HEART DISEASE COMMUNITY
High Potassium?

High Potassium?

I used to have low potassium and my prime care doc put me on potassium supplements (8meq 6x/day).  He then changed my blood pressure med to a very, very potassium-sparing med (spironolactone) and I'm on 50mg a day.  I've read that those two should not be prescribed together or if they are the potassium levels should be strictly monitored...well, my doc isn't watching my levels at all.

Why?  Because I go to a VA hospital and they suck.  I don't have insurance so I can't go anywhere else and I can't change docs (not allowed at the VA....long story)

In early March when I was on 25mg of spironolactone my potassium level was 3.3, a week later it rose to 4.4....then I had other complications and the doc increased the dosage to 50mg....but has never re-checked my potassium level...he said he would see me again in 6 months!!!

The past few weeks I have felt like ****.  There are some subtle syptoms (symptoms) for high potassium and I seem to have all of them-weakness, confusion, listlissness, heavy feeling in muscles, nausea, low BP at times, low HR at times.

My doc won't listen to me...but this is serious stuff...I don't know what to do.  If I stop taking the meds and then my potassium goes down and I get sick from that...he writes in my medical records that I'm "non-med compliant"...this guy is a real ***.

I just don't know what to do.
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