I've just had a call from my doctor to tell me my usually good potassium level has gone to 5.7 with kidney function of 57 any ideas what could cause this?
Potassium and Kidneys: I've just had a... - Atrial Fibrillati...
Potassium and Kidneys
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fairgo45
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Do you know what the name of the test for kidney function is? What meds are you taking? Etheral
It was just an ordinary blood test for kidney function which has been deteriorating each time it was taken I don't know why.Then a high potassium level 5.7 .
Im taking diltiazam a calcium blocker, and warfarin plus blood pressure pills candesartan and Jardiance for heart failure .
apart from the last pill I've taken all the others for years
I'm seeing my GP Friday so hope for an explanation
Did you eat lots of slow cooked meat before the test? It happened to me that I had low glomerular filtration rate because of eating lot of meat. Meat has lots of creatine and slow cooking converts it to creatinine and than your calculated glomerular filtration rate could look like bad. Repeat the test maybe it will be ok now. For elderly above 60 is ok. I eat row yellow fin tuna now. Therefore avoiding fauls positive kidney function test results.
You should be well hydrated. Your kidneys will thank you and your glomerular filtration rate will be better. Never allow to be dehydrated.
"an you drink coffee while taking Jardiance?
Caffeine can make you urinate more often, and so can Jardiance. Drinking caffeinated beverages during your Jardiance treatment can raise your risk for dehydration even more. If you drink coffee, tea, or other beverages that contain caffeine, it's best to limit your intake during your Jardiance treatment.
healthline.com › drugs
Jardiance: Side Effects and How to Manage Them - Healthline"
"Jardiance also works to lower blood sugar. The combination may decrease your blood sugar to an unsafe level. So your doctor may recommend avoiding or limiting the amount of garlic or green tea you consume. Also, both caffeine and Jardiance can cause side effects , such as urinating more often than usual.
medicalnewstoday.com › ...
Jardiance interactions: Alcohol, supplements, and more"
Thank you for all that information. I don't eat any processed meat mainly chicken and some fish and lots of vegetables and fruit.
Jardiance is taken with at least 2 litres a day of mostly water I don't drink coffee at all as I have afib Also never even tried green tea.
I'm not yet 60 and my creatine levels are normal.
I appreciate all the info you have sent I'm sure it will be useful
Did they take a Magnesium blood range ? And what was your Sodium level?
Low Magnesium and Sodium can cause a short term blip and cause a high Potassium range.
Was the test fasting , or had you had a multivitamin containing potassium before the test?
High potassium food like banana or orange juice can cause a short term spike.
Have you had any other symptoms like dizziness or lower back pain?
Hi, Why are you taking the Jardiance? Normal creatinine levels bode well. Is it your GFR that is rising (urine test))? A potassium over 6 can cause dangerous arrythmias. Best etheral
I take Jardiance for heart failure with preserved ejection fraction also called left stiff heart syndrome it helps me breathe
Your glomerular filtration rate was calculated from the creatinine levels. That is great that you are not dehydrated.
Your kidney function can be affected by your ventricular function so it might be a good idea to contact your cardiologist/nurse about this. You may need a repeat echocardiogram to check. Medication can certainly have an impact, so that’s also something that might need to be looked at.
Creatinine levels are going to be lower if you are female, post menopause and/or slight in build as it can be a reflection of muscle mass. Abnormalities with creatinine can be either be to do with the muscles or with the kidneys.
I’m assuming your GP or specialist is going to order a urine test to get a more accurate picture.
eGFR of 57 isn’t excessively low. My hospital reports normal eGFR as >60, so it’s borderline and it may well come back into the normal range if you repeat the test in a few weeks. It’s the long term trend that matters more.
There is good dietary advice available for people who need to be on a low potassium diet. If you can get a referral to a registered dietitian who specialises in renal health, this could help you a lot. Registered dietitians usually work in hospitals and in my experience very knowledgeable. Demand is high, and if it’s the NHS the referral criteria can be strict, but if you don’t ask you don’t get.
Also, be careful with supplements especially those that contain electrolytes. I know magnesium supplements are popular but it IS an electrolyte and you’re actually giving your body (and your kidneys) more work to do as they have been tasked with keeping your electrolytes within a strict range. If in doubt seek professional advice. A few people on an internet forum raving about their favourite supplements isn’t the best source of health advice. Their kidney function may be very different from yours, and they may not have HF either.
Keep well hydrated but don’t overdo it! I’ve ended up with low sodium from over enthusiastic water intake.
Thanks I've just had an echocardiogram and holter monitor so waiting on results. I've never had high potassium before and a year ago my kidney function was 70 so there is a reason it's gradually dropped to 57 my statin was increased to 40mg from 20mg I wonder if that could be factor?
For your peace of Mind please repeat your test. In medicine you should not act or to be overly worried just because one borderline kidney function test which could be even false positive or just simply a lab error. I had at least 2 low calculated from the creatinine Level GFR.
If you after drinking enough water repeat your low GFR result than you should start to warried. My most recent gfr is 85 after I stopped Metformin temporarily. I am also taking ACE inhibitors for blood pressure management. My Perindopril Arginine can also lower my kidney function. Therefore you should discuss your next lab results with your doctor if it is not in a normal range. I myself never make a big deal out of one slightly out of range lab result until I repeat the test. Usually it gets better.
According to Merck increasing doses of statins can rarely cause hyperkalemia and renal failure. Discuss this with a Nephrologist. Etheral
Statins can be a problem, I remember years ago, my doctor put me in a statin, can’t remember which one, did a blood test few weeks later and my potassium was too high, had me to go off of the statin, redid the test couple weeks later, was normal. Put me on Crestor and I have been on it for years with no potassium problem.
