Hi,
Thank you for potassium information. I have been saying I was going to look up what foods have potassium and haven't gotten around to it. Thanks Randie

That was a GREAT article. It answered a lot of my questions.

I'm confused, though. I have low potassium and metabolic acidosis together. The article says:

"Hyperkalemia can cause acidosis and vice versa, acidosis can cause hyperkalemia."

Hyperkalemia = high potassium, so high potassium can cause acidosis.

This is the opposite of what's happening to me. So I don't get it.

I don't understand that either . I did read however, that low Magnesium levels can cause LOW potassium as well. I take calcium and magnesium every day.

nd hey Sea sprite .....maybe we arent clear on different types of Acidosis and that could be our confusion...I had low potassium and low co2 ( bicarb) as well which could put me in metabolic acidosis .. Maybe Ketoacidosis is what you have ? IDK ....I am confused about your situation too....read on and maybe this could help ....http://www.unboundmedicine.com/nursingcentral/ub/view/Diseases-and-Disorders/73505/all/acid_base_imbalances:_metabolic_acidosis_and_alkalosis;_respiratory_acidosis_and_alkalosis

Funny you should mention this today. I just got out of the hospital with hyperkalemia. My potassium was up to 7.2 and they had a ton of everybody working on me. I have been on Spironolactone (a potassium sparing diuretic) because I am allergic to the diamox but now get to be on htzt or whatever that is. I knew something was wrong as my legs felt like they had a ton of pressure. Scary. They said I could have had a massive heart attack. So, yes, make sure your numbers are in check and listen to your body!

I had low potassium, low bicarbonate, and low ph, low CO2 . According to website that's not supposed to happen. They told me metabolic acidosis, not ketoacidosis. Low bicarbonate., hard to remember numbers but I think it was around 20. Hard to remember my ph but I think it was between 7.2 and 7.3. Potassium 2.6.

Now dr. has me on potassium citrate and 3 heaping tbs of bicarbonate of soda per day. Boy that stuff is nasty. If anybody else is on it, mix it with tomato juice and it's still bad but you can get it down. In fruit juice I end up losing it.

Good list of food's potassium contents, and it has pretty pictures.

http://www.healthalternatives2000.com/fruit-nutrition-chart.html
http://www.healthalternatives2000.com/vegetables-nutrition-chart.html

When I had lab work done in Sept my bicarbonate was low and it was one of the reasons my PCP freaked out and thought I was going into metabolic acidosis. I can't remember the number but I just had lab work done a week ago and I'm waiting for her to send me the results. When I talked to her on Friday she said everything was fine except my bicarbonate is still low. My NO said it was normal for it to be low since the diamox tends to lower it while taking the med. My NO thinks the number is fine. I don't know who to believe on this one. I'm just waiting to see the results for myself and hopefully it's higher than it was in Sept.

By the way my potassium is up and I'm excited about that. I'm at 3.9 now. I guess the 20megs a day is working for me.

Kay

My neuros always told me that your Bicarb SHOULD be a little low . Mine has been as low as 16 but it usually stays around 21. They all said that means the Diamox is working ...makes sense since it is supposed to change the acid/alk balance in your body. I didnt have any ill effects except for being out of breath. They would lower the Diamox just a little for my comfort.