Cardiologist told me to eat more salt! Anyone else...
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This is not the place to seek a second opinion on a severe medical issue. I recommend going to another specialist for a second opinion if you have concerns about what the first has told you.
^^^^
What this person said. This is kinda off topic, but my history teacher in high school told me a form of torture and eventual death was to eliminate sodium from a prisoners diet. The prisoner would be fed water and food with absolutely no salt. Eventually a person will grow very weak and die. Too much salt and it can lead to serious health problems and not enough salt also leads to serious health problems.
Yeah I'm not seeking medical advice just seeking to see if anyone else has been told this. I am not a complete idiot looking for medical advice on MFP or anything...lol...but that is an interesting thing your history teacher told ya :-)0 -
You won't necessarily see an increase in weight. If your doc says you need sodium, you need it. Many people with heart issues do require "more" sodium, not less. Don't be concerned about your weight. Any your have will be temporary and will not be fat. But not everyone experiences any weight gain at all with more sodium.
Yes, please don't let your fear of gaining 1-2 lbs of water weight (if that) get in the way of an optimally functioning heart...0 -
You won't necessarily see an increase in weight. If your doc says you need sodium, you need it. Many people with heart issues do require "more" sodium, not less. Don't be concerned about your weight. Any your have will be temporary and will not be fat. But not everyone experiences any weight gain at all with more sodium.
Yes, please don't let your fear of gaining 1-2 lbs of water weight (if that) get in the way of an optimally functioning heart...
I won't!!!! Trust me staying alive is more important to me then losing 2 pounds lol....just curious about the theory.0 -
This is not the place to seek a second opinion on a severe medical issue. I recommend going to another specialist for a second opinion if you have concerns about what the first has told you.
She's here obviously asking if somebody has life experience with this issue, not for a second medical opinion. No need to play Captain Obvious.2 -
LUV!This is not the place to seek a second opinion on a severe medical issue. I recommend going to another specialist for a second opinion if you have concerns about what the first has told you.
She's here obviously asking if somebody has life experience with this issue, not for a second medical opinion. No need to play Captain Obvious.0 -
There's not a one size fits all answer to this, especially without seeing your ecg's etc but one thought is that you may have something called prolonged QT syndrome. This is often a genetic abnormality which can lead to bradycardia (amongst other nastier arrhythmias). On a simple level increasing your sodium will help control this and also help balance out your other electrolytes.
It could also be other conditions but it sounds like you just want to know how it works. At least I assume that's what you mean when you say "theory".0 -
Yeah it's all new to me..basically I had an angio that showed three 40 percent narrowings in my arteries and really really bad family history of heart disease. I have high blood pressure as well thus the new meds. I dunno what way is up right now. Just seems like weird theory to me as I have high blood pressure but perfect sodium/post levels....I'll figure it out. Thanks for your help/sugesstions.
call your doctor tomorrow
please make sure you double check with your MD that he wants you to *increase* your Na intake. if you have coronary artery disease, AND high blood pressure, a ton of salt is only going to make your pressure worse. Your doc is not prescribing it as a diuretic as others have suggested- there are more effective and safer meds for that. Your low heart rate might be related to sick sinus syndrome/bradycardia, stemming from loss of normal function of your natural heart pace makers (sometimes due to coronary artery obstruction). This is advanced heart disease, and something you need to be very careful about.
tldr- CALL your cardiologist tomorrow. I hate giving "serious" medical advice on the internet, but you gotta make sure you're not hurting yourself0 -
Dont be scared...you will feel so much better. My usual advice is to say where salt goes water follows, but since you have cardiac issues this wouldnt apply. Follow the advice and follow up as needed.
Enjoy your salt party...start looking for seasonings and have fun.0 -
Yeah it's all new to me..basically I had an angio that showed three 40 percent narrowings in my arteries and really really bad family history of heart disease. I have high blood pressure as well thus the new meds. I dunno what way is up right now. Just seems like weird theory to me as I have high blood pressure but perfect sodium/post levels....I'll figure it out. Thanks for your help/sugesstions.
call your doctor tomorrow
please make sure you double check with your MD that he wants you to *increase* your Na intake. if you have coronary artery disease, AND high blood pressure, a ton of salt is only going to make your pressure worse. Your doc is not prescribing it as a diuretic as others have suggested- there are more effective and safer meds for that. Your low heart rate might be related to sick sinus syndrome/bradycardia, stemming from loss of normal function of your natural heart pace makers (sometimes due to coronary artery obstruction). This is advanced heart disease, and something you need to be very careful about.
tldr- CALL your cardiologist tomorrow. I hate giving "serious" medical advice on the internet, but you gotta make sure you're not hurting yourself
no one here said it was prescribed as a diuretic... you might want to read and pay attention since everyone here was stating it was to retain water. That would be the exact opposite of a diuretic.
bradycardia.... means slow heart beat. it isnt a illness. just medical terminology to say slow heart beat. secondly. a sinus infection would cause tachycardia since your breathing is reduced, lower o2 is in blood stream and your heart has to beat faster to maintain distribution of O2 to cells.
