question

[S_dillow]

i am currently in the hospital until probably tuesday due to fluid around the heart and a chf flare up.they said my b12was very low and gave me a shot for it.does anyone know if ckd causes this or has experienced this before?

[Bassetmommer NKF Ambassador]

My Neph put me on B 12 before dialysis and now I am on a RenalVit which is mostly B12 and other B vitamins. I was eating mostly plant based for a while and that really lowered my B 12. The natural products like nutritional yeast that have quantity of B12 also have high potassium

[S_dillow in reply to Bassetmommer]

how did you balance?im on potassium pills now.they say i have to either get shots or do tabs after i leave

[Bassetmommer NKF Ambassador in reply to S_dillow]

My potassium before dialysis was constantly going up, and once in a while down. My neph wanted me on a binder. I tried it, hated it. Did not use it. When I went on dialysis, it has been totally in range since. Now I am struggling with phosphorous. Like I have said, CKD is a big game of Wack-a-Mole.

[S_dillow in reply to Bassetmommer]

for real ..

[Badger2024 in reply to S_dillow]

Just get your bloods done regularly. As long as they’re in range they will be fine for both your kidneys and your heart

[Bassetmommer NKF Ambassador in reply to S_dillow]

I should have answered your question better. So to get my potassium a but lower, I stayed away from animal protein, including chicken. Maybe once a week. No legumes, potatoes, tomatoes including sauce, Brussel sprouts, squash and on and on. Very limited food. I ate pasta with cauliflower. I soaked brocolli for hours and them boiled it. I ate salad.... LOTS if salad. Now that my potassium is better, I struggle to eat salad. I ate so much of it, I was turning into a rabbit. I kept a library and tracked all the nutrional values of what I ate. I knew what was good and what to limit.

[S_dillow in reply to Bassetmommer]

thanks bassetnomer im at the salad stage myself

[Darlenia]

Just hopped on here to wish you better health going forward, S-dillow! Whatever you do, coddle that heart of yours. My mother had congestive heart failure for a long time - there are a number of good treatments for it. And while she had fluid build up in her legs (occasionally lungs too), her kidneys worked until she passed away from a stroke in her late 80s. The heart and kidneys are undoubtedly intertwined - the kidneys needing the heart to push blood over to them so they can clean it up and, if that doesn't happen, then electrolytes can build up and the heart suffers - a merry-go-round. Your doctors are likely keeping a close eye on your labs. I trust they'll figure out a way to stabilize the situation and that you'll be back home soon. We're all pulling for you.

[S_dillow in reply to Darlenia]

thanks Darlenia .youdont know how much that helps

[barbara55109]

I think there are several causes of low B12. I have a monthly shot because of my ileostomy. B12 is absorbed at the terminal illum, the last bit of the small intestine. Since I had two temporary ileostomies before my final one I lost a lot of my terminal illum and can't absorb B12 pills or B12 in food. So I get a monthly shot. I know many seniors get B12 shots, but I don't know why.

I hope they can help with the csf. My thoughts are with you.

[S_dillow in reply to barbara55109]

thank you barbara.

[WYOAnne NKF Ambassador]

Even now for me, 24 years post transplant, I have to take B12 2000mcg two tabs daily.

[S_dillow in reply to WYOAnne]

wow.they did say id be leaving the hospital with b12 tabs.unfortunately now it may be as late as wednesday.

[S_dillow]

im home with b12 and half a valsartin as well as increased lasix ..so far so good.

[Darlenia in reply to S_dillow]

Good news! Doctors today can pull one through things today that was unheard of some decades ago. I trust that you'll be stable for a very long time!

[Nana16]

I'm very glad you are back home. I just wanted to wish you well, and hope you'll be able to keep a balance for years to come.

[S_dillow in reply to Nana16]

thank you nana.holding steady so far.that was very sweet of you