sonic
06-26-2008, 03:43 AM
I will try to keep this short...
My 20 yr old son has been taking BP meds & pottasium supplements(Slow K) for almost a yr.
His dr Just prescribed a NEW water pill...when i went to pick it up the pharmacist said he shouldnt take it IF he is on Slow K. :confused:
I told her the dr said to lower his slow K from 4 a day...to 2 a day. she was still concerned so is gonna call the dr.
Should i be concerned?
I will know the name of the new med tomorow..& will do some reserch then. dr said it was the lowest dose & not many side effects. :(
My 20 yr old son has been taking BP meds & pottasium supplements(Slow K) for almost a yr.
His dr Just prescribed a NEW water pill...when i went to pick it up the pharmacist said he shouldnt take it IF he is on Slow K. :confused:
I told her the dr said to lower his slow K from 4 a day...to 2 a day. she was still concerned so is gonna call the dr.
Should i be concerned?
I will know the name of the new med tomorow..& will do some reserch then. dr said it was the lowest dose & not many side effects. :(
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flowergirl2day
06-27-2008, 01:58 AM
Sonic, :)
I am not surprised to hear this has happened to you. Unfortunately, our doctors sometimes prescribe medications that either interact with each other, or are contraindicated. :(
My pharmacist had serious concerns about the components of my therapy on several occassions. It is definitely not a good feeling when your pharmacist disagrees with or questions the appropriatness of your drug therapy. What are we, the patients, to do?
This is what works for me. I learn as much as possible about any new drug. I use several different sources. If anything stands out that might concern me, I make a note of it and ask my pharmacist about it. I don't stop there. I consult pharmacists at other locations as well. They are generally very helpful and, to me, the best source of drug related information. If several pharmacists seem in an agreement about the issue at hand, I feel fairly certain that the information is accurate. There's a catch - it is time-consuming and best done when the pharmacists are not busy. :)
Refusing to take a medication is sometimes an option. I don't like to take drugs just to see what happens, simply because the doctor feels like experimenting.
Your son is probably going to be put on a potassium-sparing diuretic. Combining potassium sparing and building medications is not unheard of. The K supplements, co-administered with any potassium-sparing diuretic (Spironolactone, Triamterene, Amiloride or Eplenerone), can result in hyperkalemia. We, the patients, have to be carefully monitored when such combinations are used.
I have low potassium levels. (Not sure what they are right now) I have been on up to three potassium building/sparing medications at a time. I worried about hyperkalemia on DAILY basis. I now have just two, a maximum dose of an ACE inhibitor, which is potassium-building, and Spironolactone-potassim sparing. I also take Hctz (another diuretic), which depletes potassium levels, so, hopefully, offsets the K accumulation from the other two drugs. I can't take the supplements because they are contraindicated due to my other health issues.
Your son's supplement/diuretic dilemma is similar to mine. Low dose of a potassium-sparing diuretic should be OK, as long as the doctor monitors his K levels frequently. Your son should be warned about the signs of hyperkalemia, as this condition can be deadly if allowed to develop. What is the reason for your son's hypokalemia and the cause of his hypertension? How severe is his K deficiency? Does he have hyperaldosteronism? That would explain his hypertension at such a young age. He could try improving his diet by increasing his dietary potassium intake. Unfortunately, dietary sources of potassium are usually not enough in a severe K deficiency, and the K supplements must be used.
flowergirl
I am not surprised to hear this has happened to you. Unfortunately, our doctors sometimes prescribe medications that either interact with each other, or are contraindicated. :(
My pharmacist had serious concerns about the components of my therapy on several occassions. It is definitely not a good feeling when your pharmacist disagrees with or questions the appropriatness of your drug therapy. What are we, the patients, to do?
This is what works for me. I learn as much as possible about any new drug. I use several different sources. If anything stands out that might concern me, I make a note of it and ask my pharmacist about it. I don't stop there. I consult pharmacists at other locations as well. They are generally very helpful and, to me, the best source of drug related information. If several pharmacists seem in an agreement about the issue at hand, I feel fairly certain that the information is accurate. There's a catch - it is time-consuming and best done when the pharmacists are not busy. :)
Refusing to take a medication is sometimes an option. I don't like to take drugs just to see what happens, simply because the doctor feels like experimenting.
Your son is probably going to be put on a potassium-sparing diuretic. Combining potassium sparing and building medications is not unheard of. The K supplements, co-administered with any potassium-sparing diuretic (Spironolactone, Triamterene, Amiloride or Eplenerone), can result in hyperkalemia. We, the patients, have to be carefully monitored when such combinations are used.
I have low potassium levels. (Not sure what they are right now) I have been on up to three potassium building/sparing medications at a time. I worried about hyperkalemia on DAILY basis. I now have just two, a maximum dose of an ACE inhibitor, which is potassium-building, and Spironolactone-potassim sparing. I also take Hctz (another diuretic), which depletes potassium levels, so, hopefully, offsets the K accumulation from the other two drugs. I can't take the supplements because they are contraindicated due to my other health issues.
Your son's supplement/diuretic dilemma is similar to mine. Low dose of a potassium-sparing diuretic should be OK, as long as the doctor monitors his K levels frequently. Your son should be warned about the signs of hyperkalemia, as this condition can be deadly if allowed to develop. What is the reason for your son's hypokalemia and the cause of his hypertension? How severe is his K deficiency? Does he have hyperaldosteronism? That would explain his hypertension at such a young age. He could try improving his diet by increasing his dietary potassium intake. Unfortunately, dietary sources of potassium are usually not enough in a severe K deficiency, and the K supplements must be used.
flowergirl
sonic
06-27-2008, 11:28 AM
Thanks so much for replying~!
my son was hospitalized in dec for 3 days (just long enough to stabalize his high BP) they still dont know WHY it is high..he had an MRI...CT scan, many many blood & urine tests also.
he is also on Norvasc & ramapril. The new drug he is on is Amiloride.
