low potassium | Arthritis Information

Hey guys,

I'm wondering if any of you have experienced low potassium levels.

Mine has been low for the past month despite potassium rx and lots of bananas.

The doc just says lets check it again in 10 days. She has said this 3 times now, and I'm having heart palpitations and muscle cramps like crazy. { She is very busy }

The doc thinks its unrelated to methrotrexate, but have you guys experienced this/ Any suggestions....?????....a jumpy heart beat is scary.

I will appreciate any advice I can't find anything useful on the web.

Thanks, Ginni

Are you taking Pred, and do you have ANY intestinal issues - crohn's, IBS etc etc?

Katie,

Thanks for the quick reply. I do take pred during bad flares, maybe 5-6 times a year. The dose packs.

As far as intestinal issues, I seem o.k , but my body does not absorb vitamin b-12 for some reason, and I've never found a doc that could tell me why.

I take injections monthly for that. I have read the intestinal problems can cause mal-absorption, but my docs have never pursued that idea.

After I was found empty on b-12 they just started shots.

Ginni

Gini,do you take any diuretics? this will strip potassium from your system. I am on lasix an have to take potassium.doctor will check levels often because it can effect your heart.It can also cause you to feel fatigued.I felt like i could lay down on the floor an not take another step.good luck. i hope you find the cause.

Hi there, a jumpy heart is scary I get it too. Before I got pregnant I had low potassium levels although the doctor never bothered to check into it and told me to eat more bananas! I wonder if I had enough potassium but maybe either my body had trouble absorbing it or that the onset of this illness was using up potassium faster than I could replace it. I had horrific heart palpitations during pregnancy and breastfeeding - I had etopic beats where a beat is missed here and there and I thought I was going to die at times. I had ecg's and a heart monitor and then I had my first 'shot' of RA flares etc. I tried potassium supplements but you need to be careful not to take to much and also that you take the correct supporting minerals and vitamins too because taking too much of one thing can lead to imbalances. Also if I remember correctly there is a website called the Arthritis Trust of America - I think it's arthritstrust.org and under the important articles section there as a pile of info on how low potassium levels can cause RA. Good luck! xx Well, pred can cause a lot of what you're describing - With Justin having crohn's, he has a potassium deficiency (though I can't seem to get a doctor to understand that - every time we GO to the doc, they have to IV him some potass. Umm hello...that's not normal!!)

Pred can ALSO cause the heart palp. It's actually a common side effect - I realize you're not taking it on a constant basis, but you have to realize that pred stays in your system even after you've taken it. The more you've taken the longer it stays in your system (a pack that you took for 2 weeks might actually stay in your system for 3, whether you feel the effects of it or not....etc etc)

Something else to thing about is Fibro. It's very well documented that there is SOME kind of link with potass. and magnesium levels in fibro patients. The majority of them suffer a deficiency of both of these. And I think you have them - magnesium promotes healthy muscles, and a lack of will cause leg cramping! - But so will pred, so you see where my uncertainty comes from....

Either way, there's 2 things to think about!!! :)

I also take Lasix and Potassium.

I know that low potassium can cause muscle cramps. And it can also cause problems with the heart.

I would call your doctor today and let them know what is happening. They may need to adjust your potassium. I don't think you should wait to call.

I was in the hospital last year for an outpatient surgery and hooked up to iv's, etc. They took blood samples, then came back and cancelled my surgery because my potassium was very low. I had to wait 2 weeks with blood tests every few days to get it regulated.

It wouldn't hurt to call your doc anyway.

Good luck, I hope all is well,

Hugs,

Nini

Hello Ginni,

My BP med has a diuretic in it and I take the potassium from walmart. I talked with my doc about it. He said it wouldn't harm unless it builds up in your system which can happen. I usually have a foot cramp about 2 times a week and just go take a couple of potassium it seems to help. My mom was telling me that it is what helps to make the heart fire. I don't know if that is true but sounds reasonable. My doc did say he could give me a rx but if the kind I am already taking works no need to do a script. Good luck CJames

My Rheumy and Cardiologist disagreed on the amount of Potassium that I needed to offset the diruertic. Low potassium can indeed cause serious heart problems. You really have to get this taken care of right away. Eating bananas is supplemental and not enough by itself. If you are losing fluids for any reason, diuretic or for instance flu or IBS symptoms, your potassium levels are going to drop really low and quick. My daughter dehydrates within 4 hours after starting to get sick to her stomach. We always have to go to the ER and they have to give her Potassium in the IV.

I don't know which doctor is your best resource for establishing how much you need, but as long as you are having symptoms, I wouldn't stop at looking for answers. Me, I went with the Cardiologist and I felt immensely better. I had the water retention, foot cramps, heart palpatations and chest pains.

Weird. I am not on mx but have also had low potassium. Mine has seemed to come up by adding a glass of OJ everyday though, not to normal levels, but at least close. Did it come up at all, even if not to normal levels, with the potassium prescription and bananas? I wonder if this is related to RA itself?

Nancy

Most people with AI diseases have low levels of very important minerals. There is a natural recipe that has been shown to build glutathione in the brain. When you build the glutathione you start absorbing more minerals. Glutathione is the stuff they give you in the hospital if you OD on Tylenol and your kidneys quit - it's the bodies natural detoxifier. Anyway, this recipe takes a long time to build up sufficient minerals (six months) but you need to do this so you feel better long term. The research behind it can be found at the Arthritis Trust under "Essential Fatty Acids are Essential"

1/2 cup sulpherated protein - yogurt or cottage cheese

1 Tlbs. flax seed oil per hundred lbs of body weight - so 200 lb person needs 2 Tlbs. Add 2 TLBS for cancer patients.

You can add 1 TLBS of ground flax seed - do not go over 3 TLBS a day of the ground.

A couple of acidophilus caps opened and mixed in for those doing AP or trying to heal the gut.

Some fresh fruit to taste.

Only the protein and the flax seed are necessary. The rest are "extras". Also, if doing the yogurt - add some stevia or sweetener to taste if using plain.

Pip

P.S. I HATED this with the yogurt but when I switched to the cottage cheese I started craving it. Who knew!