Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Low sodium level in blood

First a long winded background:

For over 40 years, every time my blood pressure was checked, it showed 140/80 and no one ever said a word about it until I showed 160/something a few times when my back was hurting.

Now, my doc has bought into the idea that 140/80 is too high and it needs to be down to 120/80, so I was taking amlodopine for it.
Doc also had me taking potassium to counter possible kidney damage, and furosemide (water / pee pill) to further lower the blood pressure and keep the sodium up.

The furosemide had the effect of creating an extreme urgency to pee at some very inconvenient times, and very close calls so I quit taking it.
Every time I go in for checkup and blood tests, the results show that I have low sodium levels and doc warns of dire consequences. I even quit taking ALL meds, to see if the sodium level would recover. No dice. and it always results in an argument about taking the pee pill, which I have refused to do. I told him that I was already having trouble with that horse wanting to run before I could get it out of the barn.

My question to this long tome is, who else has had low sodium issues and what are other possible options to the pee pills ?

Myron

I would get another doctor if he isn't using your input for your treatment! Your meds sounds like they need to be re evaluated.

Exactly!

PM to you.

Do you have a witch doctor? There are potassium sparing diuretics. Very common.

Google Potassium Sparing Diuretics.

Do you drink a lot of water? If you drink more than you should, you can have both high blood pressure, and low potassium.

Read through this thread... http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/10955967/1

It may not help you but it certainly can't hurt...unless you're allergic to tart cherries...

I'm finding out that some herbs, spices, fruits and vegetables are more beneficial than others. I've quit taking all my meds...I feel great & my blood pressure is averaging 15 or so points lower than when I was taking pills. Just last month, I would have bet I wouldn't live to see this summer & now I feel better than I have in 15-20 years...

My annual checkup will be coming due pretty soon & I'm really looking forward to the discussion I'll be having with the Doc...

Dan_Chamberlain,

You didn't read the post.
The problem is LOW SODIUM - not low potassium.

Wyogal sent me a very nice PM last evening that went into detail on the causes and cures. She pretty much verified what the doc had already been preaching. I'm a hard headed old phart who doesn't want to accept change, but will have to suck it up and do it anyway.

The main issue with me is having to undo many years of bad habits - I drink almost NO water but too much coffee, and too much beer.

Looks like some unpleasant (to me) changes are in store.

Myron

Middlefork_Miner,

Yep, I read all the way through that.
That probably isn't enough to turn the tide all by itself, but along with making some personal changes,(see my above response to Dan C) can't hurt anything.

If the cherry juice helps joint and back pain, that is a major benefit by itself. Lord knows I have plenty of that.

Myron

Talked with someone else about this a short while back. Apparently the "one size fit's all" studies that claim Salt is "bad for you" must have been on total Couch Potatoes in Maine.

Do those studies on Construction Workers in Phoenix Az. during the Summer and they will find the opposite is true. Even the Military was smart enough to issue "Salt pills" during extreme Summer Operations everywhere.

In no way could I do my line of physical work without added Salt even in the Winter. It would put me in the Hospital just like others that try it without it here. Sodium is a necessity for life.

It's been a total life changer for me...I've ordered this book on the recommendation of the same group of folks...

http://www.amymyersmd.com/autoimmunesolutionbook/

Bugout4x4,

My first thought when this came up, was that I wasn't eating enough salt. I lightly salt meats and some other foods, but never used an excess of salt or pepper.

I asked doc if adding more salt to the diet would improve my low sodium level, and he responded that it would not.

The solution, if it works, is decreasing intake of coffee and beer, and very old habits are hard to break.

Myron

Bugout4X4 reminded me of another story about salt and construction work:

I worked with a carpenter for a while who at lunchtime opened his lunchbox and got out his sandwich and a salt shaker and a pepper shaker.

He would open his bologna sandwich and turn it snow white with salt, then take the pepper and turn it coal black.

That was enough to turn your stomach. Just about ruined any idea of eating lunch !

Myron

A cup or two of coffee won't hurt nor will a couple beers...The problems start happening when you over indulge with anything...even water. http://drbenkim.com/drink-too-much-water-dangerous.html

I'm thinking the Body needs to maintain a certain PH balance just like Most things Biological. Sodium PH balance is as important as hydrating. For me staying Hydrated helps keep the Sodium and PH balanced by washing out the extra sodium as needed to help keep a proper PH balance. I work very physically hard in very extreme heat conditions and have found myself shy on Sodium quite a few times.

Just adding a little to my food for a few days brings things back in order, I can actually feel it happen now so I know this to be true. We have to have some though and to eliminate it all is dangerous to folks like myself. I agree that Moderation is a good practice along with proper hydration.

I'm not sure Doctors are being Honest about the Sodium situation and here's why...When you go in the Hospital and found to be dehydrated what is the first thing they dump in your vein by the Bagful as soon as possible?

I agree...My son in Law ended up in the Hospital because he was Overhydrated! They told him it rinsed all of the Sodium out of his system, Almost killed him. The human Body, like most animals, does indeed require at least a minimal balance of Sodium.

I use "Realsalt".
It's pinkish, with black flecks, from Utah.
Read their website.

That and "Himalayan Pink Salt" (VERY pink) are the only thing in the house.

The former is from a heath food store, the latter I've only ever seen at wally world.

[quote=speedsixman]Dan_Chamberlain,

You didn't read the post.
The problem is LOW SODIUM - not low potassium.

I read the post. You are taking furosemide. that bleeds off potassium like a big boy. That's why the doc has you taking potassium supplements. That's why I mentioned potassium sparing diuretics. Giving you furosemide is draining your body of potassium.

SSM,

Low Sodium is called Hyponatremia. I learned this TWICE in a month the hard way 1.5 years ago and was in the ICU for days the first time. My sodium was 109 the first time......118 and falling the second time as I went to the ER at the appropriate time as the same symptoms were obvious to me.

Never got an answer from our wonderful medical professionals as to why I suddenly had these bouts at age 50. And I had 8 or 9 doctors look at me. Hadn't been doing anything that I hadn't been doing for 50 years. Very strange.

Usually, it's an issue of over-hydration, as others have mentioned. I had a complete kidney workup at one point cuz I guess there's a kidney disease that can cause this. But...negative with me.

Several doctors recommended a daily fluid restriction......of about 1.2 litres. Other docs called BS on that. I don't think you can even survive on that.

But for along time afterward, I measured my fluids every day at 1 litre of water and 1 litre of low-cal Gatorade. No problems since. One of my more competent docs told me that they have this problem with folks who drink water all day at work and then get the symptoms and an ER/hospital visit. Hyponatremia is common with hikers who overhydrate with water and don't snack on tater chips or pretzels or other salty snacks along the way.

There is a lot on the internet about this. Do your research. It's all there with input from folks.

I have all but quit worrying about mine these days. Those 2 incidents were very weird, and I refuse to worry any more.

I will tell you tho, that the first one when my Na was 109.....was the sickest I've ever been with serious muscle cramps (could hardly move!), dizziness, puking, brain swelling/incoherence, tipping over passing out, and missing time.

I surely didn't know that Sodium....or lack thereof.....played such an important role in the human body.

Take care of yourself.