Foods

[Hartingdon]

Following heart failure, people told me not to eat bananas any more. Is this correct? I have had 2 ablations for AF, one(cryo) 5 years ago and the radio frequency one 6 months ago following the heart failure episode 14 months ago.

[Lezzers]

Bananas are high in potassium, unless you have high potassium issues there's no reason not to eat them, how many and how often is a question for your heart failure team. Most of what is known as 'heart healthy ' food (leafy green veg, tomatoes, Bananas, sweet potato, legumes, etc) are high in potassium but having low potassium issues can be as bad as high potassium issues so you shouldn't restrict any foods without confirming with your medical team first.

[DodgyTickerMum]

I think this is a question for your Heart Failure Nurses. Every patient is different. My Dad sadly has end stage H.F and is now palliative. He suffers with low potassium (Hypokalemia) which affects his heart and can make him feel very unwell, so has been advised to eat a potassium rich diet and is back on Spironolactone, which is a potassium friendly diuretic.

Equally, Hyperkalemia (too much potassium) can cause serious issues in H.F. The Nurses will be monitoring your levels through regular blood tests and should advise re diet changes suited specifically to you. I would give them or your G.P a call to discuss and put your mind at rest. Hope you get on ok.

[Taviterry]

The two previous replies sum up the situation: one needs to be wary of increased potassium. It would be wrong of us to give individual advice. You may be fortunate in that your surgery may have a pharmacist attached to it, who can look at your medical record and advise; otherwise ask your GP. Personally I find a banana a very handy food, especially when I'm out walking.

(By coincidence, at the time you posted I was reading about a Tour de France winner of the 1990s who put on a lot of weight in the off-season. He tried a diet of four of bananas in the morning and ten at night. "Not advised for anyone with a fragile liver," notes the author.)

[RufusScamp]

It may depend on your meds. I was told to avoid foods high in potassium by one nurse, while others knew nothing about it. Have a word with your pharmacist,

[Alicant in reply to RufusScamp]

I think you’ve summed it up..one says one thing..one another.I question what information they make this decision on!My assessment for HF and AAF done in A&E ..based on echo..so where’s all the other stuff coming from???

[TheBesty]

Some heart meds are known to crank up your potassium levels, spironolactone for example, when they doubled my dose of this, my potassium spiked. Bananas are high in potassium, this is probably why you might be told to lay off bananas or tomatoes a bit, to help with potassium levels maybe?

[Alicant in reply to TheBesty]

How do you know potassium spiked?

[TheBesty in reply to Alicant]

They run my bloods after med changes

[Alicant in reply to TheBesty]

I see … thanks

[Traveldreams]

as already said, depends on your situation. I had to have a high potassium diet immediately after op and disgusting potassium liquids. Not been advised to change now.

[Bluedolphin123 in reply to Traveldreams]

Those potassium drinks are truly awful and the magnesium tablets they give you horrendous 😂

Hope you’re doing well ? x

[Traveldreams in reply to Bluedolphin123]

Honestly, worst part of my recovery and I’m not joking. Doing well thanks. Hope you are too xx

[Bluedolphin123 in reply to Traveldreams]

I know your not joking 😂

I’m 12 weeks post surgery today and doing well too thanks- sometimes I can’t quite believe it after all that wait and worry but onwards and upwards 😊xx

[Traveldreams in reply to Bluedolphin123]

I know it’s like something you’ve made up. I’m making the most of the freedom! Take care xx

[Bluedolphin123 in reply to Traveldreams]

That’s exactly how it feels 😂

I’m also definitely making the most of the freedom too, life is for living so onwards and upwards 😊xx

[Alison_L]

One of my cardio nurses told me you have to eat 36 bananas a day for them to affect your potassium levels. This may have been an exaggeration, but I stick to one a day 😁

[Hartingdon in reply to Alison_L]

Bananarama 😁

[Alicant in reply to Alison_L]

Mine said 35😉😉

[Alison_L in reply to Alicant]

I knew mine was exaggerating

[Kelling in reply to Alison_L]

Excellent reply Alison - laugh of the day cup to you!😂

[Murderfan58]

It may be due to the fact bananas are high in potassium.. I have had to follow a low potassium diet for over 15 years. My old GP gave me a list of foods not to eat and foods I could. Foods that you wouldn't think are high in potassium like tomatoes, mushrooms,spinach ,mango, pineapple the list goes on . I can have boiled potatoes because potassium is dissolved in the water but no crisps ,roast potatoes,chips or baked potatoes. Potassium doesn't dissolve in oil. Dried fruits are high in potassium as the drying process concentrates the potassium.

