Low potassium

[Csavo]

I have had RA for over 13 years now and and on orencia and salazoprin atm I am have to take supplements for low potassium have never had this before and wondering if this is common and should I be worried

[medway-lady]

If your GP has prescribed potassium then it’s vital you follow their instructions. But potassium blood tests can be strange as if the blood isn’t kept properly it does give strange readings. A few years ago after a blood test I got summoned to local A&E for a repeat as technically my potassium reading indicated I was dead. Actually I was fit and well but the test was repeated to be normal and that was great.

[Marionfromhappydays]

A low potassium would always be investigated by a GP , common causes might be certain drugs (diuretics, drugs which cause you to urinate more), diet , any recent bouts of diarrhoea or vomiting etc. They would access your kidney function too .

I worked in a hospital lab for years running these tests and we had a few patients who ran a low potassium but it is something which was kept an eye on as potassium is a really important element to keep in balance. I would have thought your GP would know or be looking for the cause and not just treating the symptoms. As mentioned above it can be caused by a whole variety of methods and some of them are benign.

I would ask your GP specifically why you have the low potassium

[Csavo in reply to Marionfromhappydays]

I just got a call from the receptionist to say a script was left out after routine blood test and back today to do repeats so will ask the nurse if she can tell me anything thank you for your reply

[Joken]

I had a problem with low potassium. Eating a banana a day has brought it back in range!

[medway-lady in reply to Joken]

Only be a bit careful as totally banned if a person has CKD.

[Poppy-21]

I am on Orencia with methotrexate and the Doctor has rang me a couple of times to repeat blood test due to low potassium. She always advises me to eat bananas and apricots, which seems to have solved the problem.

[Artemise]

Have had similar in the past and received treatment, which re-balanced it. Also, as well as bananas already mentioned, strawberries, cantaloupe melon, avocado and other similar foods can also help.

[Pinkypie2018]

I recently had problems with low potassium. I was given supplements to take 3 times a day for a week then all went back to normal thankfully. I was told if the supplements didn’t work they would investigate further.