Low Patassium

 Since my surgery, whenever I get blood work done I have noticed that my patassium levels are low.  I don't know what the levels have been, I just know that they have been low.

I have been in the hospital twice for strictures and another time for a kidney stone and other times for other stuff. I am always given those huge patassium pills because when my bloodwork results come back and once I had to get it by IV.

Resently when my PCP did my bloodwork, he had me take some patassium.

I recently looked up low potassium, why it can be a problem and the symptoms. A lot of things make sense to me now. I get dizzy/lightheaded when I stand up/situp, get headaches often, have issues with vomiting, diarrhhea, and constipation, and others.

I asked my surgeon about this months ago, but he didn't seemed too concerned.

I called my PCP to see if he would run blood work on me, to check my levels to see if that's what has been bothering me. I have to pick up my lab slip on Tuesday and then I will make an appointment to go over the results.

I will also be mentioning this to my surgeon at my next follow up appointment.

Has anyone else had low patassium issues? I have heard a lot about vitamins and what I could be lacking after after surgery, but nothing about patassium. 

My potassium was low once but no one was concerned.  They did give me some pills then but not a script to keep taking.  You can buy it over the counter but it is not strong and you would have to take a bunch to do anything.  Your Dr can prescribe it.  They did say when mine was low that it can vary from day to day and no one was very concerned.  Mine did come back on it's own. 

you mentioned something that stuck with me ... i have been recently feeling very dizzy / lightheaded upon standing up too ... i have no idea why ... i thought it could be dehydration, but maybe it's potassium ... let me know what you find out!

 It could be a number of things... dehydration, anemia, ect...

The main sign of low potassium is leg cramps or pain.  You can take potassium pills or eat some banana.

Mine has always been low, even preop, so I am resigned to taking pills and eating a banana each day, if I miss a day of the banana, I can tell, luckily the fruit sugars don't make me dump, cuz then i would have to take more pills.

  I had that issue too after surgery and I had kidney stones. I think there's some kind of connection between them ,but not sure, never had my questions thoroughly answered.  My PCP is a mean Russian lady who talks to me like I am retarded.  she's a good Doc- she was nice at first and I liked her, but lately really short tempered. Acts like my questions are stupid.

Just because some people are surgeons and doctors does not mean they know about every friggen thing... I mean some actually believe there is no such thing as hair loss at the root after WLS that it just breaks off.... and I just sat there wondering to myself will I come back to the next  one... anyway... rambling   good luck google high potassium foods, bananas are about middle of the road and there are some that have more, but can't remeber off hand.

I had issues with low potassium even before surgery but had gotten it under control with a potassium supplement. Post-surgery my levels run low. I had to have 2 bags infused via IV the day after surgery (potassium infusions burn like crazy!)  My surgeon does not want me on a supplement but rather to keep my levels up with foods, etc. Soy milk has a TON of potassium in it so I make at least one protein shake a day with 8oz of soy milk and it really seems to be helping. Low potassium can be a serious issue. Your nutritionist should be able to give you a list of high potassium foods you can incorporate into your diet.  Good Luck! 

 OMG, they do burn like hell. Mine hurt so bad. I was suposed to get four bags before I was discharged (months ago with a structure issue), but it hurt so badly that they had to make it really slow and I barly finished the one bag. I guess it wasn't important enough to keep me for. IDK.

I discovered in my pre-op labs that my potassium level was low.  The nurse with my program said that unless I got my levels higher, they wouldn't be able to do surgery.  I have been on potassium chloride liquid since shortly before surgery.  That is some NASTY tasting stuff!  It burns my mouth, so I can imagine it would be miserable to have via IV!  At least part of my issue is that I'm on hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) to lower my blood pressure.  It pulls fluids and some salts, including potassium, from the body.  Though my blood pressure was normal the last time I saw my doctor, she wouldn't take me off my small 12.5 mg dose of HCTZ.  She said she wants to see a 10 point drop first.