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View Full Version : Would low potassium levels do this?


 

 

 
asd-mum
07-01-2004, 07:21 AM
Hi

I am new I found this board by accident and need help. I am having tests at the moment for problems that are making my life difficult. I have a goitre, although I am told that my Thyroid levels are fine. But go for a scan next week. At the moment I have a rapid and irregular heart beat. My BP is up a little and I am having numbness and cramps in my legs and bottom which can last for hours. Just walking up the stairs can leave me in agony with my legs.

My other problem is my stomach which has felt nauseus and bloated for months now. Some times I need to burp and feel that I can't and most times I feel like my food is just lying there for hours. All of this began in January and I feel that I am no nearer finding out what is going on here.

So far the only thing our GP can find wrong with me is that I have low potassium levels. I have now been told to eat two banannas each day - except I don't really like them. Are there any other foods which I could eat rich in potassium?

Can anyone shine a light on any of this for me please? I have two sons with autism so life is difficult enough without me feeling terrible evryday too!

thanks for reading

Carole

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niecsey
07-01-2004, 09:55 AM
Hi Carole just browsing lm off for a thyroid scan monday!! I tested neg 3 yrs ag dxn last thursday (wasnt aware they had tested me 3yrs ago lol) l get terrible cramps too esp in calf muscles lm still a little green about the whole lot (hyper) just wishing you luck take care xxx

janson
07-02-2004, 10:14 AM
Good sources of potassium are: tomatos, orange juice, white beans (seeds), baked potatos, spinnach, cabbage, apricots, plums... in this order. They all contain more potassium than bananas.
Your cramps and numbness come from low potassium. Irregular heartbeat and high BP could be related with thyroid. Thyroid, potassium and gastric problems are maybe connected. An autoimmune disease which affects multiple hormonal glands came on my mind.

tat888
07-06-2004, 06:20 PM
If I were you I would get a potassium supplement if the doc will prescribe one for a short period to get your K+ level up. I have mulitple problems with my thyroid with the thyroid stimulating hormone in the several hundreds but the docs thought it use a fluke. It was not regardless of them coming back with some other value somewhere close to the norm. I had alot of thyroid problems and although I got better I continue to have some problems similar to yours with the cramping and muscle problems etc. I chose to seek an alternative MD where I used armour thyroid medication rather than synthroid because its synthetic and people have too many problems with it. It is believed that a good majority of people are hypothyroid. But the fact you have a goiter indicates that your body is overproducing or not able to utilize your thyroid hormones and why that is needs to be addressed.

You also need to be very careful about taking iodine. And yes it has been used for simple goiters. Please let your doc recommend iodine if he feels it will stop further growth, but it will not lessen the size from what I understand. Hopefully you will seek assistance from a good endocrininologist. And if you haven't already researched info on the net yet, please do so. My thyroid was getting enlarged but I did not have a goiter. For that I took the armour, checked my temps, and came off it after a short time or just titrated it because I am more sensitive to drugs. While taking it my thyroid could rest and allow all the thyroid hormones to circulate, just in case I was not producing the t2,3,4, etc I needed and then coming off it to see if my thyroid will or could now pick up the slack. I personally don't believe we should stay on any medications, and believe that the body knows how to heal itself if we only give it what it needs and a chance to heal. good Luck, hope something I have said will help.





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