Lasix & Potassium

[KarenLK]

I am on this as of this week, and my doctor told me to eat a banana every day...I love bananas but what can I substitute? How much potassium do I need...is a multivitamin enough?

 

[EvelynK72]

I am on this as of this week, and my doctor told me to eat a banana every day...I love bananas but what can I substitute? How much potassium do I need...is a multivitamin enough?

We recently researched high potassium (K+) foods, since my DH was instructed to eat these to maintain an adequate potassium level, without having to resort to potassium supplements (the pills are large and hard to swallow!). Here are two excellent sites which have a chart of high potassium foods (prunes & prune juice, raisins, tomato juice, lima beans are as high or higher in K+ than bananas), as well as very useful information regarding the function and requirements for K+

http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/minerals/potassium/

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/drug-information/DR202473

Good luck - hope everything goes well for you.

 

[Ann-Marie]

I would like to respond to this in a few ways. First, I don't think that eating a banana a day is a good enough way to keep your potassium level within the proper range. Secondly, if you are told to take potassium because you are taking lasix, I would most certainly take the potassium, and not play games. Yes, the K-Dur are huge. I take 3 a day. What I do is have them roll to the back of my throat long ways, so they are not going down point first. They basically roll down when you take a large gulp of water. I take one, and space it by a few minutes or so. There is also liquid potassium that tastes nasty, but you can take it with OJ. The mosted important point I want to make, is that you need to keep your potassium within the normal range. I had a very good friend who went into cardiac arrest because her potassium was too low. So, I would rather gag a little than die from low potassium. When forst starting Lasix, your potassium level should be checked within the first month or two so you can adjust accordingly. They usually say the for each 20 mg of Lasix, the average person requires 20meq of K-Dur. However, I take 40 mg of lasix, and need 60-80 meq. of K-Dur. That's why it is important to have a potassium level done early on.

 

[KarenLK]

My Dr. told me to eat a banana a day, but I am sure I can ingest other forms of potassium. I guess the question is how much do I need, and can days be skipped, etc.

 

[Ann-Marie]

Lasix and potassium always go hand in hand. You need to replace the potassium at the time that the diuretic is working. If you skip a day with the lasix, then you also skip the potassium.

 

[KarenLK]

So does that mean I have to do the potassium in the AM if I take the pill in the AM?

 

[dougp26364]

So does that mean I have to do the potassium in the AM if I take the pill in the AM?

Not necessarly. So long as you're taking your potassium on a daily basis you should be able to keep you K+ level up. Keep in mind that potassium pills can be hard on the stomach. Many people either need to take coated pills or take them with food to avoid stomach upset.

My granfather has a unique way of dealing with swallowing the rather large pills. He coats them with a little butter. Now butter is not my personal choice for people with heart disease but, he does get those pills down without any problems now. I suppose a small amount of butter or margarin on a pill to get it down isn't really going to hurt to much.

 

[Ann-Marie]

I wouldn't say you have to take them in the morning, but I would so that you do not forget. Also, as another note, when I was hospitalized for surgery, the nurse broke the pills in half, stating that it was easier to swallow. WRONG! Then I could not roll them down my throat, and then I felt like I was swallowing a rock.

 

[Don]

I'm surprised no one has said "oranges and potatos", both are high in potassium. Also, generic potassium tablets come in doses that may be smaller and easier to swallow. when I was on 60mg of lasix/day, I would take 1 generic K tablet per week and get the rest through diet. Bananas give me indigestion-big time- so I wouldn't eat them.