Sodium Sensitivity - How Do You Know

violet312s · 10-01-2006, 11:38 PM

I see lots of posts on changing behavior based on whether or not you have sodium-sensitive HBP. How does one figure this out? What are the BP behaviors that would indicate one is sodium sensitive? My guess is many would like to know this.

I'm a salt-aholic. On 160mg Diovan and my blood sodium level is at the rock bottom of normal to the point my doctor has asked me to drink things other than water. Not on any diuretic and doc won't put me on one given blood readings (everything electrolyte related is low).

So how do people figure out if they are sodium sensitive?

Lenin · 10-02-2006, 08:15 AM

Well, Violet,
First thought is that you are NOT salt-sensitive in the least.

Some of the things we salt-sensitives have in common is the ability to spike both blood presure and weight inordinately (from 3 to even 7 pounds) from a high salt dose.
Other symptoms are waking up with slightly swollen hands and knees and even faces from a very salty day (like a bag of pretzels, potato chips or a Chinese meal.)

Another commonality is that diuretics cause copious peeing and a large drop in weight and blood pressure but ARB's like Diovan have very little effect as anti-hypertensives.

I often crave salt but I am not sure if that is common to salt sensitive hypertensives or not. I can avoid salt in all my food preparation but preparred foods and restaurant foods are another issue entirely. IF I could restrict my salt intake to 1500 mg./day, I could toss out any and all BP pills but I cannot live in society and manage to keep my sodium low. I know there are those who CAN and my hat is off to them...I am green with envy.