Low Sodium Level

[Silkdog]

I just received my blood test results and my sodium level is on the low side. The typical normal range for sodium in the blood is between 135-145 millimoles per liter and mine was at 134 (it has been in the late-130s in the past.) I don't think it's serious as it's only one point below the normal level. However, I want to take some precautions to avoid the level from going down any further.

I am at Stage 3 and was told to drink a lot of water, but I found out that drinking too much water can dilute the sodium levels in the blood, leading to hyponatremia. And I was told to drink a lot of water prior to the blood test and that's what I did. I wonder if that's the reason my sodium level was low.

Anyone has thoughts/comments/suggestions on this subject?

Thank you.

[Bassetmommer NKF Ambassador]

I would guess drinking too much water before the test will really impact the results. Anytime you drink too much water, you affect the balance of electrolytes and other chemicals in the body. It is such a dance we have to do. Too much or too little, we need to be just right. Ask your doctor how much he/she feels you need. I think for CKD, 60-74 ounces daily is good. Days you eat something salty, flush with a good drink. Days your don't sweat, or eat salt, keeping it around 64 ounces is good. It is possible to fudge your results with too much water before a blood test.

[orangecity41 NKF Ambassador in reply to Bassetmommer]

So true have to keep things in balance.

[lowraind in reply to orangecity41]

I have long thought that it is not wise to try do anything that does not reflect what you normally do before a blood test. I want to see an accurate reflection of the true condition of my kidney so that I can make the changes necessary for my life, not for a blood test.

[orangecity41 NKF Ambassador in reply to lowraind]

I completely agree on blood tests preparation.

[Herewegoagain12 in reply to orangecity41]

I agree. I need to know that my numbers are reflective of my daily living.

[orangecity41 NKF Ambassador in reply to Herewegoagain12]

I feel also that our daily living changes as one ages.

[Silkdog]

Thank you for all the reply.

lowraind, I agree with you. The only reason I drank more water than usual before the test was because the tech who did the test tell me I should drink lots of water to prepare for the test, I also do fasting as well.

I read from another forum that someone was sent to the ER by his doctor after his blood test because the readings showed unusual numbers for the kidney. At the ER, he was told that he was dehydrated along with some of his meds, which cause the bad numbers.

So what's too much and what's too little? I guess sometimes we just can't win them all.

[drmind]

I had to lower the amount of water i drank every day because my sodium level was coming back in the low and very low level. This made me think I needed to consume more salt. But, I wised up fast. Be careful and watch these numbers

[Silkdog in reply to drmind]

Hello drmind,

So what did you do to get your sodium level back up? I consume very small amount of salt (Kosher Salt) daily. I have a doctor appointment scheduled next week and will consult with my doctor as well.

[drmind in reply to Silkdog]

I wrote a lengthy reply, but I guess i didn't send it properly and its lost. Anyway, I stopped drinking as much water as I had been drinking, but I did it with supervision from my primary doctor. I went from drinking 8 to 10 glasses to 5 to 6 glasses a day. PLEASE do not do this yourself unless your doctor advised you to do it. Now, my sodium level is within the normal range and all my urine labs are within the normal range. BTW all my labs are in the normal range except my GFR and creatinine. So, be careful not to follow suit unless you have medical supervision. We are all different with different labs and different medical problems. We have to take those into consideration when we want to make changes. BTW I limit my sodium to 2000 mg or less a day. Hope this helps.,

[drmind in reply to drmind]

oops, I guess both my posts went through. Sorry, I'm just having one of those days.

[Silkdog in reply to drmind]

Thank you. I definitely will consult with my doctor before making any changes.

[drmind in reply to Silkdog]

👍

[Darlenia]

I've posted about my experience when I took sodium out of our meals. Although I don't have kidney disease I was being supportive to my hubby whose kidneys were failing. Long story short, I passed out several times in restaurant. I quickly discovered sodium is a very important electrolyte - my blood pressure was too low, my heart skipped beats, etc. During subsequent visits to my own doctor, I discovered that drinking too much water can definitely lower creatinine as well as salt levels in labs. So, I make a point to season my meals appropriately (about a teaspoon of salt daily), drink an average amount of liquids (around 7 cups of water), etc. Keep in mind that a lot of drinks are in supersized cups. Anyway, with that regimen, my sodium stays in the low normal range, my chloride dips somewhat below that. I make sure to drink fitness drinks when I'm perspiring a lot. I have to reiterate that I'm in decent health. So ask your own doctor what you need to do to accommodate your own medical needs. If you're in Stage 3a, it's likely you can follow a normal diet, but I'm not sure about Stage 3b. Like high blood pressure, low blood pressure can damage your kidneys too. It's a balancing act.

[Silkdog in reply to Darlenia]

Thank you for your info. I am at stage 3a, no symptom at all. I still consume salt but much much less than I used to. I think the reason of my "low" level (which is only one point below the normal) is probably because of the water in my body.

[Darlenia in reply to Silkdog]

I'd say likely.

[orangecity41 NKF Ambassador in reply to Darlenia]

My CKD diet is also based on high blood levels of sodium, potassium, and phosphorus. So far working for me.

[chicablue]

I do make an effort to drink more water the day before my blood tests, at the request of my phlebotomists. My veins are small and damaged due to the sepsis I had, and I need to be well hydrated just to enable them to successfully draw my blood. Otherwise, I have never been a water drinker. Tap water is deemed unfit to drink where I live, and back in the 80's the trend was bottled water until they discovered plasticizers. Now there is only one brand of bottled water I will drink and I get that shipped to me. I don't try to skewer my test results, but I do a better job of limiting my potassium before tests.

[Silkdog in reply to chicablue]

That could be the reason I was told to drink more water to prepare for the test as sometimes the Tech has difficulty finding a good vein to draw blood, because I am thin.

[Halebopp]

I have been told by the lab tech that I should drink water before the blood draw because it facilitates the blood draw. I have small veins & scar tissue from the many, many lab sticks. I’ve actually had my blood flow stop part way through the draw because I’m not properly hydrated.

[PecanSandie]

I have to drink lots of water before tests because the blood test is always coupled with the urine test and if I don't water there won't be any pee for them. Sad but true.

[WildIris]

I also have tiny rolly veins and drink lots of water before a blood test or the phlebotomist can't draw the blood. The osmality of my blood is always a little low, sodium and chloride are borderline low. Creatinine, phosphorous and potassium are actually a bit higher than the results indicate, I have to assume. For me, drinking less is not an option, it takes the phlebotomist long enough as it is, and often several pokes. Blood cell counts are borderline low too. Do you suppose people without kidney disease also have slightly altered results, or is this an effect of slightly slowed kidneys? My nephrologist didn't seem to think it should matter, another doctor told me sternly not to drink so much.

[Silkdog]

I recalled I didn't drink much water prior to the test and at that time my eGFR was 47 but sodium level was fine. That's when the tech told me to drink lots or water because she had hard time finding the veins. So the next time I drank lots of water (about 16 fl oz) and my eGFR went up to 60 but my sodium level was getting lower, but still at the normal level. Last time it went down to 134 which was one point lower than normal and my eGFR was at 59. I don't know if drinking lots of water have any effects on my eGFR or not.