High Potassium

[pennyk]

I wonder if there any of the low carbers out there who after changing to a low carb diet now have high potassium?
I have had a blood test and it has come back with high potassium readings. I changed my diet a lot to go as low carb as I can personally manage with my snacks being things like nuts or avocado tomatoes etc. but if I have to cut out other things too like broccoli and cauliflower I think I will just give up!

 

[TriciaWs]

Just one immediate question, as our bodies attempt to balance sodium and potassium in the kidneys are you adding enough salt to your diet? Low carbers need to forget the current advice about not adding salt if we no longer eat junk food, as cutting processed foods reduces the amount of dietary salt.
I struggle to remember some days to add salt to my vegs, but do add salt to my flaxseed porridge.

 

[pennyk]

Thank you for responding. I think I do yes. I wonder if it is because I am eating more cream and cheese as when I look up about it it says stay away from dairy.

 

[Pipp]

How high?
I once had raised potassium on low carb diet. Was told to stop eating bananas. Which amused me as I didn’t eat them. The amount of spinach and broccoli I was eating could have been a cause, but my guess was the amount of nuts. I tweaked slightly, and a month later was tested again and all was well.

 

[Pipp]

Thank you for responding. I think I do yes. I wonder if it is because I am eating more cream and cheese as when I look up about it it says stay away from dairy.

Ask to be retested in a few weeks time.

 

[pennyk]

How high?
I once had raised potassium on low carb diet. Was told to stop eating bananas. Which amused me as I didn’t eat them. The amount of spinach and broccoli I was eating could have been a cause, but my guess was the amount of nuts. I tweaked slightly, and a month later was tested again and all was well.

Funny enough the nurses don’t eat bananas, which like you I don’t eat lol. I do eat lots of broccoli and my snacks lately have been cheese and nuts. So I am hoping that is the case. Although I don’t know what I can easily replace these with as I am in work all day so not easy to cater for. I have had another blood test today and should have results tomorrow although they didn’t tell me how high it was.

 

[Hopeful34]

Not being hydrated enough when you have the blood test can lead to a raised potassium result, as can some diuretics, and also how long after giving your blood it is before it's tested, so you may find the next result is ok.

 

[Oldvatr]

Tomatoes and nuts can be problammatic, Peanut Butter is evil. Broccoli is also on the naughty step. But cauli is fine. avacardo and melon are a no no. Beetroot similarly. You do not mention meat, but cured meats like bacon are often cured with potassium nitfrate or nitrite.

I am on a heart med that both depletes sodium and boosts potassium so I had to be careful with my diet for a while. Are you on any form of diuretic?

 

[Oldvatr]

Not being hydrated enough when you have the blood test can lead to a raised potassium result, as can some diuretics, and also how long after giving your blood it is before it's tested, so you may find the next result is ok.

Yes, that is significant. after the blood is sampled, it starts to leach potassium into the serum, and shows up as an increase. It is a false increase, and my doc now gets me retested immediately if I am high just to make sure its not a systemic error.

 

[Hopeful34]

I've had it happen a few times @Oldvatr and the retest was fine.

 

[pennyk]

Not being hydrated enough when you have the blood test can lead to a raised potassium result, as can some diuretics, and also how long after giving your blood it is before it's tested, so you may find the next result is ok.

Fingers crossed. I can’t deal with another diet change lol. I am exhausted with it all!