i was in hospital when my potassium bottomed out on me when i came out i was required to have a blood test to check the potassium levels again which came back as okayish in doctors terms.
the question is why would i then need to have regular monitoring for the above? any advice welcome.
Mine went low as part of an electrolyte imbalance post bypass. There are various causes including some medications. Which ones are you on?
I too had an electrolyte balance like Michael after a bypass. In my case I was rushed to my local hospital critically ill mainly due to an extremely low potassium level. In fact my family were told I might not last 24 hours I was so ill. I was in HDU for two weeks whilst they tried to sort out the imbalance & had many infusions of both potassium & magnesium to try to stabilise them. Eventually the potassium stabilised & stopped dropping. After two weeks I was allowed home but still had to take potassium tablets magnesium powders. I had to have blood tests for about two months until the magnesium level was right, now I have one every few months to keep a check on the levels. After being so ill I am happy to attend.
Apparently the electrolyte imbalance can be a complication of a bypass & perhaps all the heart medications we have to take.
Jean
Snap on the magnesium as well! I think my tablets and powders were the other way around. One abiding memory was I was told to chew a tablet while the nurse fetched some water. For some reason she took her time and was bone dry and unable to speak with my mouth coated with powder!
sorry for the delay i like to lay down for a while to get rid of excess fluid from having a catheter in.
my discharge paper showed some of the meds they thought may of been contributing to the low levels it is sat under a table across.
basically i was infused along with taking a horrible dissoluble tablet this left me feeling like i was in a desert i know it took ages for the levels to go up and they do it slowly for a reason.
if they had sent me home that night before checking my bloods i wouldn't be here writing this so it is a good job that i mentioned something wasn't right.
i had what i only can describe as tingling all over and then the most weird when i tried to move my legs it was like the muscles had suddenly stopped working, i now know this is related to the low potassium levels along with cardio problems.
along with the blood tests i am also required to have another echocardiogram not sure why they need this
Potassium and spironolactone 
Contradicting Dietary advice
Rehab advice needed 
Blood tests
Advice needed 