Good point and my GP has arranged for a retest in 2 hours time (NZ).If it's the same as before then I'll worry
Good luck with the retest
Thanks I should know by thursday
This started happening to my wife and after a zillion doctor visits and a hospitalization come to find out it was from her taking ibuprophen. She stopped and her levels came back down to normal after a few weeks.
That's interesting but I don't take any painkillers except paracetamol I'm hoping though that it is one of the meds I take
dehydration? I was hospitalised in the summer with low kidney function and low potassium which brought on another episode of afib. I thought I was drinking plenty but apparently not.
My problem.is the opposite high potassium not low I'm careful to drink 2 litres a day mostly water but a few cups of tea as well
Me too High Potassium for the last 4 tests. Told to stop eating bananas, tomatoes and potato’s none of which I eat very often🤷♀️ it’s a mystery
Plus what is weird is, we need 3500 mg a day of potassium and a banana has about 700 mg. I can never get enough potassium to equal the RDA (recommended daily allowance). Sometimes if the tech leaves the tourniquet on too long it can abnormally affect the potassium results, making it too high.
Are there any plans to retest?I have had both potassium level & alt levels outside of limits & both ok on retest
You need to deal with this immediately. My levels were also always fine despite having mild kidney failure. but last year April my Doctor gave me a couple doses of Spirolactase for water retention in my legs. I collapsed and was rushed to the hospital and almost died that night because of massive potassium overload. It took them over a month to clean the toxic potassium out of my body, during which I almost died twice again. This is nothing to mess around with. All my electrolyte values were messed up. That treatment to balance my electrolytes was horrendous, and I ended up having to stay in hospital for almost a year, You need an expert evaluation immediately, don't take this lightly. Too much potassium can stop your heart. You may be 1 banana away from death.
I believe you mean Spironolactone. I went also into a high potassium range and ended up in the hospital for testing. Upon retest at hospital, my potassium range was under the danger zone. I am taking it for primary aldosteronism and not water retention although I do question cardiologist doling out this drug instead of a diuretic drug for water retention.
Potassium levels are notoriously difficult, which is why they almost always retest. The margin of error is at least 10% if I remember right. That means plus or minus 10%. For the best results use a really warm relaxed arm with little muscle action. Do NOT use the garot, and do not clench the fist. [most of those taking the blood seem not to know this, sigh.]. I have to go to the hospital for my tests to avoid transit problems from the GP. In addition, a high Potassium does not automatically mean there is something wrong. But, it can be very very dangerous.
hi
some medications will contain potassium.
i. was prescribed a constipation med by a new DR. But on checking with my usual DR she said NO YOU CANT HAVE THAT.
my blood test at the time before taking it is at 4.5.
5 up is toxic. usually you are given a pill to bring it down. i watched a seminar by yr RADCLIFFE research.
first reduce bananas. are you taking any supplements? i dont take any.
cheri JOY. 74. NZ
Hi Joy
I take magnesium but always have and it didnt raise my potassium levels, yes im keeping off the bananas just have to wait till tomorrow till i see the GP
hi
it could be your magnesium supplement. stop it and get retested.
cherio JOY
yes same here I only occasionally eat a banana, sometimes tomatoes but only home grown ones, yes to potatoes but ive eaten them all my life without a rise in potassium levels, im also concerned my kidney function has gradually been declining from 70 las year to 57 the other day have to wait and see what the doctor says
Hello Fairgo, I just had my response to you vanish, I hope you dont get this twice, I had the exact same thing happen to me. I just had a blood test and was told to stop eating bananas. My potasium was 5.6. This happened before, a couple of years ago and I tried to keep away from everything where I could see potasium on the label and it worked reducing the potasium to a normal level. My kidney function has deteriorated to 51 from 67 four months ago. The only thing different in my life since four months ago is that I was given amiodarone 200 (I have had lots of reactions) and there must be some connection, although the cardiologist just dismissed my question. Are you taking or doing anything different? I think that eating kidney healthy foods and staying hydrated with lots of water may help improve this. I will be taking another blood test in 2 months. All the best to you.
As you say the trend of KF is down (more relevant than a one off reading), I would seek advice from an experienced Integrated Practitioner or Naturopath.
I'm sorry to hear you're kidney fraction is down. Mine is down to 7.1 %. I'm not qulfied to answer this but on doing my research Afib can cause it's over having afib to long time of having been in president xx
Try to drink enough fluid. Try to avoid dehydration. The recommendation is 9 cups of water per day for you.:
"General recommendations
The National Academy of Medicine suggests an adequate intake of daily fluids of about 13 cups and 9 cups for healthy men and women, respectively, with 1 cup equaling 8 ounces. [1] Higher amounts may be needed for those who are physically active or exposed to very warm climates. Lower amounts may be needed for those with smaller body sizes. It’s important to note that this amount is not a daily target, but a general guide. In the average person, drinking less will not necessarily compromise one’s health as each person’s exact fluid needs vary, even day-to-day.
Fever, exercise, exposure to extreme temperature climates (very hot or cold), and excessive loss of body fluids (such as with vomiting or diarrhea) will increase fluid needs.
The amount and color of urine can provide a rough estimate of adequate hydration. Generally the color of urine darkens the more concentrated it is (meaning that it contains less water). However, foods, medications, and vitamin supplements can also change urine color. [1] Smaller volumes of urine may indicate dehydration, especially if also darker in color."
hsph.harvard.edu/nutritions....
Hi
2 months have passed since my post and I increased the amount of liquid I drank and used less salt as well.
Last week my potassium was 4.6 normal and kidney function 70% so much improved thank you and all others who offered similar advice
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