Chronic Low Sodium Being Driven Lower By Blood Pressure Meds

Bought some hydration product called Liquid IV at Walgreen's. Was on special. You guys ever try?

I also needed to watch my sodium levels for many years now.

Values from 130 to 134 are considered a minor deficiency. Below 130 and above 120 is a medium one, and even lower a significant danger.

I was sometimes hospitalized when I had had increased diarrhea for some days (because of some kind of bacterial or viral infection, in addition to my chronic pouchitis / ileitis). My weight was then down some kg and I was lacking sodium as well as other minerals. Sodium was typically only little above 120 back then. And I was dealing with circulatory issues and exhaustion. Surprisingly there was no appetite for salt, in fact little appetite at all in that situations.

I keep my sodium levels up at a normal level or slightly below by adding salt during a meal. I would not like to make my whole meal too salty. So I made myself a little measuring spoon that holds about 0.5 g of salt. After having had at least half of my meal I add a spoonful of salt to already chewed food in the mouth before swallowing it (so I don't get to taste the salt).

Too much at once or taking it on an empty stomach would make me feel nauseous. At the moment I need to add about 1.5 g of salt a day that way to keep my sodium levels up. But that depends on one's eating habits. I'm not using salt sparsely for cooking, but I also don't overdo it.

Your sodium level of 128 may already affect your well-being a little. I would recommend that you improve it whatever way. Those salty foods you mentioned will probably also work.

Steve,

Thank you for the highly informative post. I was concerned with the 128 as I usually hover in the low 130s and it's clear it's getting too far the other way from normal range. Your tip on adding salt to each meal in the fashion you do is an excellent one. I should note I am not shy about adding salt and eating salty foods, but clearly what I am doing is not enough.

SteveG,

I just tried a variation of your sodium supplementation protocol.  I spooned 0.5g kosher salt into 1.5 ounces water, stirring salt crystals vigorously until dissolved.  After eating my dinner, I rapid chugged this "sodium power shot."  Dinner was a pork chop which I brined in salt water for 2 hours before cooking.  There was no lack in my sodium consumption today.  Tomorrow meeting friends at a pizza place and ordering a pepperoni and sausage extra cheese pie as part of a sodium party that will also include salted nuts.

I guess the one consolation is if we were on the other side of the normal range of sodium, the diet would be getting boring very fast.  I feel sorry for the typical high sodium hypertension patients because it's easier to add than take it out of our diets.

CTBarrister, I'd be happy if I wouldn't need to add salt, as my kidney labs are a little worrying (although I drink enough).

Last year, when I was still on chronic antibiotics, an amount of 0.5 g additional salt a day was enough. My inflammation is still well under control with the current treatment (Skyrizi), but I need a little more salt.

Remember to have your blood levels checked after a few weeks so you can adjust your salt intake.

SteveG,

They have been checking my blood labs every 4 weeks because the sodium was already a concern. I have standing orders on blood labs anyway, due to taking Remicade and also to monitor my TSH due to having thyroid cancer surgery 9 years ago.

That's good to hear. My labs are done every 6 to 8 weeks because of the ongoing biologics treatment.

Just keep eye on ingredients as i was using Ultima replenishments and was going to bathroom alot more and discovered the first ingredient was Magnesium Citrate which is a laxative..

Just an update: my cardiologist, alarmed that my sodium level has gone below 130, has ordered me to stop taking losartan and has doubled my dosage of carvedilol from 12.5 mg to 25 mg. I guess he felt the losartan at 50 mg was a bigger culprit in suppressing the sodium then carvedilol, the beta blocker.

I was also ordered to keep taking my blood pressures and get another blood test end of June.

Hoping to get sodium level up and over 135 by end of June. In the interim, I am keeping my sodium consumption on the high side until the next blood test.