Comment from: dicahur, 45-54 Female (Patient)Published: May 06
My chiropractor gave me the V8 vegetable juice test.
For two months, I had all the symptoms of low/lack of potassium. I was in the hospital for three days with palpitations, muscles spasms, weakness, etc. The results of the EKGs, MRIs, CAT scans, and blood tests came back normal, so they sent me home diagnosed with a bad case of anxiety.
Two days later, the spasms got worse, and I couldn't walk or talk. Desperate, I went to see my chiropractor. He gave me a can of V8 vegetable juice. Ten minutes later, I was feeling like new. He said that it was a lack of potassium. It took seven days to get rid of the symptoms, but now I feel much, much better. However, I have noticed that if I do a little bit too much, the twitching and the palpitations tend to come back, but they go away as soon as I drink a big glass of V8 and some raisins.
What concerns me the most is that my family doctor does not believe everything was caused by lack of potassium because, according to her, the blood tests show that everything was normal (3.6 mg of potassium). My theory is that 3.6 mg is low for me even though that amount is within the "normal" range for potassium.
Comment from: psuandme53, 55-64 Female (Patient)Published: April 23
I had two TIAs (mini strokes) in the course of one month. Upon taking blood in the hospital they found low potassium levels. I started taking potassium pills in the hospital and followed up with my family doctor. It is still low but not as low as it was in the hospital. I couldn't understand why I was so tired and why my legs ached constantly and sometimes my left leg would just go numb and would have a tingling sensation in it. I now take blood tests once a month to monitor my potassium level. It is just as scary to have the low potassium levels as it was to have the two mini strokes. I am 58 years old, and I want to live a lot longer. I am adjusting to this new setback but also taking preventive measures to make sure that I am around to see my grandson graduate from college in about 10 years.
Comment from: kaley3646, 25-34 Female (Patient)Published: June 12
I am 32 years old and have been experiencing these very same symptoms. I went to E.R thinking I was having a heart attack got an E.K.G done along with all the other fun tests I really couldn't understand what the problem was. I went to my general doctor and was told to go on insulin for my diabetes and that I have low potassium. I'm laying in bed after an extremely long day (I wake up at 7:30a.m to go to college and at night I work till midnight) and even though I'm tired it's now 2:40 and I still can't sleep because of the pain in my feet and or legs. I really had no idea about low potassium which is bad because I'm doing my general education to major in medical. Thank you VERY much to anyone who posts on here and anyone associated with this being online. Knowledge/Experience is power and it's wonderful to hear firsthand what people go through.
Comment from: Tami, 45-54 Female (Patient)Published: June 12
I just got back from the emergency room. For about a week I have been having heart palpitations and a racing heart. I thought I was having panic attacks for the past week. I just did not feel normal. I actually felt like I was going crazy. I didn't know what was wrong with me but I knew that I wasn't me. This morning while walking the dog my legs felt like they were detached from my body. I took a shower and thought of getting ready for work. Instead I asked my husband to take me to the emergency room. They were very thorough. They performed various blood work, hooked me up to a heart monitor, gave me a chest x-ray. They discovered that I may be dehydrated so they gave me fluids. More importantly they found that my potassium was low so they gave me some pills and a prescription and released me. I do not know what caused this. I have been taking blood pressure medicine for some time so I don't know how it could be related to the diuretic effect of those. The only other thing that has been different in the past week before all this started was that I was taking OTC allergy medicine for several days. I have a follow up appointment with my primary to discuss this more.
Comment from: Luna, 45-54 FemalePublished: December 01
I began having episodes of blood pressure readings of 130/90, which is high for me. One day, I felt absolutely terrible. My heart was racing, I had flushing on my face, arms, and legs, and my blood pressure was 128/100! I drove myself to the doctor where they performed an EKG and immediately admitted me into the hospital. I had lots of blood work taken, and they found that my potassium was very low. A potassium IV was inserted, which was painful. Now, a potassium pill keeps my levels normal. I had been experiencing flushing and heart palpitations for a while. This began after several bad episodes of overheating and sweating. My heart doctor could find no other reason for my low potassium except for the overheating. I am now on Lopressor and still on potassium.
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Suggested Reading on Low Potassium (Hypokalemia) by Our Doctors
Muscle cramps are involuntarily and forcibly contracted muscles that do not relax. Extremely common, any muscles that have voluntary control, including some organs, are subject to cramp. Since there is such variety in the types of muscle cramps that can occur, many causes and preventative medications are known. Stretching is the most common way to stop or prevent most muscle cramps.
