For Those Of You Who Have DRTA

[HealthBuddyMelissa]

What were your symptoms and how were you diagnosed?

[SpiderWrangler]

3 years of low potassium. One hospitalization for hypokalemic arrythmias. Ate so many bananas that I'm now sensitized to them. Being told that my inhaler (that I only hit a couple times a month) is the cause of the hypokalemia. High normal chloride. Hyponatremia or low normal sodium. Being tired all the time despite my thyroid regimen being adequate. Random muscle weakness making working out impossible and dangerous. Random chest pains.

Moving to where I live now, with a new provider who actually listens, she put in a nephrology consult. A couple of days after a 24hr urine, being hospitalized because I was just low enough in potassium (2.9) and ticked off enough boxes (chest pains, arm weakness) they wanted to observe me. So nephrology had a captive audience on which to do their tests. An overnight observation turned to 3 days and two nights in the fabulous Department of Veterans Affairs hotel and casino. Peed in a lot of cups and had a lot of blood taken at random intervals. That wasn't when they uttered the words. They discharged me saying my kidney tubules are messed up, but the words didn't come until the phone call from my now assigned nephrologist a couple of days later.

[HealthBuddyMelissa in reply to SpiderWrangler]

Hmm very intersting. I am thinking this is what I actually have and caused my kidney damage. All of my weird symptoms fit the diagnosis. I see my Nephrologist Monday and I am going to ask him. TY

[HealthBuddyMelissa in reply to HealthBuddyMelissa]

Do you take Sodium Bicarb or ever have issues with Metabolic Acidosis?

[mcsetzers]

Hello! I realize your post is older but thought I would chime in, while searching I found this forum. My daughter, who is 22, had/has? DRTA. It was found an an infant at 1yoa while she had failure to thrive. Her CO was only 15 and chloride was high. So she took bicitra until she was 7 or 8. At that time, the doctor said she 'resolved' and could go off the medicine. Fast forward to 22 years old, she has same symptoms as a kid so I started watching her blood tests and sure enough, her CO has dropped to 18, (over 20 normal) - since it isn't extremely low - the doctor (different doctor now obviously) says ignore it - it's not that bad. I really think this has never really resolved, and it is something she will have for life. Symptoms -(as a child and now) fatique - pretty extreme, electrolytes usually off, some pain in joints, she has extremely low Vitamin D, and very high cholesterol, which I am curious if that has anything to do with it. She now is right on the limit to hypothyroid as well. When were you diagnosed? What age?