Low Potassium

[Tiggeroo]

What can cause it. My college son is a lifeguard on the beach and a hard working athlete in good shape. He has been getting sick lately. He wakes up with tingling hands and feet, not feeling well and slightly disoriented even thinking he hallucinates a bit. We went to the er and his potassium was low. Today it happened at work. He hadn't been in the sun much yet, it was early, and was in the ac getting breakfast when it happened. Again the only thing they turn up is low potassium. He knows how to stay hydrated but he probably doesn't eat the best. Since the first episode he has worked on this and has at least a banana a day and some other fruits high in potassium.
Since he is over 21 and a college student I can say he probably partakes occasionally in a bit too much alcohol. Not huge quantities and not too bad. He also works 3 different summer jobs so he is busy and I think could use more sleep. Again since the first episode he has backed off a lot and is taking some occasional time outs.
He also had a history 4 years ago of panic attacks so it's possible he gets the initial symptoms and it escalates into a panic attack although he insists this feels nothing like when he had them.
His dr. has run tests and so far nothing. What could the next step be? We will be back at the dr. tomorrow.

 

[NatashaDisneyCM]

well, here are a few things that can cause Low levels, I myself have suffered this for many years:
Vomiting

Diarrhea

Ileostomy: In some patients who have had bowel surgery and an ileotomy formed, significant potassium loss can occur.

Villous adenoma (a type of colon polyp that can cause the colon to leak potassium)

Laxative use
Causes of potassium loss from the kidney:

Diuretic medications (water pills) like hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) or furosemide (Lasix)

Elevated corticosteroid levels, either from medication like prednisone or from Cushing's Syndrome

Elevated levels of aldosterone, a hormone that can increase with renal artery stenosis or adrenal tumors

Renal tubular acidosis

Low body magnesium levels
Low potassium levels may result from side effects of some medications:

Aminoglycosides like gentamicin (Garamycin) or tobramycin (Nebcin)

Amphotericin B

Prednisone

 

[Tiggeroo]

no diuretics or stomach problems. He's been to the er twice where they did full blood and urine tests and his dr. did as well. Also he's had a chest xray and a head ct scan

 

[Tiggeroo]

where to go from our local family dr? We have good insurance and don't need referrals although my dr will give them to him if he asks. It's also difficult since he's an adult and I'm not going to sit on his visits with him. But if I ask him he'll ask the dr. something.

 

[Feralpeg]

Too much heat exposure can cause low potassium. I once painted a deck in the middle of the summer. I was out in the heat for a long time. The next day, I started having heart palpitations every few seconds. I went to the ER and they said I was very low on potassium.

OP, if your son is out in the heat a lot, he might want to talk to the doctor about potassium supplements or some type of drink that restores potassium.

 

[busyshrew]

Funny, my father just went through this. He does a lot of outdoor hiking and the recent hot summer weather has really been a problem. He sweats a lot so his levels dropped.

Encourage your son to drink plenty of fluids, but also eat foods rich in potassium.

Potato, with skin on
bananas
apricots
avocados

Those are a few of the big ones. Hope this helps - my dad is making a big effort to eat avocado, apricots & baked potatoes and it's helping a lot.

 

[OceanAnnie]

What can cause it. My college son is a lifeguard on the beach and a hard working athlete in good shape. He has been getting sick lately. He wakes up with tingling hands and feet, not feeling well and slightly disoriented even thinking he hallucinates a bit. We went to the er and his potassium was low. Today it happened at work. He hadn't been in the sun much yet, it was early, and was in the ac getting breakfast when it happened. Again the only thing they turn up is low potassium. He knows how to stay hydrated but he probably doesn't eat the best. Since the first episode he has worked on this and has at least a banana a day and some other fruits high in potassium.
Since he is over 21 and a college student I can say he probably partakes occasionally in a bit too much alcohol. Not huge quantities and not too bad. He also works 3 different summer jobs so he is busy and I think could use more sleep. Again since the first episode he has backed off a lot and is taking some occasional time outs.
He also had a history 4 years ago of panic attacks so it's possible he gets the initial symptoms and it escalates into a panic attack although he insists this feels nothing like when he had them.
His dr. has run tests and so far nothing. What could the next step be? We will be back at the dr. tomorrow.

Too much heat exposure can cause low potassium. I once painted a deck in the middle of the summer. I was out in the heat for a long time. The next day, I started having heart palpitations every few seconds. I went to the ER and they said I was very low on potassium.

OP, if your son is out in the heat a lot, he might want to talk to the doctor about potassium supplements or some type of drink that restores potassium.

It's probably a combination of things. Definitely get him to eat better. Supplements would be a good thing too.

 

[RNMOM]

I have this problem too but take 40 meq. potassium daily. I get mild chest pain if I eat too little foods with potassium. I just finished eating a banana in fact.

Suggest he drink orange juice a couple times a day as well as the other potassium rich foods. Does he like potatoes? Wendy's makes a good baked potato you can get with broccoli and cheese or bacon and cheese. Broccoli woud be better. Potatoes are really good sources too.

Perhaps he is getting stressed over this and some of the symptoms might be related to his anxiety over it. Does he have a regular doctor he can work with? I know my sons are that age and having doctors or getting them to go to the doctors is tough.

I was also thinking he is probably perspiring a lot and you loose a lot of minerals that way. Does he ever drink gatoraide or something similar? I think he would benefit from having a doctor he can discuss with and get checked...then he could know if the changes he is making are working.

 

[shortbun]

If he's having health problems due to low potassium, he needs a supplement because diet can't totally make up for it when it's already low. Watermelon has lots, so do avacados and as people have said-potatoes and orange juice. But he must get his levels up there then maintain them with good diet.

 

[snels]

Bananas are a good source of potassium. My dr. suggested that I eat one every day.

 

[legalsea]

Drink coconut water, which has much more potassium than even a banana.

Indeed, coconut water (which is from young, green coconuts; when the coconut turns brown the liquid has become coconut milk) also supplies the five essential electrolytes the body needs for hydration (Gator Aide, by contrast, supplies two).

 

[sunnyday123]

I have this. My Dr. intially had me drink some really nasty supplement that was prescribed, and gave me a list of foods to eat on a regular basis. It's apparently pretty common, just most people don't realize what it is they're experiencing.

 

[Tiggeroo]

He has had to drink the stuff in the er twice. Now as long as I know there is nothing really wrong we will try to deal with it thru diet. I think he'd like the idea of coconut water. No energy drinks that I looked at have any real amount of potassium. The big thing is getting him to take a cooler to work instead of just grabbing pizza.
The reason I was concerned is he has been on beach patrol for 6 years and nothing like this has ever happened. He was also having other symptoms like cough and night sweats. This is why the dr. ran some other tests.
I found little cans of apricot nectar that have alot of potassium. He eats at least 3 bananas a day and some nectarines now. I will pick up some watermelon. I know he'd take a tub of that to work.

 

[Muushka]

Exactly how low was his potassium? Do you have a number? If normal is 3.5 to 5.0 and your son's is 3.4, I would say that is not the problem. But if it is 2.0, yes, it is the problem.