A little background. Been T1 for 25 years. 5 years ago I had half a kidney removed due to kidney cancer. Since then my blood work has came back normal and my A1C’s have all been averaging around 5.5. I have high blood pressure for which I take Amlodipine and Lisinopril/HCTZ 10/12.5 mg. My bloodwork last year showed potassium was at 3.3, which was a little below normal but Dr didnt think it was an issue and never even mentioned it.
So this year I get my yearly bloodwork, everything was normal except potassium was at 2.8, which is way below normal. Albumin/Creatinine Ratio was <17.9 Mg/G Creat, which is normal, Estimated GFR was 82. No protein in urine.
Although I was somewhat concerned when I saw these results I was just relieved the kidney tests showed normal and figured it was most likely due to being on a diuretic (even though not a high dose and I have been on it for about 4 years) and the fact that I really don’t get much potassium in my diet, maybe 1000-1500 mg a day.
Didn’t hear anything from DR until last night when he sent me an email. Usually he’s very reassuring and positive because he knows I worry about this ■■■■. His email said ‘Your results show significantly decreased potassium which could indicate CKD. I’m prescribing a potassium supplement. Please take this daily and we will retest in 30 days.’ That was it. So now I get to worry about this for at least the next month.
Anyone else have any similar experience? Am I overly freaking out about this?
I’ve been on a diuretic for many years, and I’ve always taken a potassium supplement with it. Never had any kidney disease. I’m a little surprised you weren’t prescribed potassium from the start. I thought this was standard of care. See how the supplementation goes. Best wishes to you.
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Diuretics are known to decrease potassium. they increase urination and the electrolytes are lost at a faster rate as well.
It doesn’t mean you have chronic kidney disease, although you have an injured kidney and you are diabetic, so you can see where your doctor might be worried about it.
Try the supplement and see how it goes
A single test is nothing more than information. Usually, it will take around six months to establish a pattern. Is it time to be concerned? Yes. Is it time to go full on worry? Not yet. Do the test next month. Take the potassium, enjoy life,. It is not time to worry yet.
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The most likely thing to be changed if the doctor is concerned would be for them to drop the HCTZ of the Lisinoril combo for a few weeks and try a less effective diuretic (or none).
But the easiest way to raise your K is to have more of it in your food. That’s easier to metabolize than supplements, easier to control.
The higher K content foods are ones that many people enjoy eating. Avocados are one, beans another. Beans get a bad rap for being “high carb”. The best of them are high fiber.
The recipe that raises my BG the least is a chickpea, black bean, pinto beans, white bean, brown rice, lentils, quinoa, tomato, lean meat casserole. It makes a good dinner with a salad of fresh spinach, broccoli, carrots and tomatoes, or in smaller quantities, a good lunch substitute for soup and sandwich. (I also eat yogurt and pineapple with every lunch. ) I make enough casserole for 12 dinner servings and freeze it in 2-serving containers. When we have it for dinner, I and my wife, who’s lacking one kidney, need to get up one less time during the night,
