Electrolyte advice, please
Phrick
Posts: 2,765 Member
Been having morning dizzy spells when I stand up the past 3-4 days; I am almost certain it can't be low blood volume because I drink so much, so I suspect electrolytes, probably sodium? Anyone want to hazard a guess? I track potassium (and I make sure to use whole food entries so I know they're accurate) and I'm good on that - my sodium has been coming in over the 4500mg/day mark - but then again I'm drinking more lately because I've been able to get out walking/running, and it's hot here (about 1.5 GAL per day of lightly salted water, plus my little 5 cup coffee pot of decaf). Once the day wears on and I've had some more food and get moving, it evens out but for the first 3-4 hours of the morning every time I stand up (fast or slow) the world spins and my vision starts to dim at the edges... heart rate drops real fast and then pounds hard and I get short of breath. Very disconcerting but it only lasts less than a minute. Do I need to add a bottle of salted water in the morning when I get up too, maybe? Or is this "go to the doctor" territory?
ETA: I take 600mg mag glycinate divided into 3 doses through the day and calcium/K2/D3 supplements too (those due to the hyperactive thyroid condition). Everything seems like it ought to be good but...
and I'm having a hard time with the idea of breaching the 5000mg threshold for sodium!
ETA: I take 600mg mag glycinate divided into 3 doses through the day and calcium/K2/D3 supplements too (those due to the hyperactive thyroid condition). Everything seems like it ought to be good but...
and I'm having a hard time with the idea of breaching the 5000mg threshold for sodium!
0
Replies
-
Your phrase "Once the day wears on and I've had some more food and get moving, it evens out..." takes me back to my days of struggling with Hypoglycemia, also called Low Blood Sugar. When I asked my doctor about it, he ran some tests and wasn't concerned, but suggested I include more protein and fat in my diet to keep my blood sugar levels on a more even keel. (By the way, diabetics struggle with hypoglycemia also, but I am not diabetic.)0
-
That very thing happens to me when very low carb, everything goes completely black. Sounds like bp issue, I have naturally low bp so losing sodium makes it worse. I was not able to find a way to prevent it without increasing my carbs1
-
I would say it couldn't hurt to have a small glass of salty water by your bed to drink first thing in the morning to see if it helps. Maybe drink it 15 minutes before you attempt to get up. I know if my sodium gets too low, I get very dizzy upon standing. I feel better just taking a few sips of pickle juice.
How is your bp? Magnesium has a bp lowering effect so it could POTENTIALLY drop it low enough to cause dizziness and irregular heart beat. Maybe cut your dose down a bit to see if that helps.
Most likely it's the sodium especially with the heat!
2 -
I would just get sodium tablets and take 1000mg as soon as you're up. Maybe even take 1 before bed. Then do everything else you're already doing.
I really think you'll find that helps. What you're describing is exactly what my dad had been dealing with. He's not low carb though. But still couldn't retain any water.
How often do you think you urinate? Do you get up in the night to go?1 -
I tend to run with low blood pressure and have had some dizziness upon standing. Try to increase sodium, as suggested above. See how that is, if not the solution, try lowering magnesium just a bit. As above, low blood sugar, also could be a factor. In that case add a little protein to your diet and make sure you do not go too long with eating something. Good luck!0
-
Sunny_Bunny_ wrote: »I would just get sodium tablets and take 1000mg as soon as you're up. Maybe even take 1 before bed. Then do everything else you're already doing.
I really think you'll find that helps. What you're describing is exactly what my dad had been dealing with. He's not low carb though. But still couldn't retain any water.
How often do you think you urinate? Do you get up in the night to go?
I can't take the salt tabs on an empty stomach they make me barf LOL
I urinate maybe 8 or 9 times in 24 hours. It's hard to say if I get up in the night to go - when I get up in the night I do go, but that's when I'm typically up for the day too (around midnight-ish, due to chronic insomnia).
But, something in me kept nagging that I really ought to call my doc and run it past them there, so I did, and they asked a ton of questions and said it actually sounded maybe serious and come on in. So now I'm post-blood glucose test (I was fasted 5hrs at that time and it was 80), post-vision test, post-orthostatic hypotension test, and post-EKG... the doc said the EKG showed abnormal rhythms consistent with electrolytes being out of line. So I'm also post-blood draw to see which ones are out of line so we can get them back IN line. I will probably know tomorrow; in the meantime i'm instructed to drink Gatorade (I think not; I'm going to get some of those Endurocaps that were recommended in another thread)0 -
8-9 times sounds pretty frequent and is also something my dad was experiencing with his low sodium/low blood pressure...
As soon as he started sodium tablets, it all leveled out. So he stopped going pee so frequently. He was finally able to retain the water he was drinking because of the sodium tablets. I did also start him on magnesium at the time too, but I think it was more sodium related. His doctor just kept telling him to salt his food. But he only ate once a day and he doesn't really like salty food so that didn't help him. He has to take the tablets or he can't get the amount he needs each day.
1 -
Your phrase "Once the day wears on and I've had some more food and get moving, it evens out..." takes me back to my days of struggling with Hypoglycemia, also called Low Blood Sugar. When I asked my doctor about it, he ran some tests and wasn't concerned, but suggested I include more protein and fat in my diet to keep my blood sugar levels on a more even keel. (By the way, diabetics struggle with hypoglycemia also, but I am not diabetic.)
