Hyponatremia (Low Sodium)

09-25-2012, 03:05 PM

Hi All,

I wonder if anyone could help me,

In April this year so 5 months ago I went to my doctor due to low mood and stress. The doctor did a routine blood test due to me not eating a lot at the time (mainly due to the stress) but just to rule out any stomach problems. The results came back with an abnormally high ALT/GGT on my liver test and Low Sodium. I had a repeat blood test, which showed the GGT had risen from 120 to 240 and the sodium was still low (not sure of the exact number). The doctor booked me in for an abdomen ultrasound (liver mainly but they also looked at my kidneys, pancreas, spleen, etc)
I am getting the results of the Scan next Tues (9th Oct) but they also want to test my urine for Urine Osmolality and Urine Sodium and they want me to do another blood test with a range of extra things on especially regarding the function of my liver and kidneys.

Symptoms wise I feel fine in myself although I have felt quite tired the last few months but have put that down to late nights/not working (although people have commented on why I should be so tired at 26!) I am slightly overweight for my height at 5"1, 14 stone.
For the last 2 years I have had intermittent pain in my calves mainly when walking (at a normal pace) Someone told me it was due to lack of salts so I tried drinking more water as I know I dont drink enough, it did get better for a while but I seem to have bouts intermittenly of a few weeks/months of it being really bad, and then it gets a bit better and then gets bad again. I do drink a lot of caffeine of 2-3 strong cups a day which I know doesn't help)

I have also noticed for the last two years that my ankles sometimes swell especially after doing a lot of walking/being on my feet for quite a while, I thought this maybe due to my job (I did a job where I was on my feet 12 hours a day) but my ankle swelling still happens even now.

Has anyone got any ideas what this could be ?

Any help would be really appreciated

Izzabella256

09-27-2012, 12:50 PM

Hey all,

Just have to ask as I have had no replies so far...

Has anyone else been diagnosed with Hyponatremia? From looking on the internet it said there are various causes..What was the cause for you? (The cause of mine is what Im most scared of) what was your treatment? I don't really understand how I can have something which is basically "too much water in the body" when my fluid intake each day is so low (2-3 strong cups of coffee a day and not much water - which I know isn't doing my kidneys no favours) I have heard some stuff about the release of the ADH hormone which tells your kidneys when too release water (urine) and how much to keep into your body.

I tried having more waterto increase my fluid intake as my urine is so dark sometimes but looking at some articles about Hyponatremia but it said that drinking lots of water can actually make things worse!

Symptoms wise I get headaches and dizziness too which I forgot to mention in my original txt,

Any ideas?

Any help would be appreciated,

Izzabella256

09-27-2012, 01:48 PM

A lot depends on the degree of hyponatremia, but basically water stays with salt in your body, so if you eat a lot of salt you are likely to retain water with it. The ADH hormone comes from the pituitary, and regulates water balance only. It tells the kidneys to save water when needed, like if BP drops. Sometimes people have Secretion of Inappropriate (high) ADH (SIADH), which causes water retention, diluting your sodium in the blood. It is not a matter of having too little sodium but rather having too much water diluting sodium. Osmolality measures the concentration of urine or serum, and in SIADH, the osmolality will be low in serum and high in urine because kidneys are conserving too much water in the body. That may be why your urine looks dark (concentrated). It is a rather uncommon problem, but sometimes is drug induced, so if you are on any medications, I would check every one for that side effect. Your Dr seems knowlegable, must be an endo? Low sodium can also be caused by kidneys releasing too much sodium, which can be from adrenal or aldosterone insufficiency. That is why he is checking urine sodium. These hormone things get complicated, but I think you will get answers. Low sodium (Na+) causes muscle cramps.

09-27-2012, 03:17 PM

Wow Thank you so much for you post, there was so much info in there.

I don't have a very high in salt diet and don't take any medications but thank you for those suggestions

my doc is only a GP (Family Doctor) and she left a few weeks ago so Im now going to have another GP to take on my case, the previous GP was very knowledgable and thorough though as you had mentioned so I just hope she is just as good

I am also really thirsy quite a lot as well which Im not sure is another part of this.

Im just really looking forward to knowing what my scan and results say now

thank you again so much for your post again, I'll keep you posted!

Izzabella256

09-27-2012, 11:18 PM

Thirst can be a symptom that goes along with SIADH. This is a complex endocrine problem, and your new Dr. might want you to see an endocrinologist. What kind of scan are you having? Please do keep us posted, as this is unusual and would help others with the same thing. Good luck, and I hope your results come out ok. Can you find out how low your sodium was?

Hyponatremia (Low Sodium)

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