How fast does it take to lower Potassium through diet?

[rieraclaelin]

Hi all! I posted here not too terribly long ago with concerns about some blood work that showed my Potassium values at 5.4, and my Anion Gap at 14. I was concerned about it possibly being Kidney Disease.

I've since gone to get my blood work retested for the Potassium, and it had dropped back down to 4.6. My doctor told me to go back on my original diet since that test came back normal, and my test in June was also normal at 4.0. She also wasn't concerned about the Anion Gap, said that the calculations she did for some... Ratio, thing, put it in the normal range? I was a little unclear about that. But she thinks the potassium was a result of either dehydration or an error when they were drawing the blood.

I guess my question is, how fast can you lower your potassium through diet? I know it can take weeks or longer for the levels to raise with your diet, but does it also take that long to lower?

When I got the original results that showed my potassium at 5.4, I was terrified of eating anything because everything has potassium I got the original results back on a Thursday night, hardly ate anything Friday-Monday. I'm supposed to be getting between 1800-2000 calories a day with my diet (numbers by my dietician), and I was lucky to hit 1300 some of those days. My potassium intake was anywhere from 1500-2000, I'd say.

I had a phone appt with my doctor on Monday morning, and she told me she suspected an error, but sent in the orders for the retest. I went immediately after I got off the phone with her, and I had the results Tuesday morning showing that it was back down to 4.6.

Could that be enough time to lower my potassium that quickly, or could it just have been like the doctor said. Dehydration or an error?

My anxiety has *mostly* calmed down about all of this, but, I'm still finding myself trying to eat lower potassium every day, stopping around that 2000 mark. I know low potassium can be bad, too, so, I'm kinda in that stuck in between thing in my mind I figured I'd come here and ask you all about the length of time it takes to lower stuff like that.

Thanks!

[Bassetmommer NKF Ambassador]

Potassium is relative to what you have eaten before your test. But I have found that is not always the case either. I have watched my potassium intake for almost 3 years now. It is up and down and I am pretty consistent with what I eat. It does go up in the summer when I was eating a lot of home grown lettuce. But I have labs where it has dropped and then the next lab it was up. If your potassium is usually high, then be mindful and keep your eye on your high potassium foods. If it was just one test, then I would not be as concerned. And yes, there are many factors with lab tests that can skew the result. That's why it is best to do labs over a period of time for diagnosis.

[Darlenia]

Nice to hear your potassium is in the normal range. Potassium, magnesium, sodium, chloride, etc. all belong in the grouping called electrolytes. Keeping them in the normal range is important as they regulate your cardiac system, among other things. Dehydration can indeed affect electrolyte numbers, so stabilizing numbers by eating and drinking in a nice regular manner is the way to go in my opinion. Sounds like you're doing a good job.

[Helloyall]

Don't eat processed foods,, bacon, lunch meat, or even the cheaper brined chicken they sell. and limit the dairy to one cup of milk or equivilent so you hit the 800 mg. RDA of potassium without sacrificing calories is you want to maintain it gain weight. These tests do vary daily so as doctor pointed put you have to see at least 2 or more to follow trend.