Urea and Electrolytes

[prunus]

Serum Sodium range 133 - 146

Can I have some help please? In the last 5months my reading has been <133. What can I do to try to get it within the range?

[Hidden]

Hi. How much below 133? Lots of people have slightly lowered sodium.

[prunus in reply to Hidden]

131 or 132 so not a lot below.

[Hidden in reply to prunus]

No. I had a lowish sodium but didn't do anything. My mum and dad both had low sodium and fluids were limited... But they had very serious health issues.

If you feel OK then I wouldn't worry but you could make squash with salt and sugar in as an home made electrolyte drink. Oh and I think they weren't allowed bananas for a while.

[prunus in reply to Hidden]

I feel OK so will leave it - thanks.

[scats]

Last year my husband was hospitalised and the cause was found to be low sodium. His got as low as 118 and it was making him quite ill. He was put on a saline drip which made a little difference, he needed to reduce his fluid intake as well.

Eventually by reducing fluid to 1lt a day his sodium increaced to 125. This level of fluid intake was very difficult to maintain and it was slowly increaced to 1.5lt.

He is at home now still on reduced fluids and is just managing to keep it at about 128. He is still having tests to find what is causing this.

[prunus in reply to scats]

Mine is only slightly lower but they keep marking it not like your poor husband's. I hope they manage to find out what the problem is for him. Wish him all the best.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

How much under 133? My husband usually keeps his in the 130+ region with a diet with a lot of salty food - that must however be qualified by the fact he eats hardly anything so the total salt content isn't that high!! He does put plenty of salt on his chips - much to my disgust when I want to steal one - and favours very salty butter (oh yum!) ...

healthline.com/health/hypon...

Have a look at your diet - we do go on here about cutting processed carbs and salt to help avoid weight gain when on pred. Have you done that and maybe gone a bit far? Do you drink a lot of just plain water?

[prunus in reply to PMRpro]

Not a lot -131 or 132. Like your husband I like a lot of salt on my chips when I have them but otherwise steer clear of a lot of salt. I thought the Germans liked salt free butter? Yes I drink plenty of water. Thanks for that.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to prunus]

We're not Germans! I think it is his body telling him he needs it! He was brought up on Lurpak I think - whereas my favourite as a child was the Welsh Swan butter my great aunts favoured.

Have you tried sports electrolyte-type drinks instead of some of the water? You can also make your own.

[prunus in reply to PMRpro]

No I know you're not but I thought it was German speaking where you are? There's nothing to beat a nice bit of butter. I never eat substitutes if I can avoid them. About 2 years ago my Dr called me in wanting to put me on statins because my cholesterol was a bit on the high side. I said I was prepared to consider diet but not pills. I never heard any more.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to prunus]

Mmm - but your taste for some things doesn't change! Germans and here all seem to like sourcream butter - I don't! Even German Kerrygold is made to their tastes! There is nice unsalted butter locally which I use to cook but love French President butter on bread or an oatcake!

[prunus in reply to PMRpro]

You sound like your taste in butter is like mine. The ones you have mentioned are all ones I buy.

[Blearyeyed]

Have they checked your potassium or magnesium levels as well recently?

Like Scoops says , I have electrolyte sachets or make my own isotonic drink each day but I did check with the GP and my Cardiologist that this was suitable.

They may give you electrolyte drink sachets on prescription if you ask for more advice or assistance.

Do you drink alot of fluids or are you on any other medication or have other health issues that might also affect your sodium?

[prunus in reply to Blearyeyed]

All the secretary does is put the sheet in the post to me when I ring up each month. Noone contacts me so I presume it has been looked at.

[nuigini]

I've been in exactly the same state as you are with my sodium level for years now. When it first came up in my lab work the number was lower, but I can't remember by how much. The first thing they did was take me off the diuretic I was on for moderately high blood pressure, which helped lower the number. And, I was told to eat salt, at the envy of my family and friends! My levels are checked every six months or so and hover one or two points around normal.

If you decide to try electrolyte drinks I strongly recommend you make your own. There are some great recipes on the internet. The commercial ones are either loaded with sugar or sugar substitutes.

[prunus in reply to nuigini]

Thanks for that. I feel OK so think I will try using a little more salt.