Anyone understand potassium?

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MarkGeordie

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Type 1
I’ve been to a pre-assessment clinic this afternoon as I have a planned operation.

They have just contacted me to say one of the blood results have come back and my potassium is high.

They want me back in at 9am tomorrow morning to re-do the test and to wait for the results to come back as if still high will require immediate treatment.

What does too high potassium mean?
 
MarkGeordie said:
What does too high potassium mean?
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There's bound to be something about potassium levels, whether too high or too low, on the NHS website.
 
I was trying to avoid it to not scare myself just thought asking here might be better.
 
MarkGeordie said:
I’ve been to a pre-assessment clinic this afternoon as I have a planned operation.

They have just contacted me to say one of the blood results have come back and my potassium is high.

They want me back in at 9am tomorrow morning to re-do the test and to wait for the results to come back as if still high will require immediate treatment.

What does too high potassium mean?
Click to expand...

There are various levels of high @MarkGeordie My aunt was admitted with high potassium but no cause was found. She was given diuretics and monitored (she was quite elderly). I’m not sure if she received other treatment or not, but that was the only occurrence and she never had it again. I hope yours is so easily solved.

Occasionally blood tests can give a falsely high reading so it’s good they’re redoing it.
 
Thanks everyone. I will see what happens tomorrow as they want me to wait while they get the result.
 
Mine was low last week in Hospital, ended up with drip and oral treatment, it’s vile but was peeing every two seconds due to being in dka. Never actually got told why they were worried but have low level heart issues and blackouts so guessed that but stayed away from google.
 
Hi. I think if levels are very high it can cause heart issues but they would need to be outside the 'normal' high range.
 
I never got any numbers but he said they are raised still but not as much as yesterday and there were a few issues elsewhere on the bloods.

He spoke with renal team and they said they would happily review me if they did a referral.
 
High Potassi
MarkGeordie said:
I’ve been to a pre-assessment clinic this afternoon as I have a planned operation.

They have just contacted me to say one of the blood results have come back and my potassium is high.

They want me back in at 9am tomorrow morning to re-do the test and to wait for the results to come back as if still high will require immediate treatment.

What does too high potassium mean?
Click to expand...
High Potassium levels affect your healing after the operation. My Surgeion used to go round the ward throwing everybodies bananas away becuase they contain a lot of potassium.
 
Take care of yourself
 
Sorry to hear you’ve started feeling poorly @MarkGeordie :(

My potassium has hovered around the ‘a bit too high’ borderline for a number of years now.

And I never eat bananas!

My surgery never seem unduly worried, but once or twice they’ve re-run the check a week or so later when it has generally drifted back down below the edge again.

Harvard lists these foods as being high in potassium (so perhaps worth reducing portions of any you eat?)

  • Dried fruits (raisins, apricots)
  • Beans, lentils
  • Potatoes
  • Winter squash (acorn, butternut)
  • Spinach, broccoli
  • Beet greens
  • Avocado
  • Bananas
  • Cantaloupe
  • Oranges, orange juice
  • Coconut water
  • Tomatoes
  • Dairy and plant milks (soy, almond)
  • Yogurt
  • Cashews, almonds
  • Chicken
  • Salmon
I believe potassium and sodium checks part of kidney health?
 
@MarkGeordie How are you? I hope that you're beginning to improve.
 
AJLang said:
@MarkGeordie How are you? I hope that you're beginning to improve.
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Still poorly.

I believe after looking at the letter I received today with some hospital results on that came back when I had my pre op assessment, some of the results are very out of range and it suggests they spoke to a kidney specialist and they said they would be happy to see me. No mention from GP when she rang Monday to tell me she had the letter.

My repeat blood test on the Thursday showed that the potassium dropped below 6 and then they give me another one on Friday and had results Monday saying it’s gone back to over 6.

She then booked me in again this morning for another one and they are hoping to get result back later on but if no improvement they say I’ll need to go to hospital.

She has taken me off one of my medications and added in another but now that’s pushed my BP up really high.

So I’ve no idea what’s going on or there plan. I really don’t like the way they are handling this.
 
MarkGeordie said:
I’ve been to a pre-assessment clinic this afternoon as I have a planned operation.

They have just contacted me to say one of the blood results have come back and my potassium is high.

They want me back in at 9am tomorrow morning to re-do the test and to wait for the results to come back as if still high will require immediate treatment.

What does too high potassium mean?
Click to expand...
I believe Potassium is the thing that actually carries the electrical impulse of the heartbeat across the heart muscle.
 
It’s been a while and a long and bumpy journey. My potassium levels continued to be all over the place. They were monitored each week by the GP until I could see a specialist and my appointment was on Monday gone.

It has been confirmed that I have stage 3a CKD.

I have had my medication adjusted and also some more medication added in to hopefully start bringing down my potassium levels.
 
MarkGeordie said:
It’s been a while and a long and bumpy journey. My potassium levels continued to be all over the place. They were monitored each week by the GP until I could see a specialist and my appointment was on Monday gone.

It has been confirmed that I have stage 3a CKD.

I have had my medication adjusted and also some more medication added in to hopefully start bringing down my potassium levels.
Click to expand...
Hope you feel much brighter soon
 
Sorry to hear about your CKD @MarkGeordie

Hope you can get effective treatment and care to slow any progression.

Hope the medication helps stabilise your potassium levels.
 
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