How do we get our potassium?

I've been trying to get a good vitamin regimen going, and in the course of looking all my stuff over, I really don't see much potassium in anything.  Adults are supposed to take in somewhere between 3000 and 4000 mg per day.  My protein shake has 500 mg, my vitamins don't have any.  High potassium foods include beans, bananas, potatoes, raisins, a bunch of other veg (lots of starchies) some fish (but only 100 mg/ounce).  There is no way I can eat enough food to get over 3000 mg of k, plus I'm avoiding a lot of the ones that would have it.  I've heard people say v8 has a lot, but when I look at the big can, it does have 670 mg, but that's only 19% of the RDA.  I don't think the sodium load is worth it, and I can't stomach the low sodium.

How many long timers take a potassium supp?  Have many folks been low on potassium when labs are checked?

Red meat and chicken also have potassium, broccoli, tomatos, milk, yogurt and nuts also.

Here too, spinach, zucc, collards too!

My potassium has always been towards the low end, even preop, just a few points above low normal. 
There are a bunch of OTC potassium supplements, if you are low and/or worried, so that is nice that its an option. 

*edit to add  There is a lady with a VSG who had a potassium issue.  I dont remember her name, she posts more on the main board than here, she had dr Aceves, her avatar is her standing in front of a white door to her house (narrows it down, huh? :} ).  I think she said she had to have potassium supplements. 

I will let you know if I can dredge her name out of my memory banks, in case its helpful!

Ha!!

http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/amos/4391462/What-is-life- like-after-having-WLS/#36302896

That's her.  I think she just supplements with pills and not foods, but its always good to have a brain to pick! 

It is very hard to get it in after veg..hence the reason I have fought with low potassium post op.

V8 is a great source but even using that and bananas I was still lacking.

I took the k~color potassium (horsepills!) Then tried the dissolvable salts (salty)..these are all by prescription only..

My potassium has now normalized on its own without the medicines..

People forget~potassium is vital to life and nerve function and low potassium can cause heart arrythmia.

Check your labs!

I get my potassium from the following sources.

Spinach - 1 cup = 839 mg.
Avocado - 1 oz. = 180 mg.
Skim Milk - 8 oz. = 579m mg.
Squash - 1 cup =  896 mg.

A cooked cup of spinach or squash does not leave a lot, it's well tolerated and also provides fiber. Most of the time I eat the spinach raw.

My labs, almost 2 years worth, have all been excellent with no deficiencies. 

As for vitamins I take 2 Gummy Vites and 1 B-12 sublingual dailiy.

Good luck,
George

Thanks!  Right now, I eat one ounce of dense protein and a few bites of vegetable.  Not currently room for a cup of anything...but you've given me hope that in the future I'll be able to take in enough from foods without supps.

Be careful with Potassium supplements.  They really should be taken in relation to your labs.  Although low K can be a problem, too much can also be very, very dangerous.  Check with your doc.

 Yes, I'd read that it should be under a doctor's supervision.  Luckily I can email my pcp; she gave me a dose to follow and we'll check labs in 2 weeks.  Thanks!

The main thing you want to understand is potassium and sodium need to be balanced out. You want to have 3 times the potassium intake as sodium. So part of the way you balance this out is by lowering your sodium intake, thus requiring less potassium intake.

Secondly focus on foods that are high in potassium but very low in sodium. Avocados are a great source, as well as many other veggies like broccoli and spinach.

You might want to consider adding veggies to every meal if you can fit it in, or do veggie snacks between protein meals if you have little volume. I do 6 small meals a day of protein/veggie mixtures.

 I take one just because I tend to stay a little on the dehydrated side, my PCP told me to take a Potassium supplement.  I strongly recommend getting your blood checked for all your vitamin levels just to see where you are.  I do so every six months and all of my stuff is pretty well in-line now...but I'm waiting for my latest results.

Not sure why but the WLS surgeons don't seem to do a lotta blood work, I rely on my PCP to monitor all that stuff and send it to my surgeon periodically.  I just ask my doc to make sure I don't have cancer, that my liver and kidneys are OK, and all my vitamins and minerals are in line.  He send me to the nice lady who plays vampire and I wait for the call lol.