Gastroenteritis (viral gastroenteritis, stomach flu) is an infection caused by a variety of viruses that results in vomiting and/or diarrhea. Even though it is often called the "stomach flu," it is not caused by the influenza viruses. Viruses that can cause gastroenteritis (stomach flu) include: rotaviruses, adenoviruses, caliciviruses, astroviruses, Norwalk virus, and a group of Noroviruses. Gastroenteritis is not caused by bacteria. The main symptoms of gastroenteritis include vomiting and watery diarrhea, however, headache, fever, and abdominal cramps (stomach ache) may also be present.
Diarrhea is a change is the frequency and looseness of bowel movements. Cramping, abdominal pain, and the sensation of rectal urgency are all symptoms of diarrhea. Absorbents and anti-motility medications are used to treat diarrhea.
Dehydration is the excessive loss of body water. There are a number of causes of dehydration including heat exposure, prolonged vigorous exercise, and some diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. The best way to treat dehydration is to prevent it from occurring.
Nausea is an uneasiness of the stomach that often precedes vomiting. Nausea and vomiting are not diseases, but they are symptoms of many conditions. The causes of vomiting differ according to age, and treatment depends upon the cause of nausea and vomiting.
Palpitations are unpleasant sensations of irregular and/or forceful beating of the heart. Palpitations can be relieved in many patients by stress reduction, stopping cigarettes, and reduction of caffeine and alcohol.
Hyperkalemia is an abnormally high level of potassium in the blood. Symptoms of hyperkalemia include nausea, fatigue, tingling sensations, or muscle weakness. Hyperkalemia may also cause no symptoms. Slow heartbeat and weak pulse are more serious symptoms. Causes of hyperkalemia include kidney dysfunction, medications, adrenal gland diseases, and potassium shifts. Treatment of hyperkalemia is dependant upon the cause.
Premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) are premature heartbeats originating from the ventricles of the heart. PVCs are premature because they occur before the regular heartbeat. There are many causes of premature ventricular contractions to include: heart attack, high blood pressure, congestive heart failure, mitral valve prolapse, hypokalemia, hypoxia, medications, excess caffeine, drug abuse, and myocarditis.
Heart rhythm disorders vary from minor palpitations, premature atrial contractions (PACs), premature ventricular contractions (PVCs), sinus tachycardia, and sinus brachycardia, to abnormal heart rhythms such as tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation, ventricular flutter, atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT), Wolf-White-Parkinson syndrome, brachycardia, or heart blocks. Treatment is dependant upon the type of heart rhythm disorder.
Myofascial pain syndrome is muscle pain in the body's soft tissues due to injury or strain. Symptoms include muscle pain with tender points and fatigue. Treatment usually involves physical therapy, massage therapy, or trigger point injection.
Diarrhea
is an increase in the frequency of bowel movements or a decrease in the form
of stool (greater looseness of stool). Although changes in frequency of
bowel movements and looseness of stools can vary independently of each other,
changes often occur in both.
Diarrhea needs to be distinguished from four other conditions. Although these conditions may accompany
diarrhea, they often have different causes and different treatments than
diarrhea. These other conditions are:
incontinence of stool, which is the inability to
control (delay) bowel movements until an appropriate time, for example, until one can
get to the toilet
rectal urgency, which is a sudden urge to have a
bowel movement that is so strong that if a toilet is not immediately available
there will be incontinence
If you think you have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911 immediately.
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My chiropractor gave me the V8 vegetable juice test. For two months, I had all the symptoms of low/lack of potassium. I was in the hospital for three days with palpitations, muscles spasms, weakness, etc. The results of the EKGs, MRIs, CAT scans, and blood tests came back normal, so they sent me home diagnosed with a bad case of anxiety. Two days later, the spasms got worse, and I couldn't walk or talk. Desperate, I went to see my chiropractor. He gave me a can of V8 vegetable juice. Ten minutes later, I was feeling like new. He said that it was a lack of potassium. It took seven days to get rid of the symptoms, but now I feel much, much better. However, I have noticed that if I do a little bit too much, the twitching and the palpitations tend to come back, but they go away as soon as I drink a big glass of V8 and some raisins. What concerns me the most is that my family doctor does not believe everything was caused by lack of potassium because, according to her, the blood tests show that everything was normal (3.6 mg of potassium). My theory is that 3.6 mg is low for me even though that amount is within the "normal" range for potassium.
Related Reading: palpitations | anxiety