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Could this be a potassium problem.. advice?

Ladyawkward profile image
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Hey again guys! I'm going to try to cut the pain with my outer chest/collarbone area short. About 3 weeks after beginning treatment for PA (twice weekly shots and twice monthly intravenous b12) I was sitting relaxing when lightning felt like it hit an area by my left collar bone side. It seized up. So painful I was crying and even breathing hurt it. Ever since this happened, it's been 3 months, I've had a few spasms like that to where it feels like it seizes up and excruciating pain completely randomly. I have never had pain like this in my life and if I have it hurt for a few days and never came back. This has hurt for 3 months now. Some days worse than others. It feels crampy. It moves along my arm too into my elbow like right now. Hard to move my arm or even sitting here the area is a squeezing dull horrible pain. My potassium has always been low. About 7 years ago my dr said I need to eat more potassium rich foods since it was 3.3 out of 3.5 being low end. 3 months ago it was 3.6. So it's never been normal.

What are your thoughts on the shoulder area pain? Its ruining my life and even my chiro said he feels no damage, we went through the motions to test what it could be but he said it simply seems like muscle spasms/cramps. It comes and goes as it pleases but hurts every day. I take all my cofactors like folate, iron, magnesium. I was thinking of trying a potassium supplement after asking my dr about it. But the pain is really really worrying me but all drs say they don't think it's anything serious but it again, ruins my life

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Ladyawkward
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Booksellercate profile image
Booksellercate

Is it muscle pain? I know low potassium levels can cause muscle cramping/pain.

Coconut water is an excellent source of potassium and I think liquids can be a good way of squeezing in extra potassium. I too have low potassium and drink 1 litre a day (I'm on daily B12 injections) - and that's a large chunk of my RDA. Tesco currently has a deal on potassium water...Aldi has the cheapest coconut water. It might be worth trying to increase the potassium, see if it helps.

fbirder profile image
fbirder in reply to Booksellercate

I've just switched to using low-sodium salt in my cooking. It's 2/3 potassium chloride instead of sodium chloride (about 50 mg of K per pinch) and is quite cheap from Tesco/Sainsbury.

It does taste slightly different when eaten alone. But used in cooking - well, nobody's commented on my dishes not tasting as good as before. (That, of course, could be because they were horrible before anyway).

Ladyawkward profile image
Ladyawkward in reply to fbirder

Haha! Thank you for the advice :)

Ladyawkward profile image
Ladyawkward in reply to Booksellercate

Yes my chiropractor and massage therapist says it's a muscle. It feels like my collar bone is shattered a lot of the time. It spreads into the side of my arm and just feels crampy. I only have it in that area though.

I will try harder. I'm getting orange juice even though I hate it haha. And prunes and apricots and going to go back to eating a baked potato a day.

Thinking supplements for a little while or something after asking the dr. 3.6 is too low I feel since 3.5 is low end

Ladyawkward profile image
Ladyawkward in reply to Booksellercate

I'll try to drink a 10 oz carton a day... 700mg!

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