Potassium wasting kidney

[BumbleBeeBumble]

I have been suffering with potassium wasting for about 2 years. I am currently on 40 meq a day and maintaining at around 3.7 to 3.8. But it will still get too low regularly.

Now the new doctor is looking into me possibly having Renal Tubular Acidosis.

Looking for anyone that might have this. How do you manage this? How were you finally diagnosed? Tell me your story.

[orangecity41]

Blood tests showed high uric acid and potassium . I am CKD level 3b. My Doctor prescribed a gout medicine and now blood work shows normal range. I have been taking it for over a year. Potassium restricted on the CKD diet which is helping potassium levels. The Doctor is monitoring both.

[BumbleBeeBumble in reply to orangecity41]

Oh you had high potassium with RTA?

[orangecity41 in reply to BumbleBeeBumble]

I was not diagnosed with RTA, however had both the blood levels of potassium and uremic acid, in addition to phosphorus and sodium, which are also restricted on prescribed CKD diet.

[Bassetmommer]

HI BBB,

I had VERY high uric acid. But it is from Psoriatic Arthritis. The disease makes the blood extremely acid and I had years of many uric acid stones. Huge ones. The combination of the stones and acid damaged the kidneys, now the other way around for me. I was finally started on allopurinol and that stopped the stones. My blood acid level remained high until I was put on sodium citrate and has come down and remained in a normal level since. Do not take this with out doctor's approval as it is high in sodium. But my sodium level is fine.

I can have high potassium levels depending on what I eat. I eat a ton of salad in the summer and it goes up. Then it goes back to normal level when I am eating less salad. I am not on a medication for it now, but I did try Valtessa for about 3 months when I was first diagnosed with stage 4...... not a fan.

[orangecity41 in reply to Bassetmommer]

I also am taking Allopurinol.

[HealthBuddyMelissa]

I would ask your doctor about taking sodium bicarb. It is a buffer and may help. I am saying may help because it may not as well. It works great for acidosis but all kidney patients are different. There may be a reason you can't take it. It is cheap too so that is a plus. I take it twice a day. I do not have same diagnosis as you but had very bad metabolic acidosis when first diagnosed. Diet and sodium bicarb was a big help for me.

[BumbleBeeBumble in reply to HealthBuddyMelissa]

Thanks, this has been suggested before. Little hesitant to do things that might mess with all the blood work my doctor keeps ordering.

[HealthBuddyMelissa in reply to BumbleBeeBumble]

That is why I said ask your doctor. I don't just take it. It was prescribed for me due to acid build up and it worked. That doesn't mean anyone should just do it.