Anybody experience Hypokalemia on B12 injections?

[DaveT81]

Asking as I already have atrial fibrillation (ablated 2017) and have been having increased ectopics since the start of 20.

However, since starting injections every 3 days about 2 weeks ago, the ectopics have become more intrusive and frequent.

Obviously, only way to know if that's what it is is to get tested but I'm not keen to let my GP know I'm self-injecting.

I'm taking an oral Potassium supplement at the moment, around 4 tablets (99mg each) per day.

I usually take mag and occasionally potassium for the ectopics anyway. Last couple of nights though my breathing has gotten a little worse when lying down and my heart has been a bit more aggravated.

I'm probably going to have to mention to my GP if I can actually get an app with him this week. Any thoughts in the meantime, though?

[Nackapan]

If you only take potassium occasionally on 'doctors Instructions' why are you taking it every day now?

If you thinking needed as having b12 injections you only need food sources . Bananas coconut water ext.

Only take potassium tablets on prescription.

Folic acid 400mcg is the most needed unless in prescription for a short time.

Yes do get an appointment with your doctor if you have concerns.

Or reduce the injection frequency??

I hope your symptoms settle.

[DaveT81 in reply to Nackapan]

Sorry, I didn't say I take it on doctor's instructions. Getting a GP in the UK to prescribe anything, unless you're on your knees, is a bloody miracle. Hence why I'm also self injecting. Levels were low, but not out of the range of normal.

With regards to the potassium, the occasionally is in periods of a week or two at a time, along with magnesium, if my afib symptoms are playing up. The supplemented potassium helps settle the arrhythmias. Along with L-arginine and Taurine it's a great cocktail for heart arrhythmias. But no, no doctor would prescribe.

I'm looking into making smoothies for my potassium intake, as I don't get close to enough in my diet and I have a lot of dietary and IBS issues too. So not as easy for me to take what I need that way.

Hoping to see my doctor this week and see whether he'll sort out some bloods.

[JanD236 in reply to DaveT81]

I’m no expert but I am under the impression that potassium supplements should only be taken under medical supervision where levels can be monitored.

When I google ‘symptoms of high potassium in blood’ it mentions ‘trouble breathing, chest pain and palpitations and irregular heartbeats’ amongst other things. Sounds like what you’re experiencing so if it were me I’d be stopping the potassium supplements immediately (unless prescribed).

[DaveT81 in reply to JanD236]

Yeah, I found that too. Funny thing is, hyper and hypo both produce the same symptoms.

I only began supplementing potassium when the symptoms started about 10 days ago though.

Also, I've had a serious breathing problem for over 2 years (which I didn't mention here), which ebbs and flows between really bad, and just bad. It may well be what you say, but I'm more inclined to think it's low potassium.

I'm not taking anymore though, until I see my doctor.

[JanD236 in reply to DaveT81]

Good luck with the Dr appt, hopefully they’ll investigate more and find some answers.

[Gambit62 Administrator]

DaveT81 - if you can't speak to your GP then at least speak to a pharmacist. Both Hypo and hyperkalemia are dangerous.

Hypokalemia is only a factor if you actually had anaemia when you started supplementing.

I really wouldn't recommend using potassium supplements without medical supervision.

[DaveT81 in reply to Gambit62]

Thanks gambit. I wasn't anaemic, that I know of, when I started supplementing.

I was following Dr Myhill's guidance on CFS/ME sufferers injecting B12 but I've stopped the potassium now. I'll try to at least speak to my GP this week at some point, hopefully.

[Kerrierach in reply to Gambit62]

Quick question - what do you mean by Anaemia? Do you mean macrocytosis or iron Anaemia?

[Gambit62 Administrator in reply to Kerrierach]

my understanding is that the risk is associated with the need for extra potassium when creating new red blood cells so I'd expect it to be a risk factor with both micro and macrocytic anaemias but I'm not medically qualified.

[Kerrierach in reply to Gambit62]

Hello Gambit62/ fbirder

Could I ask your opinion please on iron? There are two conflicting views: B12 injections bring down iron levels and B12 will help absorption of iron and therefore increase them. I don’t have and never had macrocytosis. If iron, like potassium, is used in the formation of red blood cells only if there is macrocytosis, does it imply I don’t need to keep an eye on iron?

Please let me know if you need time to start a new post on this.

I’d appreciate any advice on this, thank you. I try to keep off social media forums as they create anxiety for me on these subjects.

[Gambit62 Administrator in reply to Kerrierach]

Kierrerach - would you mind starting another thread for this rather than hijacking the current thread

[Kerrierach in reply to Gambit62]

certainly

[jarlethblue]

yes...I experienced severe heart palps and breathing problems when I started injecting. I found it very distressing but i hugely upped my potassium in a safe way by drinking coconut water - lots of it and eating high potassium foods like bananas and melon. The RDA for potassium each day is 4,700 so four 99mg is a low dose . It is definitely worth getting your potassium levels checked as it is a very serious issue if they fall below a certain level . At one stage my doctor put me on a prescribed potassium supplement which i was able to taper off as my B12 levels settled.

[DaveT81 in reply to jarlethblue]

Thanks, I'm going to get my potassium tested and maybe ease off the injections until I do.

Did you start having these symptoms soon after starting your inj?

[jarlethblue]

I cannot exactly remember the timeline as it was a few years back but i think it was within weeks of starting injections. It would certainly be important to get your pottasium levels checked and maybe just space your injections further apart. x

[fbirder]

Hypokalemia is only a problem if you had macrocytic (large cell) anaemia caused by a B12, or folate, deficiency. If you did then the body puts on a burst of red cell formation when the B12/folate is replenished. That can reduce potassium stores for a few weeks until there are enough red cells.

If you didn't have macrocytic anaemia then the body will not make a lot of new cells (because it doesn't need to) and potassium stores will be unaffected.

[DaveT81 in reply to fbirder]

Thank you, fbirder. That's very helpful and reassuring. Much appreciated!

[Kerrierach in reply to fbirder]

I have spent many weeks confused and therefore anxious about this and tried to find the science behind it. Your reply makes complete sense.

[OriginalSpinach in reply to fbirder]

I do have macrocytic anemia. My MCV for the past 7 years has hovered around 100. I had one good result of 93 and that was 3 months after getting loading shots of Cyanocobalamin when I was first diagnosed with B12 deficiency over a year ago. My doctor stopped my shots after that and I took only sublingual B12 since then (and folic acid) and my MCV is back up to 99. I could feel some of my B12 deficiency symptoms coming back so my doctor agreed to resuming shots once a month. The first one went OK, but after the second and third I felt like I was going to pass out and I ended up in the ER the second time. I felt weak in my legs, dizzy, and like I was going to faint. It was scary. I wondered afterwards if my potassium had suddenly dropped a few hours after the B12 shot. The first time it happened, I drank a sports drink at home and it resolved in a few hours. The second time I brought a sports drink with me to the ER, drank it there, and in the SIX hours I waited to be seen I started feeling better. My potassium was checked and was normal, but that was a few hours after I drank the Body Armor. MY MCV was still 99. I am actually feeling pretty well now, after a month of feeling crummy. My dilemma now is that when it comes time for my next shot, will the same thing happen? I talked to my doctor today and he said he never heard of Cyanocobalamin shots causing a drop in potassium. However, I have read about it in numerous places online. I’m afraid to taking my next shot in a few weeks (I self administer them now). What do you think?

[jade_s in reply to OriginalSpinach]

This post is 3 years old & fbirdir is no longer around. I suggest you make a new post of your own. Welcome to the forum.