New to this, already frustrated, and very confused...please help?

January 14, 2012

I have low potassium (3.1 at onset) (for about 5 months now), and am currently

taking 4 tabs of k tabs/daily to deal with that.

I also have very high blood pressure since around the same time. I am taking

100mg of Losartin and Norvasc as well. They are bringing it down to 145-165 over

100-110. Lisinopril didn't work at all, but HCTZ did a little, but tanked the

potassium and makes me feel dizzy.

I was taken off all BP meds for 5 weeks and took 4 grams of salt for four days

then had labs drawn. Three doctors have looked at the following results and have

all said different things about them.

Plasma Renin activity .17

Plasma Aldosterone 15.2

Potassium 3.8 (supplemented with 4 kclor/daily)

Doctor 1 calculated the ratio to 89.4 and said that I am borderline for

hyperaldosteronism and referred me to a nephrologist to manage the blood

pressure. And to repeat the same blood test (salt loading) again in 3 months.

Doctor 2 said that the labs absolutely confirm secondary hypertension and

hyperaldosteronism and referred me to doc 3 for further testing to determine the

rest of the story...(adenoma, pheo, AVS, etc)

Doctor 3 took more blood, had me do a 24 urine sample, and when he saw the above

salt loading labs from doc 1, said I did not have hyperaldosteronism, and they

will let me know what the rest of their labs reveal as to what I should do about

the blood pressure or any next step.

I have lots of the symptomology that a lot of you have written about; brain fog,

thirst, flank pain, when I exercise I crash and have to take breaks, etc.

How is it possible for all three to have different takes on the same labs?

Anybody here know what these labs mean? Any suggestions? I am sooo confused!

Also, I am wondering...(obviously a newbie, here) why, if you have an ademoma or

nodule/tumor that produces too much aldosterone, why do they take the whole

adrenal gland? Why not do a lumpectomy type of thing and just take the

nodule/tumor?

I feel for all of you who have suffered and dealt with this stuff for so long

and quite frankly, this is a club I don't really want to belong to, but I am

grateful that you are all here and have generously blogged, written, and shared

your experiences so that all of us newbies can learn and hopefully benefit. Oh,

wise ones, I beckon you!

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