Didyou even read? she doesnt have coronary artery obstruction. She has a 40% occlusion... Where are you getting this crap from?1 -
Yeah it's all new to me..basically I had an angio that showed three 40 percent narrowings in my arteries and really really bad family history of heart disease. I have high blood pressure as well thus the new meds. I dunno what way is up right now. Just seems like weird theory to me as I have high blood pressure but perfect sodium/post levels....I'll figure it out. Thanks for your help/sugesstions.
call your doctor tomorrow
please make sure you double check with your MD that he wants you to *increase* your Na intake. if you have coronary artery disease, AND high blood pressure, a ton of salt is only going to make your pressure worse. Your doc is not prescribing it as a diuretic as others have suggested- there are more effective and safer meds for that. Your low heart rate might be related to sick sinus syndrome/bradycardia, stemming from loss of normal function of your natural heart pace makers (sometimes due to coronary artery obstruction). This is advanced heart disease, and something you need to be very careful about.
tldr- CALL your cardiologist tomorrow. I hate giving "serious" medical advice on the internet, but you gotta make sure you're not hurting yourself
bradycardia.... means slow heart beat. it isnt a illness. just medical terminology to say slow heart beat. secondly. a sinus infection would cause tachycardia since your breathing is reduced, lower o2 is in blood stream and your heart has to beat faster to maintain distribution of O2 to cells.
Didyou even read? she doesnt have coronary artery obstruction. She has a 40% occlusion... Where are you getting this crap from?
Sick sinus syndrome refers to the sinus node of the heart. Also, 40% occlusion means less O2 is getting to myocardial tissue.0 -
Yeah it's all new to me..basically I had an angio that showed three 40 percent narrowings in my arteries and really really bad family history of heart disease. I have high blood pressure as well thus the new meds. I dunno what way is up right now. Just seems like weird theory to me as I have high blood pressure but perfect sodium/post levels....I'll figure it out. Thanks for your help/sugesstions.
call your doctor tomorrow
please make sure you double check with your MD that he wants you to *increase* your Na intake. if you have coronary artery disease, AND high blood pressure, a ton of salt is only going to make your pressure worse. Your doc is not prescribing it as a diuretic as others have suggested- there are more effective and safer meds for that. Your low heart rate might be related to sick sinus syndrome/bradycardia, stemming from loss of normal function of your natural heart pace makers (sometimes due to coronary artery obstruction). This is advanced heart disease, and something you need to be very careful about.
tldr- CALL your cardiologist tomorrow. I hate giving "serious" medical advice on the internet, but you gotta make sure you're not hurting yourself
bradycardia.... means slow heart beat. it isnt a illness. just medical terminology to say slow heart beat. secondly. a sinus infection would cause tachycardia since your breathing is reduced, lower o2 is in blood stream and your heart has to beat faster to maintain distribution of O2 to cells.
Didyou even read? she doesnt have coronary artery obstruction. She has a 40% occlusion... Where are you getting this crap from?
Sick sinus syndrome refers to the sinus node of the heart. Also, 40% occlusion means less O2 is getting to myocardial tissue.
you realize she had an angiogram.... if that occlusion as at all impeding her hearts blood flow, she would have stent in 2 seconds flat. so, no, she doesnt have less blood flow.0 -
How much water are you drinking? How much processed food are you eating? If you are consuming a lot of water it will lower your sodium levels. Especially if you are not eating processed foods or sodas. I have to add salt to my food just maintain balance with how much water I am drinking.0
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I also saw a cardiologist and he told me to triple my salt intake and to also double my water intake.
The reason was that your blood volume needs to increase so you stop fainting.
I have taken the advice and have not fainted or passed out since April last year.
Its important that the salt you do consume is the good kind - macrobiotic or celtic sea salt as it contains the right minerals!
It really does work - as they were going to put me on anti seizure drugs - not knowing why I kept passing out.
