Dr. says I have low sodium, but just eating more salt won't fix it. Why wouldn't that fix it?

Did your doc say anything about your sodium-potassium pump, or permeability?

Not yet. I have a follow up on Wednesday.

If your body is having trouble balancing your electrolytes eating more sodium might not help, because your body’s internal measuring system is haywire. However, I would give it a try. If it didn’t work I would try maybe eating less potassium and see if it helps. I would try fooling with it myself and getting tested. You can test it a couple weeks apart, you would not have to wait long electrolytes are constantly being regulated by the body. My aunt has problems with very low potassium and she takes potassium pills to keep her evels up. They work.

But, don’t take some huge dose pill of anything without your doctor. The salts are a something tobe taken very seriously and must be monitored by a doctor.

Is the low sodium affecting you physically? Muscle cramps? especially in your calves.
If so, potassium works wonders. I swear by potassium pills. I take 6 to 9 a day. No mo cramps.

Also, if Dr. prescribes simple remedies you would soon no longer need Dr. nor pharmaceutical remedies Dr. is sure to prescribe you Wednesday.

Eat a lot of Bananas and avocados too for potassium. Avocados have much more than bananas too.

I thought sodium and potassium work inversely with each other? Won’t more potassium possibly lower sodium more?

Do you drink a lot of water? If so, you might be drinking too much at once which can lower your sodium.

I recall from another question that you’re on medication @Dutchess_III. What medication? Often meds will cause this type of imbalance.

BP meds. Doctor said they could be the cause. He said something about prescribing a diuretic separately, or something.

Hmmm, ask him about two specific things. Diuretics are often described to remove excess water and sodium from your body. You need to know why, if you have low sodium, a diuretic would be helpful.

Also, ask again about permeability. If you have ‘leaky’ vessels maybe the sodium levels are fine, but they aren’t bring delivered as efficiently as they could by your blood.

Are you having muscle cramping or soreness/stiffness? Just curious.

I’m curious to see what the answers are. I tend to avoid giving any medical theories or advice, but the things you are mentioning do make sense.

See, I’m a little confused. He said my BP meds consists of 3 different meds, two for the blood pressure and one is a diuretic. So he said something about prescribing the diuretic separately, I guess maybe reducing the dose. However, when I spelled the name of the med that is listed on the bottle (there were just two of them) Rarebear said none of those were diuretics, so IDK. Kind of anxious myself to see the Doc again on Wednesday.

Some cramping in my right arm, but I think that’s due to my sleeping position on the waterbed. My back, though, if I bend over, then straighten up, or if I carry something kind of bulky or heavy, like a plastic bin filled with 20 pounds of crap, boy, I feel like a cripple when I straighten back up. I mean it HURTS in my lower back. It goes away though, if I just sit down for a couple of minutes.

Sodium is one of the most important components in your body. It ranks up there with oxygen and sugar. You would be amazed at how many little symptoms can be attributed to how sodium is interacting on many different levels. That’s one of the reasons why I hesitate to offer medical hypotheses online. I am happy to explain normal functioning and help line up questions for your doctor so that he may address things as they pertain to you personally, if it helps you.

Not all blood pressure meds are diuretics. Some do have that function in addition to others, so it may be that you are looking specifically for a primary function of diuretics in your meds. Did you read secondary benefits or side effects?

Obviously, he should address diet in combination with meds for you. I walk the path of less meds whenever possible, so if he can suggest nutritional changes such as more water, a vitamin supplement, etc, then that’s worth asking about.

I’ve always drank a lot of water, so that’s a non-issue. I did start taking vitamins every morning about a week ago, so we’ll see if that makes a difference. The level is only 134, btw…just one point below “normal.”

Also, interestingly enough, my good cholesterol is 138 (normal is 46+) and the bad is 89 (normal is anything less than 130). Doctor said he’s never seen anything like it in all his years! Maybe they’ll put me in a medical journal.

I would ask him why he wants to change anything, in that case, unless you are feeling negative symptoms definitively associated with one point below the norm. Hell, what is considered normal changes. I can remember when a systolic of 150 was normal, and now it’s down to 120. Paramedics don’t flip out at 150 either way.

Your levels are pretty amazing. Hopefully that is genetic and your whole family is that lucky!

Without the meds my BP is dangerous. Like, 220. With them it’s 125. Checked it at Walmart the other day…and it was 92! Like, “Crap!” Could have been a bad reading, too.

I’m just complaining of vague problems, being tired all the time, no strength, stuff like that. (However, the strength issue may be because I’m avoiding strenuous work because of my back…)

Well, toss the hopefully it’s genetic comment out the window. It sounds like your doc and meds are doing wonders for you. I’m still curious to hear his explanations. I’m still in school and absorb info like a sponge. That’s why I can tell you what normal looks like and help with what questions to ask. I question everything.

Don’t trust anything at Walmart, unless it’s the nurse at the clinic personally reading it for you. My BP is usually around 100/68 or so. I have to throw out a disclaimer that it’s normal for me every time.

I will sure keep you updated @GloPro. Thanks for your interest! Hopefully we’ll both learn something. :D

@Dutchess_III Drinking too much water at once can lower sodium. BP drugs often effect electrolytes. What the name of your drug? Are you supposed to eat very lead potassium while taking the drug?

What the hell is “very lead potassium” @JLeslie! LOL! I smell a typo in there!

I take AMLOD/BENZAP for my BP. I also started taking multi-vitamins.

Re, the water. I just fill up a 32 oz pop cup through out the day with water an ice. I just drink on it as I go along. I don’t chug a bunch at once.

Oh Lord, flipping autocorrect! Eat very little potassium. Ugh.

LOL!
IDK. I just eat whatever.

It looks like your drug just relaxes the vessels, I don’t think it affects your sodium or potassium directly.