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High potassium levels in blood test a common PMR thing?

Posted , 11 users are following.

philoso4
philoso4

Just got results from tests. Have others had the same results?

1 like, 5 replies

5 Replies

  • Anonymous111
    Anonymous111 philoso4

    Posted

    What medicines are you taking?

    Do you have nay kidney problems?

  • lilian05079
    lilian05079 philoso4

    Posted

    Hi philoso4

    Have you been taking NSAIDS these can raise potassium in the blood...my best wishes to you...

  • eddylynn36538
    eddylynn36538 philoso4

    Posted

    I’m a 12 year member of this “special” group. The only time my potassium was high was in the fall. ... too many new garden tomatoes and daily bananas.  Told to cut both out which solved the problem.  Now I eat them sparingly.  
  • EileenH
    EileenH philoso4

    Posted

    No, not a common thing as far as I know. As eddylyn says - possibly a change in diet so you are eating a lot of potassium containing foods? Or were you dehydrated when they took the sample? 

    A very common reason for a raised potassium is actually a problem with the blood sample - when red blood cells break down before the assay is carried out the potassium level in the plasma shoots up. That can be due to poor technique in taking the sample (too narrow a needle for example), letting the sample lie around at room temperature for too long before spinning it to remove the red cells, shaking the sample. Then a repeat sample should get the right answer.

    There are several illnesses including kidney problems which will cause genuine hyperkalaemia. But Addison's is also a cause - what level of pred are you on? If you are at 5mg or lower then you could be suffering from adrenal insufficiency because your adrenal glands haven't caught up with the reduction in pred dose.

    Some heart/BP drugs can cause raised potassium - are you on any? And I assume you are not taking any potassium supplements?

    Or it could be due to a bit of everything - as a well-known supermarket tells us: every little helps. What is your doctor going to do? Because he does need to do something to find out why and put it right.

  • karenjaninaz
    karenjaninaz philoso4

    Posted

    Whenever a lab test is too abnormal it's a good idea to repeat it; perhaps the lab machine was out of calibration or even a specimen switch. We had that experience: my husband had had a total prostatectomy and his psa should be very low. It wasn't so his surgeon said draw another sample with, perhaps, a different lab. This we did and the results have been normal then and the last 25 years. 

    A thought: some herbal supplements can raise potassium.

    All the best.

    All the best

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