Low blood sugar?
Fats would not be of much help, if any. ?? I wonder what your doctor had in mind......1 -
Do you take bp meds? Just a thought.
I'm sure this is an electrolyte issue too, as many above.
Glad you have gotten a medical consult, and they are helping to resolve the issue for you!
Another recommendation is to have a bit of cheese (or what you like) so you can take the salt tablets without gastric distress.
Best of luck with finding the fix, and be extra careful until they do!0 -
Your phrase "Once the day wears on and I've had some more food and get moving, it evens out..." takes me back to my days of struggling with Hypoglycemia, also called Low Blood Sugar. When I asked my doctor about it, he ran some tests and wasn't concerned, but suggested I include more protein and fat in my diet to keep my blood sugar levels on a more even keel. (By the way, diabetics struggle with hypoglycemia also, but I am not diabetic.)
Low blood sugar?
Fats would not be of much help, if any. ??
I wonder what your doctor had in mind......
Here is a link to the Wikipedia article on Reactive Hypoglycemia and how it may be treated:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reactive_hypoglycemia#Treatment1 -
Sounds like postural hypotension. More salt will help with that somewhat.
I had that since childhood. I always have low BP but when I get up it drops fats. I remember being a kid and laying on the floor watching cartoons. When I got up I would see how far I could get through the house before my vision would come back. I could usually get through two rooms with the black, lack of vision before it passed.
As an adult, before LCHF, my doctor started me on fludricortisone (sp?) to help. It did. I rarely had postural hypotension anymore. The problem was that he had me on cortisone too and by the end of a year I was prediabetic, so I dropped the steroid.
It started to come back but within a few months I started LCHF and that actually helped prevent it again. It could have been the increased sodium that helped too. Now I rarely get the tunnel vision or fainting now even though my BP is still pretty low (usually about 110/60).1 -
Your phrase "Once the day wears on and I've had some more food and get moving, it evens out..." takes me back to my days of struggling with Hypoglycemia, also called Low Blood Sugar. When I asked my doctor about it, he ran some tests and wasn't concerned, but suggested I include more protein and fat in my diet to keep my blood sugar levels on a more even keel. (By the way, diabetics struggle with hypoglycemia also, but I am not diabetic.)
Low blood sugar?
Fats would not be of much help, if any. ??
I wonder what your doctor had in mind......
Here is a link to the Wikipedia article on Reactive Hypoglycemia and how it may be treated:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reactive_hypoglycemia#Treatment
Aha! So is the increase in fats designed to offset decreased carbs?
Thanks.0 -
It started to come back but within a few months I started LCHF and that actually helped prevent it again. It could have been the increased sodium that helped too. Now I rarely get the tunnel vision or fainting now even though my BP is still pretty low (usually about 110/60).
Wow. Aside from the sodium increase... any thoughts on why LCHF would have this effect?
0 -
Your phrase "Once the day wears on and I've had some more food and get moving, it evens out..." takes me back to my days of struggling with Hypoglycemia, also called Low Blood Sugar. When I asked my doctor about it, he ran some tests and wasn't concerned, but suggested I include more protein and fat in my diet to keep my blood sugar levels on a more even keel. (By the way, diabetics struggle with hypoglycemia also, but I am not diabetic.)
Low blood sugar?
Fats would not be of much help, if any. ??
I wonder what your doctor had in mind......
Here is a link to the Wikipedia article on Reactive Hypoglycemia and how it may be treated:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reactive_hypoglycemia#Treatment
Aha! So is the increase in fats designed to offset decreased carbs?
Thanks.
Haha... designed to offset lower carbs? I don't know, but if I count as a research study of one person, the diet the doctor recommended has worked for me!
0 -
Sounds like postural hypotension. More salt will help with that somewhat.
I had that since childhood. I always have low BP but when I get up it drops fats. I remember being a kid and laying on the floor watching cartoons. When I got up I would see how far I could get through the house before my vision would come back. I could usually get through two rooms with the black, lack of vision before it passed.
As an adult, before LCHF, my doctor started me on fludricortisone (sp?) to help. It did. I rarely had postural hypotension anymore. The problem was that he had me on cortisone too and by the end of a year I was prediabetic, so I dropped the steroid.
It started to come back but within a few months I started LCHF and that actually helped prevent it again. It could have been the increased sodium that helped too. Now I rarely get the tunnel vision or fainting now even though my BP is still pretty low (usually about 110/60).
I cant seem to get mine fixed with low carb. I wish I could figure it out but no matter how much sodium I eat or still happens. It's now how I know if I'm going to low carb. I always get the black vision but when to low carb it lasts much much longer. I'm trying digestive enzymes and probiotics to see if that helps with sodium absorption. @knitormiss shared some info that low stomach acid might be affecting the absorption of nutrients.0 -
Might be worth investigating this: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasovagal_response
Also, Endurolytes: http://www.hammernutrition.com/products/endurolytes.elt.html?gclid=Cj0KEQjwxLC9BRDb1dP8o7Op68IBEiQAwWggQAL7ujNJB6XWlrnuPRiVJYYRKLsx4omBqOl_iZ_srrsaAqQK8P8HAQ0
