Question For Val: re potassium and electrolyte test results

[Guest guest]

Here are my latest test results. The lab says they are " normal " . I know my

ferritin is low and I'm getting IV iron to help that. What do you think of the

rest of these results? It doesn't look to me like I need to take supplemental

potassium, but I am mathematically impaired and I don't understand the

" percentile " stuff about the potassium.

1/17/10 results

Potassium, RBC 73, 10th-90th percentile data: Mean, 79 mEq/L +/- 8.0 (SD);

range 42-150 mEq/L (N = 1134)

Magnesium, RBC 5.2, range 4.2-6.8

Ferritin, Serum 27, range 10-291

Electrolyte panel

Sodium, serum 139, range 135-145

Potassium, serum 3.9, range 3.5-5.2

Chloride, serum 103, range 97-108

Thank you very much for your opinion.

[Guest guest]

>1/17/10 results

>Potassium, RBC 73, 10th-90th percentile data: Mean, 79 mEq/L +/- 8.0 (SD);

range 42-150 mEq/L (N = 1134)

OK, from that I understand the following

Your reading 73

The average person has a reading of 79

The range is given as 42 to 150.

When the averaged people they ignored the top and bottom 10% of the

readings to get rid of the weird ones. Not a bad way of doing it.

Net result, a bit low.

>

>Magnesium, RBC 5.2, range 4.2-6.8

OK as far as I know

>

>Ferritin, Serum 27, range 10-291

>

LOW

>Electrolyte panel

>Sodium, serum 139, range 135-145

OK

>Potassium, serum 3.9, range 3.5-5.2

Low and agrees with the RBC Potassium, Val says around 4.2 is best for

her.

>Chloride, serum 103, range 97-108

Seems OK

>

>Thank you very much for your opinion.

I hope that helps

Nick

[Guest guest]

Thank you very much, Nick. It sounds like more potassium may help me.

Over-the-counter is very weak and hasn't helped. Do you think I should try the

prescription-strength? If yes, Val said she had a place in Canada to order it

without a prescription, would you be able to email me that contact? Thank you

again.

>

> >1/17/10 results

> >Potassium, RBC 73, 10th-90th percentile data: Mean, 79 mEq/L +/- 8.0 (SD);

range 42-150 mEq/L (N = 1134)

>

> OK, from that I understand the following

>

> Your reading 73

>

> The average person has a reading of 79

>

> The range is given as 42 to 150.

>

> When the averaged people they ignored the top and bottom 10% of the

> readings to get rid of the weird ones. Not a bad way of doing it.

>

> Net result, a bit low.

>

> >

> >Magnesium, RBC 5.2, range 4.2-6.8

>

> OK as far as I know

> >

> >Ferritin, Serum 27, range 10-291

> >

> LOW

>

> >Electrolyte panel

> >Sodium, serum 139, range 135-145

>

> OK

>

> >Potassium, serum 3.9, range 3.5-5.2

>

> Low and agrees with the RBC Potassium, Val says around 4.2 is best for

> her.

>

> >Chloride, serum 103, range 97-108

>

> Seems OK

> >

> >Thank you very much for your opinion.

>

> I hope that helps

>

> Nick

>

[Guest guest]

The 20mg is 20mEq which is actually 1500mg potassium. So you woudl start

with 1 a day i=and in two weeks retest serum potasisum if it is not over

4.3 thne raise again by taking 2 of the script tabs. I am at 5 of these

a day which si a VREY high dose, btu I seem to need it but my serum

levels did NOT change and thst is important. as if oyu take more

potassium than your body can handle and is unable to excrete the excess,

it is serum levels being too high that is dangerous so we need ot retest

seru, levels after each increase toi be certain it is not goin gtoo

high. I would not go over 5 a day unless oyu are on Florinef or Insulin

which BOTH can lower potassium.

--

Artistic Grooming- Hurricane WV

http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/NaturalThyroidHormonesADRENALS/

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/RT3_T3/

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HypoPets/

[Guest guest]

Thank you so much Val. I will increase+test as you suggested. I suspected that

the listed " 20 mg " on my internet pharmacy may actually have meant " 20 mEq " but

was not sure. I am on Florinef, 1 tab a day, 1/2 in the morning, 1/2 at

bedtime. I had occasional irregular heartbeats for over a decade and they

disappeared overnight when I started Florinef.

>

> The 20mg is 20mEq which is actually 1500mg potassium. So you woudl start

> with 1 a day i=and in two weeks retest serum potasisum if it is not over

> 4.3 thne raise again by taking 2 of the script tabs. I am at 5 of these

> a day which si a VREY high dose, btu I seem to need it but my serum

> levels did NOT change and thst is important. as if oyu take more

> potassium than your body can handle and is unable to excrete the excess,

> it is serum levels being too high that is dangerous so we need ot retest

> seru, levels after each increase toi be certain it is not goin gtoo

> high. I would not go over 5 a day unless oyu are on Florinef or Insulin

> which BOTH can lower potassium.

>

> --

> Artistic Grooming- Hurricane WV

>

> http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/

>

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/NaturalThyroidHormonesADRENALS/

> http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/RT3_T3/

> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HypoPets/

>