Potassium levels very low

The thing you can do immediately is have a banana or two every day. Low potassium can be dangerous, so please take the treatment seriously. Usually low potassium is a side effect of a medication, like a diuretic (water pill). Is that what's going on with you?

I'm not on any water pills.  I haven't changed anything since my last blood draw. If anything I am really working on going off my pills that I was on after my jpouch surgery.  I'm only on Loperamide and Hyoscyamine so tabs.  And I have been on medicine for migranines for over a few years now: trazodone, flexeril, tramadol and fioricet 50/325 (as needed for migraines to help during an attack)

I just don't get it and I am sick of it. My family doctor is putting me on liquid K-dur for two weeks and then get another blood draw.  

Thanks so much

Hello, Grandmaof1.

One of the foods highest in potassium is a sweet potato, which contains 1,100mg. Poke holes in an unpeeled sweet potato and pop into the microwave for 5 minutes or until tender. Or a white potato. A cup of cooked spinach has 840mg. If you like beans, a cup of canned white beans has 1,190mg. Mix the beans with some canned tuna and spinach or celery on toast and you have a good simple meal. Canned tomato sauce is high too. An orange too. V8 juice is high. Take care. 

Lots of liquid stool with a rapid transit time can also reduce potassium. Is it possible you're being too aggressive about getting off of the pills? This only applies if your bowel movements have changed. 

Unless you have a kidney or adrenal/pituitary problem, most likely this is due from too much diarrhea. Taking the concentrated potassium supplement is important, as a proper level of potassium is critical for heart and nerve function. If this is a persistent issue, you might need evaluation by an endocrinologist. Hopefully, it is just a blip. You definitely will more frequent testing than annually!

Jan

Thanks everyone.  You really opened my eyes up on just how our jpouch works.  I guess I'm looking at it in the wrong way.  Having it very runny is not a good thing.  

Thanks again.  This site so amazing.  

I recently developed a deep vein thrombosis in my left calf following 4 long haul flights in a 3 week period. Blood tests done in the diagnosis of this showed that i was dehydrated, had acidosis of my blood and very low potassium levels.

I have a high output pouch and the doctors believe that this is to blame for my problems. Further tests showed that my kidney function is very poor and is about 1/3rd of what it should be. All of this goes to explain why i have been feeling so poorly for the past 6-8 months with a total lack of energy, chronic tiredness, itching and muscle weakness being the most prominent of many symptoms. My family doctor diagnosed the impaired kidney function in June 2016 but said it was not significant and failed to refer me to a specialist, in spite of my asking for a referral. The renal physicians now reckon that these problems have been present for at least 6-8 months and that i have simply been living with them. This is annoying and frustrating, to say the least. I am now on medication to correct the acidosis and potassium levels and treatment for the dvt. Again, i have since been told that patients with a history of inflammatory bowel disease have a 300% greater risk of dvt compared with the general population.

I guess the moral of this story is listen to your body, be aware of changes in how you feel and seek medical advice sooner rather than later. Don't be fobbed off by a disinterested family doctor and be aware that having a pouch can have many effects on systems apparently unrelated to the gut.