/07/2025 03:04

very low potassium can cause heart rhythm problems. Hopefully if they're happy to wait until monday it means they're not that worried. It's not uncommon for it to be a bit ouside the normal range and that's usually not a problem but you need to take their advice about whether its an urgent thing or not. There's a load of things that can cause low potassium so, if on a repeat sample it's still low, they'll start and think about what might be causing it. Treatment then depends a bit on the cause. Potassium can be spuriously low in warm weather if the sample's hanging around a while but that's a diagnosis of exclusion and they have to be certain you're ok before putting it down to something daft like that.

Original poster

Gingernut1989 · 13/07/2025 03:28

In transport ? The bloods were done at the hospital so it wasnt transported anywhere? Unless im being thick . I have restless legs tonight (well 3am Sunday morning) . They cant tell me what the actual levels were over the phone which is really annoying. The midwife did say if I can't get there until Monday it would have to do and because it took almost a week for them to process my results anyway .

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Original poster

Gingernut1989 · 13/07/2025 03:30

Greybeardy · 13/07/2025 03:04

very low potassium can cause heart rhythm problems. Hopefully if they're happy to wait until monday it means they're not that worried. It's not uncommon for it to be a bit ouside the normal range and that's usually not a problem but you need to take their advice about whether its an urgent thing or not. There's a load of things that can cause low potassium so, if on a repeat sample it's still low, they'll start and think about what might be causing it. Treatment then depends a bit on the cause. Potassium can be spuriously low in warm weather if the sample's hanging around a while but that's a diagnosis of exclusion and they have to be certain you're ok before putting it down to something daft like that.

We crossed posts . Yes it could be the weather and being dehydrated too. I hope its nothing too serious.

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Original poster

Gingernut1989 · 14/07/2025 07:06

Here now. Reading was 2.8 last week just had repeat bloods waiting on result

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