Your GP or cardiologist should give you a list of high potassium foods to avoid and what is safe to eat .

When I was given the list didn't have heart trouble just my potassium levels to high in my blood .

[Deejay62]

Hi I have severe heart failure and I was put on spironolactone because at the time my nurse asked if I eat bananas and I said no because I don’t like them. I can’t stand the texture of some and they make me feel sick and I choke on them. Occasionally I would add them to a home made smoothie, or I would eat banana bread, and that’s okay for me.

I have annual blood tests and there’s never an issue with potassium. I’ve never been told not to eat bananas. Everything in moderation. All the best.

[iCat]

You are correct to wonder.

Sadly usually the NHS GPs and even Consultants Cardiologists (nevertheless to say Nurses although they are lovely) do NOT proactively react to patients’ kidney functions decline till it is too late.

My husband was put on 14 meds after his STEMI LAD, and in one month his kidney function declined from beginning of 3A to the bottom of 3B (next level 4 is really pre-stage for tranplant/dialysis). Despite it could be preventable by correct dietary advice (yes, including potassium - the Nurses didn’t have any idea of bananas overloading kidneys with this meds cocktail).

I looked at husbands’ red flagged markers for kidney functions and contacted Consultant Cardiologist who confirmed that majority of these meds are nephrotoxic, and they do raise potassium levels (unchecked by the GP despite the advice from the hospital - I needed to demand it for my husband(!)) and even Lansoprazole (for protection of stomach) is known for raising potassium levels.

The (husband’s) meds were then titrated / changed / stopped, I also reduced potassium/phosphorus/proteins in his diet and “miraculously” my husband was back to 3A, and his eGFR from 32 was up to 52 in two weeks.

SUMMARY - the diet for people with CVD should be ACCORDING TO YOUR LABS (especially kidney functions - serum potassium etc).

If you have CVD/HF/CKD or/and on medication etc it is a good idea to demand from your GP regular kidney function blood tests (not less than every 3 months). It also saves money to the NHS on a long run - dialysis and kidney transplants are very expensive.

Cheaper in fact for the NHS is a proper prevention through monitoring (ie an active one - because they just keeping saying “we are keeping an eye on it”…. till stage 4 CKD has come…. and indeed it was a silence from the GP about my husband’s rapid declination of his kidney function - and the acute damage markers didn’t not reflect it in these situations either).

Cardio problems (CVD) usually go together with kidney problems (CKD) which anyway become worse with aging and if not caught early and being corrected with correct diet to PREVENT a next kidney failure stage usually with limiting potassium, limiting phosphorus, limiting protein and bad fats (apart from also reducing/changing nephrotoxic cardio medications).

P. S. If I wasn’t proactive, we needed to think about preparing for a kidney transplant…. I dread to think how many people are in this situation without realising it till it is too late. And in agony that it was preventable.

I hope it might help at least to consider the scope of the potential problem.

Wishing you and everyone a great health xxxxx

[topbook in reply to iCat]

I had a heart attack in January. From the very afternoon after my angioplasty I felt strange. I was sent home nevertheless. These feelings persisted and got worse. I finally discovered what I was having was ectopic heartbeats making ne feel dreadful. I got the docs to swap meds to try to discover what was causing the beats. In the end after my own research discovered that my bp med was raising my potassium levels which was causing the beats. I cut it out with the docs permission, my bp isn't that bad. I also cut out milk, bananas, nuts, avocados etc. and thank goodness the beats have subsided. I read somewhere that only 2% of potassium shows in the blood test, the rest is in the cells.