I no longer faint - it really works
All the best with everything0 -
How's your blood pressure? One of the girls in my office was told the same thing by her doctor. He said it was to help raise her very low blood pressure. She is really small and thin.0
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My blood pressure tended to be on the lower side but is now normal. Never too low.0
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I'm confused, is your blood pressure high so you're on meds to lower it? If you have high blood pressure naturally, and are on medication to lower it, I would think your doctor would say reduce your salt intake! This is so strange!
Yeah it's all new to me..basically I had an angio that showed three 40 percent narrowings in my arteries and really really bad family history of heart disease. I have high blood pressure as well thus the new meds. I dunno what way is up right now. Just seems like weird theory to me as I have high blood pressure but perfect sodium/post levels....I'll figure it out. Thanks for your help/sugesstions.
call your doctor tomorrow
please make sure you double check with your MD that he wants you to *increase* your Na intake. if you have coronary artery disease, AND high blood pressure, a ton of salt is only going to make your pressure worse....
I have had really low blood pressure and dizzy spells my whole life. I used to be on medication that helped raise it by causing me to retain more sodium (florinef I think it was called). I still have low blood pressure, but I feel like I can manage it with just my diet and consuming a little more sodium than the average person.0 -
I am a cardiac nurse practitioner who has worked in advanced heart failure and heart transplant for 8 years at a large academic medical center. Here's the reason we tell people to liberalize their sodium intake. Sorry if this is more than you really want to know
- but I really do know exactly what this is all about.
Blood pressure and body hydration are inter-related (probably pretty obvious). Blood that flows through your arteries is in great part water. One of the roles of sodium (based on osmotic pressure) is to hold water inside vessels. Yes, with inadequate sodium, water will literally seep into tissues. Fluid has to stay in the vessels to keep blood moving smoothly to get to organs and provide tissues with oxygen and nutrients. Kidneys (very finicky, but smart little creatures) need good blood flow and adequate fluid volume in that blood to function appropriately. Also, the fluid volume in blood helps maintain blood pressure. Your cardiologist is trained to adetect whether you have adequate fluid volume by looking at the veins in your neck to see how distended (or not) they might be. Also, blood tests will reflect your fluid balance (directly impacted by your dietary sodium) by looking at your kidney function numbers (BUN and creatinine). Your kidneys, again very smartly, can regulate sodium and try to maintain "normal" sodium levels. A "normal" level on labs does not equal sufficient sodium intake. There is ALOT more to blood sodium concentrations than just how much you eat. Basically what I am saying is that your "sodium levels" in your blood will likely stay within normal limits - regardless of intake. It's just much more complex than just diet.
So, not knowing your specific diagnosis, I will make a stab at the reason your doctor told you this. Presuming that your cath and stress tests were normal, perhaps the reason you are passing out is related to blood flow to your head. As in, periodically, some people have issues with the tone or elasticity of blood vessels (a phenomenon know as dysautonomia or autonomic dysfunction). If you have lower fluid volumes (are in a sense dehydrated without enough fluid in the vessels) you may not be able to maintain blood pressure if the vessels spontaneously relax or dilate. So if he/she looked at you and your test, had no other good explanations for your fainting episodes (as in all of your tests were normal - no heart attack or rhythm disturbances and NO 40% partial occlusion is not significant enough to cause this sort of issue) then it makes sense to eat more salt, hold onto a little more fluid to help support blood pressure in an attempt to maintain upward blood flow (against gravity) to your brain - thus (maybe) preventing fainting episodes.
I know.... a lot of information, but....you asked for it LOL! J/K
Feel free to message me if you don't understand, or want more explanation.
Dana0 -
Just this Monday the checker at Safeway told me she has to take salt supplements. How lucky! I miss salt so much. Before it started causing problems I put salt on everything! I love salt. I want more salt. :sad:0
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I have been dizzy all my life. Recently the doctors have told me I have low blood pressure. I was encouraged to eat more salt. Through trial and error, I have vastly decreased my fainting spells by eating at least 2 grams a day. I am always fine if I go over that, and usually dizzy, and in bad cases fainting, when i eat 1800mg or less (in the range of).
I found that when i eat really healthy, fruits and veggies and good stuff, and keep my calories down, my sodium is still down! I get frustrated by that. so, i made a sort of 'tea'. chicken boulion and hot water in a mug. it doesn't taste good but drinks quick, and gets me a swift kick of sodium to help out.0 -
oh, and the increase in salt did show an increase in the scale at first, but after i kept it up the weight came off again. sodium doesn't seem to be an issue with my weight loss. the only real issue i see is if i go way out of my range i will see a gain the next day. example: i usually eat 2-3 grams of sodium a day, if i eat 5g on monday i will see a gain of a few pounds on tuesday morning, but if i go back to my usual it will be gone by friday.0
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