Posted by headachequeen on November 5, 2004, at 12:40:08
In reply to Re: topamax and balance » headachequeen, posted by iris2 on November 2, 2004, at 8:47:45
> Kat,
>
> To be honest I do not always get through your posts, as my attention span is that of a fly. But I try. I did read something that kind of stuck out from everything else you were saying. Being a bulimic I am well versed in low Potassium. It is something to have concern about. Potassium is stored in the stomach if that makes any difference to you. Anyway besides balance or whatever it is very important not to have low potassium. Your blood has a salt potassium balance. Your muscles need potassium to function. It is important for muscles like your heart. So do not take it lightly. If your potassium gets too low your heart will not pump! If your potassium is low or you think it might be you should take potassium pills. You can get in the grocery or drug store. If it is coming up low on blood work than you need to replenish it quickly and so the pills. They will not hurt you. If you just want to make sure it is okay without testing than eat things high in potassium. Potatoes or chips, my doc told me is great. Bananas and tomatoes are also some other foods high in potassium.
>
> I guess that hit my nerve as I have been low several times and it can be rather dangerous.
>
> Make sure that this is not an ongoing thing. It is not good for your muscles like I said especially dangerous for the organ muscles.
>
> Not trying to scar you, not doubt it was just a one-time thing but I do worry.
>
> Take care,
>
> irene
>Irene, I am reading posts at random today and this is the first post I read... and it is probably the most important one I shall read...
have just come home from hospital...
despite the increase in potassium pills (taking six a day now and eating oranges and bananas and anything else that has potassium in it ) when they did blood tests, there was no potassium in my blood... and they were taking blood from me constantly...
when I was finally conscious and coherent I demanded to know who was getting the potassium I was taking...
they told me that all the water I drink because of the diabetes and the anti-seizure meds (tegretol and topomax) flush it out of my system)
so they brought me glasses of what looked like orange Crush and had me drink it... concentrated potassium... tasted like the worst thing I can think of... twice a day I had to drink this stuff... and the only way was to drink it down fast and then try to keep it down... the elderly lady in the next bed, a Francophone, and I had a great time making jokes about it except the nurse understood French and stood there until I drank it all...
I did not realise until your post how important it is though... thought it just helped maintain balance...
the hospital pharmacist came around yesterday and we had a chat about my meds and the new meds they were introducing... finally a reduction in tegretol but a new one introduced to try and change the pattern...
She told me that the potassium levels were dangerously low and said that if the magnesium levels were low then the potassium levels would never be stable... next thing I knew there was a tech back to take more blood...
One good? thing about it, I have lost about seven pounds so there is something positive come out of it all...
but no one actually explained the whole need for potassium just that it would keep me from getting dizzy...so thank you Irene... you are an incredible help and just at a time when I really needed the guidance...
kat
poster:headachequeen
thread:5053
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20041103/msgs/412167.html