The drs never mentioned "hypokalimia"?:confused: <removed>
it sure had me worried reading about the side effects..as if he doesnt have enough to deal with.
he has to go back at the end of july..they did more blood tests, they said his aldosterone/renine was a bit high as well as creatinine(sp)?
i dont know anymore....its been 8 months & we still have no answers.
:(
my son was hospitalized in dec for 3 days (just long enough to stabalize his high BP) they still dont know WHY it is high..he had an MRI...CT scan, many many blood & urine tests also.
he is also on Norvasc & ramapril. The new drug he is on is Amiloride.
The drs never mentioned "hypokalimia"?:confused: <removed>
it sure had me worried reading about the side effects..as if he doesnt have enough to deal with.
he has to go back at the end of july..they did more blood tests, they said his aldosterone/renine was a bit high as well as creatinine(sp)?
i dont know anymore....its been 8 months & we still have no answers.
:(
flowergirl2day
06-28-2008, 01:04 AM
Hi,
I am sorry you haven't been able to get any answers since the problems started. I am sure your son has been tested for every possible cause of a secondary hypertension. Sometimes the findings of these investigations fail to reveal the true cause of the problem. In my case, the repeat diagnostic tests I had were inconsistent with the initial ones. Everything seems to be pointing to the kidneys. A year and a half after being diagnosed with malignant hypertension, I still don't know its cause. I might never know for sure.
The main thing is that your son's blood pressure is well controlled. I am sure the doctors will find a way to increase his potassium levels safely. Try not to worry too much -it will not change anything, and you don't need the added stress.
flowergirl
You mentioned that one of the drugs your son currently takes is Ramipril. That explains the pharmacists' concern. Ramipril is a potassium-building med. Amiloride is potassium-sparing med. These two drugs, in additon to his potassium supplementation, could be too much of a good thing.
I am sorry you haven't been able to get any answers since the problems started. I am sure your son has been tested for every possible cause of a secondary hypertension. Sometimes the findings of these investigations fail to reveal the true cause of the problem. In my case, the repeat diagnostic tests I had were inconsistent with the initial ones. Everything seems to be pointing to the kidneys. A year and a half after being diagnosed with malignant hypertension, I still don't know its cause. I might never know for sure.
The main thing is that your son's blood pressure is well controlled. I am sure the doctors will find a way to increase his potassium levels safely. Try not to worry too much -it will not change anything, and you don't need the added stress.
flowergirl
You mentioned that one of the drugs your son currently takes is Ramipril. That explains the pharmacists' concern. Ramipril is a potassium-building med. Amiloride is potassium-sparing med. These two drugs, in additon to his potassium supplementation, could be too much of a good thing.
sonic
07-02-2008, 02:56 AM
Yes...you are right..I know i need to think more possitively, but i am so frustrated with the drs NOT giving me answers..i feel like we are in LIMBO.
I know there is Nothing i can do to change that & i need to take it one day at a time~~~
son came home early from work today..he said the new meds are making him nauseas(sp) :(
I mean i dont know what to say to friends & relatives when they ask if drs have figured out whats wrong with my son..:confused:
Im sure you can relate to this...how do you stay SANE?
I know there is Nothing i can do to change that & i need to take it one day at a time~~~
son came home early from work today..he said the new meds are making him nauseas(sp) :(
I mean i dont know what to say to friends & relatives when they ask if drs have figured out whats wrong with my son..:confused:
Im sure you can relate to this...how do you stay SANE?
flowergirl2day
07-02-2008, 03:49 AM
Im sure you can relate to this...how do you stay SANE?
To be honest, that is sometimes very difficult for me to do. It seems that I am on a merry-go-round that never stops. There's always a surprise just around the corner, and not the type one appreciates. :( The only thing to do is to take it one day at a time. Finding something to be happy about - the mere fact that there is another day to be enjoyed and made the most of usually works for me. Keeping busy at work helps. I find the days are too short to get everything done. Being on the go and chronically short of time suits me just fine, though it may have contributed to the health issues I now face.
I don't know what I'd say in your place regarding your son's lack of diagnosis. I wish people weren't so well-meaning, putting us into a bad spot by showing interest in our health, expressing their concerns and then proceeding to ask specific questions about things that are none of their business. I try to avoid talking about myself (especially at work!!!) and pretend nothing's changed, thus avoiding any unnecessary questions I would not be willing to answer. I am sure this is the wrong thing to do. :) Oh well.
flowergirl
To be honest, that is sometimes very difficult for me to do. It seems that I am on a merry-go-round that never stops. There's always a surprise just around the corner, and not the type one appreciates. :( The only thing to do is to take it one day at a time. Finding something to be happy about - the mere fact that there is another day to be enjoyed and made the most of usually works for me. Keeping busy at work helps. I find the days are too short to get everything done. Being on the go and chronically short of time suits me just fine, though it may have contributed to the health issues I now face.
I don't know what I'd say in your place regarding your son's lack of diagnosis. I wish people weren't so well-meaning, putting us into a bad spot by showing interest in our health, expressing their concerns and then proceeding to ask specific questions about things that are none of their business. I try to avoid talking about myself (especially at work!!!) and pretend nothing's changed, thus avoiding any unnecessary questions I would not be willing to answer. I am sure this is the wrong thing to do. :) Oh well.
flowergirl